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The Opening Ceremony
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Todd - It’s unfortunate that Fear Fair is so remote (at least by my definition) because many more people should really come and see what it has to offer. It’s an experience that’s all over the spectrum – scares, laughs, sights and entertainment. Many haunts are great at achieving one or two of these but uncommonly are all of these checked off within the same show. Fear Fair may bend the conventions of haunt a little, but it’s all for good.
Before I mention anything else, I’ll address the elephant first – actor shortages. Fear Fair is in my top 3 this year for most noticeable lack of actors. Again, it’s not management’s fault; it’s just the way this year has been almost across the board much like labor shortages have been a problem in many industries. Actors are almost always the lifeforce to any haunt. Without them, haunts can feel lifeless, less scary, too quiet – all things I experienced more than once within Fear Fair this year.
We found that in the beginning catacombs area, it was strangely quiet. We could just about hear our own movements which immediately called for the necessity of some sort of backing track. When this area was first renovated 3 (?) years ago, there were many robed beings scrambling throughout these dark halls, in your face almost incessantly. This year, there were only two actors (maybe even one now that I think of it). For an area that spans a good 4-5 rooms, that’s a lot of walking space for little to no interaction. We also found a nearly empty prison at the end. In years past, the cell blocks would have utter pandemonium taking place whereas this year, there were only about four actors in the entire prison area excluding Peaches.
Now, while it’s objective to point out the actor shortages, it’s only fair to mention that the vast majority of actors on staff were excellent in their presentation and banter. To start, the voodoo priestess in the French Quarter did a great job adlibbing her dark promises based on what we said we most desired. The girl in the bayou shack said only one of us could be kept behind as a pet. Naturally I volunteered – though after saying she would do despicable things to me, I apparently found too much elation in the offer and was quickly set free. The gravedigger this year, rather than trying to scare us by popping out between various tombs, acted more as a friendly ally, giving us words of caution. And of course Peaches. We’ll come back to him shortly.
The obvious marvel this year was the Egypt build, replacing the plague village area. After watching the painstaking construction throughout the year, it was incredible to see how it all turned out. It’s actually one of my favorite haunt builds of all time for numerous reasons. The first new area we found ourselves in was an archeological tent. The (likely) doomed explorer warned us of a curse, resulting from their poking around artifacts that are best left untouched. The details of just the tent area looked very legit, complete with the items an early 20h century expedition would likely have. As we walked outside, we were encompassed by an amazing ancient Egyptian landscape. Two-story statues carved out of a wall towered over us, real sand was on the ground and our first task was to cross the flimsiest rope bridge ever, which provided passage over an actual pool of water.
I had the honor of going first and I immediately felt like I was going to topple over the side – that bridge has some give. About half way across, I was in awe of the awesomeness of the new build when I was suddenly pelted with water from a water cannon hidden in the pool. Fair warning. Gawkers get wet. A few other rooms back inside were a shrine to Anubis (preceded by a very clingy and vocal mummy!). We were strongly encouraged to pay our respects before moving into what appeared to be a tomb containing various treasures – and a small skeletal army. The lighting in this room was pretty dim and none of the skeleton figures moved. It felt like perhaps one or some of them were supposed to, especially given the lighting, making it challenging to see them clearly. Either way, this new area is fantastic looking and a lot of fun. The hard work definitely paid off!
Soon after, we were approaching the end of our visit and to see the star of the show (for me at least). As mentioned before, the Prison was very calm, especially in contrast to years past. Though we about had our eardrum blown off in the wardens office by…something (nothing appeared to be happening…just a tremendous bang) set off by an inmate running ahead of us, the morgue was void of actors as were the prison cells. The cell that typically one lucky victim gets put in had a sheet covering it to ensure no one wandered inside. We did find one mentally deranged girl suspended on the track efficiently explaining she was going to kill everyone and make everyone a “happy family”, as well as a lone prisoner covering double ground trying to catch us off guard in the halls.
And then it was time. Escorted in by his roommate “Shitsy”, we were honored to visit the “classy but sassy” Peaches after his absence last year. We learned all kinds of things about prison life, like his contraband lip gloss – if he “uses it a little, you’re gonna like it a lot.” Apparently hand sanitizer is also referred to as pre-lube. Who knew? As always, in order to exit I then paid the price for the group and spooned with Peaches, singing Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”. This year there was even a backing track playing! It was a memory made.
