Children of all ages can be scared at the Youth Center’s 3rd Annual Haunted House in Los Alamitos, Oct. 19-21, and Oct. 26 – 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. This year’s theme is “Movies Come Alive,” with a maze indoors and outdoors. The indoor maze will feature characters from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chuckie,” and “Friday the 13th,” to name just a few. Vendors will be on hand giving away drinks, toys and candy for the first 50 people each night.
“We expect more than 6,000 people for all six nights,” said Executive Director Lena Lumme. “We’ve created a local event that people can go to at an affordable price that is as entertaining as what you’d find at Knott’s Berry Farm.”
Tickets are on sale for $5 for either the indoor or outdoor mazes or $8 for both. Free tickets are being given to the Youth Center’s after-school program children who “like” the Youth Center on Facebook. Tickets from each night will be entered into a raffle for such prizes as new bikes and skateboards for children or for gift certificates to Hof’s Hut, Souplantation or El Pollo Loco for adults.
The Haunted House is sponsored also by Joe’s Premium Paints of Los Alamitos, and is one of the Youth Center’s annual fundraising events. Proceeds go to the Youth Center to support scholarships to summer camp, supplies for their Learning Center, and art supplies for their after-school care program.
“This year, we’re doubling the maze and doubling the days,” said Lumme. “We’re also having volunteers as young as 5-years-old and complete families scaring people.”
“This is a community event for all ages, and we have a secret word people can use if they don’t want to get too scared,” she said. “Ticket holders can use the word ‘lollipop,’ and the characters in the Haunted House won’t scare them.”
The American Legion will be providing barbeque on Saturdays and Sundays at an affordable price, said Lumme. Scary treats like eyeballs on a stick, crunchy fingers, bloody popcorn and cupcakes will be on sale for $1 each. There will also be face painting, and air brush tattoos.
“This year, there will be a tunnel of light and air room,” said Lumme. “The air room will rush shooting air from time to time.”
A 10th Century Medieval village complete with butcher, baker and candlestick maker will also be a part of the indoor maze, according to volunteer Doug Flattum, who has been building this year’s Haunted House in his backyard for the last 6 months, and who also scared people at Knott’s Berry Farm.
“We’ve actually got 2 more people from Knott’s Berry Farm coming to scare people this year,” he said. Flattum has been building haunted houses for 20 years ever since his son was in Cub Scouts. This year he had the help of another volunteer, Adam Velardo, to build the Haunted House.
“It’s really a family event,” said Lumme. “We’re going to start out with the good witch, fairy and Little Red Riding Hood for the younger kids, and on one night we’ll have Chuckie from being a child to teenager to adult.” “Pictures can be taken with all characters for free, too.”
The Youth Center could always use more volunteers for the Haunted House, and they can be as young as 5-years-old to age 13 (with an adult), and ages 14 and up (without an adult) to come and scare people. To sign up to volunteer, please call the Youth Center at 562-493-4043. They are still looking for more vendors for game booths, bounce house, picture booth or laser tag activities as well. Tax deductible Halloween costumes and decorations are also being accepted.