Looking for a good scare this Halloween season? Try out The Dark Zone, Rankin County’s haunted attraction.
The haunted house opens Oct. 16. Hours are 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays of the final three weeks of next month.
Crossgates Exchange Club President Pat Pipitone said he won’t lie: “it’s scary.”
“Our first weekend is a dress rehearsal although we still go full gore,” Pipitone said.
About 3,500 people attended last year’s house, and the Exchange Club expects a bigger turnout this year, Pipitone said.
Pipitone didn’t want to spoil one of the attractions but did hint that this year extraterrestrials will make an appearance at The Dark Zone. He also said perennial attractions, like the grave yard and Hollywood section (your typical frights like Jason, Freddy Krueger, etc.) will be included.
And how long it takes to weave through the 3,500-square-foot haunted house? Pipitone said “it depends on how fast they’re running” but typically about 10-15 minutes.
As usual, no witches or devils will be included in the house, Crossgates member Barbara Blough said.
The Dark Zone has a snack bar, vending hamburgers, hotdogs and other concessions.
Preparation each year begins in March, when members begin buying costumes and planning for new thrills. Physical construction begins in June.
Last week, members of the group added roofing to the house, which will now shelter the graveyard section of the attraction.
Asked if they enjoy scaring those who visit:
“Oh yes, it’s fun,” Crossgates member Rita Izard said.
“Especially when the big guys come through,” Pearl president Sherry Curtis added.
The Dark Zone isn’t recommended for children five and under. For the families wanting to entertain their younger goblins, a not-so-scary kid-friendly attraction will be open.
The tradition began 24 years ago at Blough’s farm on the outskirts of Brandon and has grown into a fundraiser for the Crossgates Exchange Club that attracts thousands each year. It moved from its Hilltop Painted Farm location to its current location four years ago.
The prevention of child abuse is a priority of the Exchange Club, and funds raised are donated to prevention causes as well as other programming of the group.
The Exchange Club also owns and maintains the soccer fields (next to the haunted house) and participates in other American-oriented events. The club offers a $1,000 scholarship to a Brandon High School senior based on the best essay about Americanism and American history.
The Crossgates Exchange Club is always looking for new members, Blough said.