Actor issues aside, Fear Fair had a few executional hiccups this year. Twice I saw behind some paneling where there was equipment visible (likely just from someone forgetting to put a panel back in place). The lighting in parts could have used some adjustment – the catacombs were a bit bright, which allowed a too much to be seen for what should be interpreted as a underground crypt. On the other hand, small part of the Egypt room could have been a bit more lit to showcase the mysteries inside the tomb. A few rooms could have used a little backing audio as well, but these were all minor things, especially compared to the feats accomplished with the new build this year.
Fear Fair’s crew deserve some praise for keeping the energy up despite the challenges and for all the hard work to make tremendous changes like those displayed this year. The opening ceremony, something fairly unique to Fear Fair, has become a staple as well and gives patrons a reason to come right at opening. Complete with music, lasers, fireworks, lights and dancing, it’s a fun, hyped up kickoff to the night for actors and visitors. Fear Fair has always been one of the best haunts we visit regarding actors and it’s a shame there weren’t more of them this year. Congrats to those who completed the whole season and a big “Welcome Back!” to Peaches.
He said I was the best spoon ever. I bet he says that to all the guys!
Before I mention anything else, I’ll address the elephant first – actor shortages. Fear Fair is in my top 3 this year for most noticeable lack of actors. Again, it’s not management’s fault; it’s just the way this year has been almost across the board much like labor shortages have been a problem in many industries. Actors are almost always the lifeforce to any haunt. Without them, haunts can feel lifeless, less scary, too quiet – all things I experienced more than once within Fear Fair this year.
We found that in the beginning catacombs area, it was strangely quiet. We could just about hear our own movements which immediately called for the necessity of some sort of backing track. When this area was first renovated 3 (?) years ago, there were many robed beings scrambling throughout these dark halls, in your face almost incessantly. This year, there were only two actors (maybe even one now that I think of it). For an area that spans a good 4-5 rooms, that’s a lot of walking space for little to no interaction. We also found a nearly empty prison at the end. In years past, the cell blocks would have utter pandemonium taking place whereas this year, there were only about four actors in the entire prison area excluding Peaches.
Now, while it’s objective to point out the actor shortages, it’s only fair to mention that the vast majority of actors on staff were excellent in their presentation and banter. To start, the voodoo priestess in the French Quarter did a great job adlibbing her dark promises based on what we said we most desired. The girl in the bayou shack said only one of us could be kept behind as a pet. Naturally I volunteered – though after saying she would do despicable things to me, I apparently found too much elation in the offer and was quickly set free. The gravedigger this year, rather than trying to scare us by popping out between various tombs, acted more as a friendly ally, giving us words of caution. And of course Peaches. We’ll come back to him shortly.
The obvious marvel this year was the Egypt build, replacing the plague village area. After watching the painstaking construction throughout the year, it was incredible to see how it all turned out. It’s actually one of my favorite haunt builds of all time for numerous reasons. The first new area we found ourselves in was an archeological tent. The (likely) doomed explorer warned us of a curse, resulting from their poking around artifacts that are best left untouched. The details of just the tent area looked very legit, complete with the items an early 20h century expedition would likely have. As we walked outside, we were encompassed by an amazing ancient Egyptian landscape. Two-story statues carved out of a wall towered over us, real sand was on the ground and our first task was to cross the flimsiest rope bridge ever, which provided passage over an actual pool of water.
I had the honor of going first and I immediately felt like I was going to topple over the side – that bridge has some give. About half way across, I was in awe of the awesomeness of the new build when I was suddenly pelted with water from a water cannon hidden in the pool. Fair warning. Gawkers get wet. A few other rooms back inside were a shrine to Anubis (preceded by a very clingy and vocal mummy!). We were strongly encouraged to pay our respects before moving into what appeared to be a tomb containing various treasures – and a small skeletal army. The lighting in this room was pretty dim and none of the skeleton figures moved. It felt like perhaps one or some of them were supposed to, especially given the lighting, making it challenging to see them clearly. Either way, this new area is fantastic looking and a lot of fun. The hard work definitely paid off!
Soon after, we were approaching the end of our visit and to see the star of the show (for me at least). As mentioned before, the Prison was very calm, especially in contrast to years past. Though we about had our eardrum blown off in the wardens office by…something (nothing appeared to be happening…just a tremendous bang) set off by an inmate running ahead of us, the morgue was void of actors as were the prison cells. The cell that typically one lucky victim gets put in had a sheet covering it to ensure no one wandered inside. We did find one mentally deranged girl suspended on the track efficiently explaining she was going to kill everyone and make everyone a “happy family”, as well as a lone prisoner covering double ground trying to catch us off guard in the halls.
