It appears that one successful haunted house experience has spawned a cluster of them in Union County, northeast Oregon. Producers of the Night Fright Haunted House at the Historic Union Hotel in Union expect over 3000 willing victims to tour the production this Halloween season. The beautifully restored hotel is the perfect venue for the haunted attraction that features live actors following a story line. In its fourth year, the production opened October 9 and it continues October 16-17, 23-24, and 28-31, from 7 to 10 p.m. Matinees on October 24 & 31, from 3-5 p.m., are less scary and intended for a younger audience.

 

Night Fright Haunted House is a dramatic style haunted house that is very scary but not gory. Members of the community and students and production crew members from the Eastern Oregon University drama department make this frightening experience realistic and fun. Each year the haunt is completely re-themed with an entirely new story line. For 2009 they have expanded the production to include two haunted experiences in one location. “The Museum” is located on the third floor of the hotel and a brand new experience “The Crypt” is in the basement.

 

The Museum has been closed and abandoned ever since two students mysteriously disappeared there several years ago. Strangely, the Museum curator, Dr. Frank Stein, also disappeared about the same time. Dr. Stein had an unusual fascination with preservation and reanimation of life. He had filled the Museum with odd exhibits and strange mummies, which he liked to study. Wander through the dark and dusty remnants of his twisted world in the search for what really happened…

The Crypt is a smaller haunt than The Museum, darker, scarier and more intense. The Crypt was sealed up ages ago with a stone, bearing an inscription, blessing all who lie within to rest in peace and cursing anyone who dared to disturb the remains… but someone has stolen corpses from the crypt and now the spirits of the dead are searching for revenge on any living thing that enters their domain. Be sure to bring a friend to hang on to for this one!

Admission is $10 per person for The Museum, $6 for The Crypt, or $15 for both. Matinee performances are $7 per person for The Museum only (The Crypt will not be open for Matinees). See www.nightfrightproductions.com for more details and lots of photos from past attractions. For more information, call 541-910-5042. Don't miss out on the fun!

Encouraged by the success of the haunted hotel, a historic farm on the south edge of Union has opened its barn doors for what it bills as a very scary and gory haunted attraction, "The Shrieking Shack," open October 16 & 17, 23 & 24 and 29, 30 & 31, dusk to midnight. Admission is $7.  The barn is located at 1782 South Main Street. Call Rick, 541-910-8717, for further information.

At Elgin, 20 miles north of La Grande, the Elgin Opera House is utilizing its production and acting crew for a haunting of its own. Creepy creatures, goblins of ghoul and your nightmare nemesis have taken over the Elgin Opera House. Titled “Your Worst Nightmare,” the haunted version of the historic Elgin Opera House runs October 22-24 and again October 29-31. The doors open at 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings, closing at 10 p.m. each night.  

“This is not for the faint of heart.  We will do our best to scare you and even leave you a bit amused and disturbed,” said theater owner Terry Hale. “We are theater people and creating reality is what we strive for, “he added. Children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult.

A portion of the proceeds from the Haunted Opera House will be donated to Friends of the Opera House to fund the 2010 theater season and other funds will be used to cover miscellaneous expenses needed to keep the Opera House open. A donation will also be made to the EOU Theater Club. The cost for admission is $10 at the door. Thursday evenings are 2 for the price of 1, so bring a friend. More information is available at the Opera House website www.ElginOperaHouse.com or by calling 541-437-1918.