Scream Acres is an incredible haunt just south of Greeley, tucked back in the corn fields of Fritzler Farm Park, which itself is an amazing fall attraction featuring a wide variety of seasonal activities for everyone! Haunt goers are able to enter the Farm Park at 4:00 p.m., and take full advantage of the daytime activities, including a large (not haunted) corn maze, before darkness unfurls over the farm and the giant wooden gates to Scream Acres swing open. The haunt itself sends visitors through a newly designed path this season, complete with the first several chapters of “The Curse of the Blood Mood, A Scream Acres Saga” available via QR code, full of the beautifully illustrated lore of the haunt’s storied theme. Between the Farm Park offerings, the storyline, and, of course, the haunt itself, Scream Acres is well worth the trip!
The haunt begins with a walk from the booming music and energy of the queue line area out into the quiet of the corn, which stands at least seven feet tall. The darkness and stillness set in quickly and, just as we begin to wonder if the corn is cursed, an unnatural rustling begins and cast members start emerging from the corn. Although the natural areas would have benefitted from a few additional actors, which would not only kick up the intensity but would permit them to team up on unsuspecting guests, those folks are really just an amuse bouche, with the full entree still to come.
The cast inside of the haunt went full bore, blasting us away with great performances. We were met with memorable monologues in celebration of darkness at the pinnacle of their ritual and from those that pleaded with quiet desperation, begging for help with a sense of sincerity that’s hard to hit. Some cast members arrived with intensity and vigor while others maintained a silky sobriety that crept up on us. Others yet, put on filling performances, feeding our desire to be creeped out and offering fingerlicking treats to passersby.
What makes this cast’s execution all the more notable is that many of them are local high schoolers who grew their love of fright at Scream Acres under the twisted tutelage of Christian Victor, the mastermind behind the haunt who himself rose from the cast to take the reins nine years ago. Since then, Christian has labored to help his cast take ownership of their roles, bringing to life the creatures hidden in their minds to deliver the screams.
The queue actors have an even harder job selling the scares while remaining friendly enough to pose for pictures with guests, but they all did a spectacular job of balancing those opposing roles. The most compelling performance in this regard is clearly the miniature, yellow-haired clown, who storms from place to place, seeking out new victims with determined dedication unparalleled by most haunt actors two or three times her size. All said, the cast at Scream Acres is outstanding!
That tremendous cast is outfitted in equally impressive duds, masks and makeup, making their renditions all the more believable and ensnaring. The costumes also fit well within their respective scenes, with an overall nod to the theme of the haunt, the Curse of the Blood Moon. Some costumes were as simple as long, dark, hooded cloaks, but many were more complete looks. As Scream Acres strengthens each year and the Curse of the Blood Moon further infiltrates its essence, we look forward to seeing the costuming detail rise to the next level. The masks, on the other hand, were among the coolest and most unique ones we’ve encountered recently, with makeup on par with the masks, sometimes subtle and other times full-faced and intricate, each look deviously distinct.
Getting to the Fritzler farm is easy with a map app, though be aware that the last turn comes up quicker than one would believe (we’ve missed it in the past and had to double back, and still almost did again this time…not the haunt’s problem, of course, just be aware!). Nevertheless, the address and all other pertinent information one could want about the haunt and the farm is readily available on their websites and thorough social media presence. Once guests take the turn off of the highway, the path is nicely identified with signage directing guests to the parking lot. Once there, Fritzler’s folks do a great job helping direct visitors to the best parking spots. In fact, one of the employees who was on a 4X4 noticed that a bunch of us were parking further back than necessary and he zoomed over to direct us closer to the entrance. He, and literally all of the rest of the staff we encountered, were very pleasant and helpful, from the folks checking wristbands at the entry to the staff helping take pictures for guests at the photo ops to the staff and security keeping the queue line moving in an orderly fashion.
Despite the haunt sending guests through the corn field, up and down stairs and ramps and in and out of structures, there was only one spot we felt was dangerous enough to note. One staircase in the second half of the path leading down to the ground level was invisible between the darkness and fog. It was obvious that there had to be some means of going down but we had to stop and feel around with our feet to determine if it was steps, a ramp, or some other way of descending. Despite that caution, one of our group members still stumbled. Otherwise, there was nothing truly dangerous throughout the attraction, whether in the haunt or the rest of the farm park.
As guests approach the Fritzler Farm Park, with the crisp feel of autumn in the air and the sound of the pumpkin cannons blasting in the distance, it’s clear something special is happening on the grounds. Walking in from the parking lot reveals fields of pumpkins waiting to be picked off of the vine, which are sold by the pound, and tents and tables on both sides of the entry queue line. Going through the gate, the farm park comes into full view. Games, photo ops, and other attractions line both sides, with a central circle of food trucks sitting in the middle, offering a wide variety of fare ranging from tacos and sushi (from the same truck nonetheless) to burgers to chicken and waffles. Beer and other liquid spirits are available to those over 21, and Frankenfuel energy drinks are available to those of us in need of a jolt. All of those sights and sounds come together to create an incredible vibe before ever entering the haunt. While that atmosphere is much more jovial than that created behind Scream Acres’s wooden gates, it sets the scene incredibly well. Once darkness falls and the haunt’s gates open, the vibe in the queue line is much more sinister, matching the mood of the haunt. Music blasts through the crowd and the queue cast cascades through the line bringing screams to some and posing for photos with others. A pair of themed vehicles adorn the line, which also offers porta-potties and a drink stand to make the wait more tolerable. On select nights throughout the season, there are also other offerings, ranging from fire dancers to fireworks. This sordid scene culminates at the haunt entrance, where the vibe is utterly electric and guests are gathered before being sent off into corn.