And then it was time. Escorted in by his roommate “Shitsy”, we were honored to visit the “classy but sassy” Peaches after his absence last year. We learned all kinds of things about prison life, like his contraband lip gloss – if he “uses it a little, you’re gonna like it a lot.” Apparently hand sanitizer is also referred to as pre-lube. Who knew? As always, in order to exit I then paid the price for the group and spooned with Peaches, singing Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”. This year there was even a backing track playing! It was a memory made.
Actor issues aside, Fear Fair had a few executional hiccups this year. Twice I saw behind some paneling where there was equipment visible (likely just from someone forgetting to put a panel back in place). The lighting in parts could have used some adjustment – the catacombs were a bit bright, which allowed a too much to be seen for what should be interpreted as a underground crypt. On the other hand, small part of the Egypt room could have been a bit more lit to showcase the mysteries inside the tomb. A few rooms could have used a little backing audio as well, but these were all minor things, especially compared to the feats accomplished with the new build this year.
Fear Fair’s crew deserve some praise for keeping the energy up despite the challenges and for all the hard work to make tremendous changes like those displayed this year. The opening ceremony, something fairly unique to Fear Fair, has become a staple as well and gives patrons a reason to come right at opening. Complete with music, lasers, fireworks, lights and dancing, it’s a fun, hyped up kickoff to the night for actors and visitors. Fear Fair has always been one of the best haunts we visit regarding actors and it’s a shame there weren’t more of them this year. Congrats to those who completed the whole season and a big “Welcome Back!” to Peaches.
He said I was the best spoon ever. I bet he says that to all the guys!
Paul - Seymour Indiana is a nice, sleepy little town without a lot of draw. There are a few little interesting spots around town that may pull in the occasional tourist, but it's mostly just a quiet place. But when Fall rolls around every year that changes a bit, and people begin to show up from all over the region. Why?? -Fear Fair!
Located adjacent to the airport on the south side of town, Fear Fair is in an industrial area that seems to pretty much shut down after 6PM. Put it into your GPS software of choice and park wherever you see a space. The parking is free, and there's plenty of it. You'll have to go through a metal detector when you arrive, then you enter into the midway area. The midway is a really fun area to hang out before you get in line. There are games, activities, snacks, a fire, merch, and the ticket booth there to visit, and once you've had your fill, you can get into line for the main event. Not that you can miss it from the midway, but one of the best parts of visiting Fear Fair is the entertainment that DJ Fear provides by filling the air with his crazy sound and light show!
Once inside, there are 4 very impressive haunts waiting to scare you. Starting out you'll go through Ancient Evil- A huge cult-inhabited catacomb with skulls, bones, psychos, and animatronics galore. It's a really dark, creepy maze with some really cool effects. There's a portion at the end of it that hasn't been working for the last couple of years that I'm a little disappointed by, but otherwise it's great.
After you survive the cult, you'll head into Leveau's Curse. This is a New Orleans voodoo themed portion where you'll travel through a really rickety house, down bourbon street, through the swamp, and hopefully make your escape through the cemetery. This is the oldest portion of Fear Fair but the swamp is still one of my favorites in any of the haunts we visit- Really neat construction with great lighting, acting, and some strategically-placed animatronics that do their jobs a lot better than it may seem.
Exiting the cemetery takes you into the latest build- Ramses' Wrath! All new for 2021, this is an unbelievable build and is a great addition to the facility. Your journey through an archaeological dig gone wrong brings you all over Egypt while you attempt to escape from the unearthed evil you've encountered. This is my favorite new scene in any haunt this year and the time invested paid off significantly.
Finally- a trip through Rockford Riot. Rockford Correctional houses some of the most demented prisoners around, and when they decided enough is enough, they decided they were going to take charge. Another fantastic build with detail galore, Rockford is a high-energy attraction with some of the best parts of the whole complex. The biggest problem with Rockford this year is that they require a large number of actors in there to keep things pumped up, and the actor shortage was most obvious to me here. On the upside... Peaches is back this year, and that makes up for quite a bit.
Fear Fair continues to put on a hell of a show every year and I'm happy we got to visit again in 2021. The Egypt scene is amazing, and the 3 other haunts are all still really good as well. I really hope that actors are easier to come by for the 2022 season (for all haunts, not just here), but either way, Fear Fair will be on my must see list for many years to come, and is well worth the trip to Seymour!
Located adjacent to the airport on the south side of town, Fear Fair is in an industrial area that seems to pretty much shut down after 6PM. Put it into your GPS software of choice and park wherever you see a space. The parking is free, and there's plenty of it. You'll have to go through a metal detector when you arrive, then you enter into the midway area. The midway is a really fun area to hang out before you get in line. There are games, activities, snacks, a fire, merch, and the ticket booth there to visit, and once you've had your fill, you can get into line for the main event. Not that you can miss it from the midway, but one of the best parts of visiting Fear Fair is the entertainment that DJ Fear provides by filling the air with his crazy sound and light show!
