What Lurks Within All Hallows Eve’s TERROR TOWN
As the light fades across late Summer skies, the forming moon becomes a faint sliver amidst the darkness creeping in. Street lamps flicker to life, barely illuminating the grassy roads of a town from a time long before our own. From somewhere off in the distance, a gunshot pierces the air, followed by the sharp crack of a bullwhip. Making our way carefully among the aged shops and saloons, my friends and I are keenly aware of the twisted faces and hostile stares following us through the night. The “warm” welcome we’d received just a little while ago doesn’t seem so friendly anymore… we know we’d be wise to watch our backs.
It’s that time of year again. The western town of Bravado– also known as All Hallows Eve’s TERROR TOWN– is preparing to open its gates to visitors for another season. And some of us lucky folks from The Scare Factor were recently invited to ride on in and see what’s new this year.
Media nights are a common thing in the haunt industry. They’re typically held several days prior to the start of the season, and guests who work in all forms of established media are invited to come out and enjoy a sneak peek of what customers can expect from the haunt that year. Not only is it a fun time for everyone involved, but it’s also great promotion for the attraction, and it serves as a sort of soft opening – allowing the haunt to see what’s working, and what may need some work. Up until this year, I had never attended Terror Town’s event before. But with both a free night and the blessing of good weather, I came rolling up with two other Scare Factor teams this past Saturday: Team Zombillies and Team White City Devils. (Three of our group of six were first timers. I was excited to see their reactions, especially the one who got a little “upgrade” along with me… more on that shortly.)
Terror Town– located in Williamsburg, Ohio– consists of two parts: the town itself, and a haunted trail. Multiple ticket options have always been available to allow patrons to tailor their experience, but 2023 is offering more than ever before! A General Admission ticket will gain you entry to everything this place has to offer – minus any mess or touching. More daring visitors can upgrade to wearing a glowing Gold or Red Bracelet around town; the former invites actors to make them a soggy spectacle, while going red (18+ only) throws physical contact into the mix! Among the new options this year are a “town only” pass, a family-oriented event on select dates in October, and the exclusive, mysterious “Blue Skull” experience. This is said to be even more intense than what those of us marked in red have suffered in the past… I may have to come back.
So what is there to do here? Well, it’s no secret that Bravado is one troubled town. Roam with care, for nothing is as it seems on those cursed streets. Live burials, bloody confessions, criminal persecutions, and witch hangings happen nightly – and if you survive all of that, a lengthy trail out in the wilderness still awaits! With that said, it’s not all scary. You can hang out in the saloon to drink and play games, listen to live music, watch any performers who might be in town, shop with several unique vendors, and stop for a tasty bite at one of the town’s eateries. Aurelio Voltaire was the guest of honor for this year’s media night, and he was great! He performed for a very enthusiastic crowd.
An attempt was made to feature more vendors… an attempt quickly thwarted by Bravado’s disturbed denizens, who zeroed right in on that evil red band glowing around my wrist! One of our group members, Nancy, also went red, and the two of us were heavily tortured. By the time they were done with me personally, I was: thoroughly saturated with water and mud, coated in red goop, shaving cream, and sugary syrups, locked up in the jail, buried alive, had to get on my knees and beg to be saved… I could go on. All of this was before we even did the trail, so I was definitely too nasty for any more shopping! Shout outs are in order for the nun, gravedigger/mortician, ZoZo the Clown, and Pockets the Monkey – everyone was brutal, but y’all were easily the worst.
Big thanks to All Hallows Eve for having us all out – we had a blast! If you’d like to experience this madness for yourself, Terror Town will be open every Friday and Saturday night from September 1st to November 4th this season. You can find more information and purchase tickets by visiting their website at: https://www.allhallowsevellc.com. Team Zombillies and Team White City Devils were also recording throughout the night, so expect more fun content soon.
This article was written by: Lindsay of Team Lone Wolf
Photos by: Team Zombillies, Team Lone Wolf, and Team White City Devils
For more information on All Hallows’ Eve Terror Town, please click HERE.