As noted above, the haunt starts off a little slow, with a dark and disquieting walk through the tall stalks, but the few actors that were in that area did a good job of keeping us grounded. Upon arrival at the haunt proper, however, the cast, scenery and special effects keep guests locked in. The calmer areas provide enough of a glimpse of what’s coming around the next bend without giving away too much, keeping the intrigue high, with a good use of blinds and other pathway designs. The end of the haunt, in contrast, seemed to arrive before we realized it. Upon leaving the last area of the haunt and entering the dark, calm corn once more, we kept waiting for something to pick back up, but, despite one good final jumpscare from the corn, we were left unassailed and confused about what was considered the finale. That calm walk back to the farm park definitely broke the immersion, which was disappointing given the energy and excitement of the rest of the haunt. Of course, upon exiting the haunt, guests are put back near the entrance of the farm park, which has a nearby gift shop, snack stand, and roving light-up and glow stuff vendors. Those with more to accomplish before calling it a night are able to re-enter the farm park and continue taking advantage of its offerings, most of which come with the price of admission, until it closes for the night.
Scream Acres’s lore, provided by QR code, does a great job of setting the theme and telling the tale of the haunt. The storyline is terrific and there are some key elements within the haunt, but, in speaking with Christian, we also learned that the story will come into better focus in future years, which will only make Scream Acres even more engaging. While it may be a little difficult to discern the haunt’s theme without reading the story, after reading it, those thematic elements in the haunt, such as the stone that bespeaks the blood moon and the best looking cauldron I’ve seen, stand out much more clearly and breathe life into the theme. With the exception of the silent and lonely walk back through the corn, we were immersed from the moment we entered the queue line area until we struck out into the solitary stalks.
The special effects at Scream Acres were all unbelievably well done, from the changing soundscape as we made our way through the path to the combination of lighting and fog. We repeatedly got lost in the dense clouds and bright lights, even bumping into a few hay bales along the way. The disorientation was so well done in several spots that we had to pause for a moment to get our bearings back before continuing on, which left us as sitting ducks long enough for the cast to lick their chops before pouncing. There was no shortage of special effects throughout the path yet they weren’t overly-relied upon as the star of the show either. Instead, they elegantly enhanced the intricately woven pieces of Scream Acres and the blood moon.
The scenes themselves were also really well done. Some spaces were interiors of buildings, which were outfitted as such, and others were more wild, as if finding the expansive outdoors compressed into a tight labyrinth just on the other side of the door. Although not a special effect itself, the design of the pathway and use of blinds paired beautifully with well-placed special effects such that they helped prepare haunt goers for what lay ahead while also building intrigue and excitement. The use of special effects, without becoming overly reliant on them, was masterfully accomplished.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 8.76
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 8.79
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8.35
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.01
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 6.6
Given the spectacular cast and their dedication, Scream Acres held true to its name, proving itself to be one of the scariest haunts we visited this season. Those scares came in a wide variety of ways, from quiet jump scares as hooded haunters burst from the corn to loud, in-your-face approaches that were enough to make us cower. Some actors played more into the scenes and theme while others had more feral takes, being much more animalistic than the others. That cast also did a great job of scaring everyone in our group of five, even when we encountered other groups. Although the lack of a real finale was a bit of a let-down, that last scare was one of the best. A single haunt actor sprang out of the dark corn at the tail end of our group as we were discussing whether we were at the end of the attraction or not, and managed to make three or four of us jump (some a little higher than others, and with at least one yelp). Haunt fans looking for a scary, fun attraction that also offers a variety of fall festivities for the whole family should make a point of adding Scream Acres to their list.
One of the most remarkable things about Scream Acres at Fritzler Farm Park is the stupendous value. Base tickets to the haunt, which run $39.95 if prepurchased online or $44.95 at the gate, permit visitors to get in at 4:00 p.m. Once inside, most of the attractions, including a large slide, sports-based games, and several other fun ways to pass the time, are free of charge. For an extra $10, guests can try their hand at shooting the pumpkin cannons, sending small pumpkins flying into metal objects, or blasting away at targets with orbeez guns. Between all of those treats, mostly at no extra charge, and a nearly 30-minute haunted attraction, Scream Acres is a steal. However, it is only open weekends in the fall, so make your plans to visit now, before the screams are gone for the year!
20861 County Road 33, La Salle, Colorado 80645