Once inside, there are 4 very impressive haunts waiting to scare you. Starting out you'll go through Ancient Evil- A huge cult-inhabited catacomb with skulls, bones, psychos, and animatronics galore. It's a really dark, creepy maze with some really cool effects. There's a portion at the end of it that hasn't been working for the last couple of years that I'm a little disappointed by, but otherwise it's great.
After you survive the cult, you'll head into Leveau's Curse. This is a New Orleans voodoo themed portion where you'll travel through a really rickety house, down bourbon street, through the swamp, and hopefully make your escape through the cemetery. This is the oldest portion of Fear Fair but the swamp is still one of my favorites in any of the haunts we visit- Really neat construction with great lighting, acting, and some strategically-placed animatronics that do their jobs a lot better than it may seem.
Exiting the cemetery takes you into the latest build- Ramses' Wrath! All new for 2021, this is an unbelievable build and is a great addition to the facility. Your journey through an archaeological dig gone wrong brings you all over Egypt while you attempt to escape from the unearthed evil you've encountered. This is my favorite new scene in any haunt this year and the time invested paid off significantly.
Finally- a trip through Rockford Riot. Rockford Correctional houses some of the most demented prisoners around, and when they decided enough is enough, they decided they were going to take charge. Another fantastic build with detail galore, Rockford is a high-energy attraction with some of the best parts of the whole complex. The biggest problem with Rockford this year is that they require a large number of actors in there to keep things pumped up, and the actor shortage was most obvious to me here. On the upside... Peaches is back this year, and that makes up for quite a bit.
Fear Fair continues to put on a hell of a show every year and I'm happy we got to visit again in 2021. The Egypt scene is amazing, and the 3 other haunts are all still really good as well. I really hope that actors are easier to come by for the 2022 season (for all haunts, not just here), but either way, Fear Fair will be on my must see list for many years to come, and is well worth the trip to Seymour!
Teresa - Fear Fair is a haunted attraction located in Seymour, Indiana, an easy drive from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Indianapolis. It is so worth the drive! This place is like a haunt club party! Ticket prices are very reasonable and it's a fun place to hang out. There are booths with games, food, souvenirs, a climbing wall, and a bonfire when it is cold. And the best part is, they open every night with a show. This year, the cast comes out and sings and dances the Time Warp, before rushing the crowd and menacing the entire queue area. There are fireworks and special effects, and then DJ Fear comes out and blasts some dance tunes with lasers and fog. The crowd dances and it makes waiting really fun. The only thing I missed this year was the option for a touch pass, as they do a great job with that here normally, but they had to forego touch again this year because of Covid. I cannot wait until it comes back! Fear Fair is great about changing things up every year, too. It's one of my favorite things about the place. This year there are 4 attractions: Ancient Evil, Leveau's Curse, Rockford Riot, and the new one for 2021 (insert drum roll here) Ramses' Wrath. This new one blew me away! Definitely a must-see!
When you enter the haunt, you'll get a group photo, then wait in a short line in what looks like a mine tunnel, with flickering light bulbs. Then you'll enter an elevator and the show begins. First you enter Ancient Evil where you'll find tunnels full of skulls and bones, lifesize skeleton candelabras, snarling characters, jump scares and crazy animatronics. Next you'll find yourself in Leveau's Curse. You'll enter an old New Orleans-style house decked out in full voodoo, you'll have a chance to get anything you want...for a price. You'll go through a swamp with hanging bridges and snakes, where the lady in the shack may keep one of you...forever. The effects are so good at enhancing the scene and the animatronics are startling. In the last portion of Leveau's Curse, you'll have to make it through a Big-Easy style above-ground cemetery. Look out for zombies! Ramses' Wrath is the third attraction, and this was SO good. The sets are amazing! Old tombs, columns, hieroglyphics, sand, statues, monuments, what looks like Howard Carter's camp, animatronics, mummies, the SCARIEST hanging bridge I've ever been on, a sphinx, a temple where we worshipped Anubis - it was so impressive! And last, but certainly not least, you enter Rockford Prison. This area is in full prison break mode, with inmates running amok. You go through the gym, locker room, office, main cell block, past some disturbing cages, the morgue, laundry room, bathroom, and into one of the cells. There are loud intense noises, a scary girl with a syringe, a guy named Shitzy in the bathroom (read into that what you will), and Peaches himself awaited us in one of the cells. If you haven't met him, he's really the star of the prison. This is always my favorite part. Peaches is hilarious and people often run out laughing. If you're so inclined he has his own merch in the store! Be sure to check out your photo while you're there. If you love being entertained with your scares, Fear Fair is your place!
When you enter the haunt, you'll get a group photo, then wait in a short line in what looks like a mine tunnel, with flickering light bulbs. Then you'll enter an elevator and the show begins. First you enter Ancient Evil where you'll find tunnels full of skulls and bones, lifesize skeleton candelabras, snarling characters, jump scares and crazy animatronics. Next you'll find yourself in Leveau's Curse. You'll enter an old New Orleans-style house decked out in full voodoo, you'll have a chance to get anything you want...for a price. You'll go through a swamp with hanging bridges and snakes, where the lady in the shack may keep one of you...forever. The effects are so good at enhancing the scene and the animatronics are startling. In the last portion of Leveau's Curse, you'll have to make it through a Big-Easy style above-ground cemetery. Look out for zombies! Ramses' Wrath is the third attraction, and this was SO good. The sets are amazing! Old tombs, columns, hieroglyphics, sand, statues, monuments, what looks like Howard Carter's camp, animatronics, mummies, the SCARIEST hanging bridge I've ever been on, a sphinx, a temple where we worshipped Anubis - it was so impressive! And last, but certainly not least, you enter Rockford Prison. This area is in full prison break mode, with inmates running amok. You go through the gym, locker room, office, main cell block, past some disturbing cages, the morgue, laundry room, bathroom, and into one of the cells. There are loud intense noises, a scary girl with a syringe, a guy named Shitzy in the bathroom (read into that what you will), and Peaches himself awaited us in one of the cells. If you haven't met him, he's really the star of the prison. This is always my favorite part. Peaches is hilarious and people often run out laughing. If you're so inclined he has his own merch in the store! Be sure to check out your photo while you're there. If you love being entertained with your scares, Fear Fair is your place!
Emily - Mixing horror and fair festivities, Fear Fair offers guests food, rock climbing, a live DJ and of course an awesome haunted house. The security, ticket, and entry lines are all outdoors. Once through security, there is a gift shop, and they offer snacks. The live DJ makes your wait a little easier. There is a cool welcome show that allows you to see the actors outside the haunt. Once the show is finished, the doors open, and the haunt begins. After a picture, you are put on an elevator to the crypt!
The sets are awesome at Fear Fair. The endless walls of skulls were a nice touch. Normally, you might see a hallway here and there, but this crypt was covered in detail. I loved the black magic in the basement that turned into a small village. The swamp was well executed, and the use of bridges was unique. Especially the one in Egypt. We were all laughing at each other trying to cross. The wide-open spaces in Egypt make it feel a little more realistic. That Sphinx is awesome.
The actors they have are great. From the start, the growling guy in the crypt was all over us. He worked the set on his own, moving through to multiple places. The dark magic witch was my favorite character and had great dialog. There was a guy basically doing parkour in the graveyard. That was dedication. He made me knees hurt just watching him. A few places were short on actors, like at the end of Egypt and the prison. We know staffing shortages are an issue everywhere. I would have liked to see more people in the prison room though. Just pack it with rowdy actors to make it extra uncomfortable in there. Like an actual prison would be.
Regardless of the empty spaces, everyone did an amazing job with what they had. It was fun and interactive. I am glad I was able to experience Fear Fair’s unique world and recommend it for next year.
The sets are awesome at Fear Fair. The endless walls of skulls were a nice touch. Normally, you might see a hallway here and there, but this crypt was covered in detail. I loved the black magic in the basement that turned into a small village. The swamp was well executed, and the use of bridges was unique. Especially the one in Egypt. We were all laughing at each other trying to cross. The wide-open spaces in Egypt make it feel a little more realistic. That Sphinx is awesome.
The actors they have are great. From the start, the growling guy in the crypt was all over us. He worked the set on his own, moving through to multiple places. The dark magic witch was my favorite character and had great dialog. There was a guy basically doing parkour in the graveyard. That was dedication. He made me knees hurt just watching him. A few places were short on actors, like at the end of Egypt and the prison. We know staffing shortages are an issue everywhere. I would have liked to see more people in the prison room though. Just pack it with rowdy actors to make it extra uncomfortable in there. Like an actual prison would be.
Regardless of the empty spaces, everyone did an amazing job with what they had. It was fun and interactive. I am glad I was able to experience Fear Fair’s unique world and recommend it for next year.
Questions? Have a story to share? Leave it in the comments!