(Posted 10:30 p.m., Oct. 23)
Skreamers haunted barn and wagon ride more spooktacular than ever
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

One of the many zombies which populate the the Skreamers Haunted Barn at the Proulx Berry Farm on O'Toole Road peers from behind a recent guest to the Hallowe'en attraction. Fred Sherwin/Photo

Area ghouls and goblins looking to get into the Hallowe’en spirit should look no further than the Skreamers Haunted Barn and Wagon Ride at the Proulx Farm on O’Toole Road.

It's been four years since the Kiwanis Club of Orleans first moved their haunted house attraction to the Proulx Berry Farm. Since then they've been adding new elements every year to scare the living daylights out of visitors. Last year they added a spooky wagon ride. This year they've vastly improved both the haunted barn and the ride with the help of over 100 student volunteers who bring it to life while trying to scare you to death.

The amateur actors play eveything from a chainsaw weilding maniac to a demented brain surgeon. On the night I visited the haunted barn, one of the female students could easily have won the Academy Award for Best Blood Curdling Scream.

That said, the Skreamers Haunted Barn and Wagon Ride is not for the faint of heart. Unlike other Hallowe'en attractions in the area which tend to cater to children, Skreamers goes out of its way to be as frightening as possible and is not recommended for kidsunder 10.

Once you get past the regurgitating demon and Fang the Watch Dog, you're plunged into complete darkness. The only way to navigate through the pitch black maze with its series of false doors and "dead" ends is by feeling your way along one of the walls.

While the haunted barn still has many of the old favourites such as the Autopsy Room, the Runaway Car and the Dead Meat Shop, the attraction's creators have added a number of new elements to ramp up the thrill factor.

The wagon ride, in particular, has undergone a huge improvement. The wagons have all been outfitted with speakers which blast sound effects during the 20 minute ride through the haunted forest and toxic waste dump.

The graveyard has also been vastly improved with the addition of dozens of body parts, severed heads and skeletons.

Visitors should also be on the lookout for "Precious" an eigh foot high demon that carries a shrunken head around on a chain. The entire tour takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Admission is $15 per person.

The attraction is open this Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will also be open this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night and, of course, Hallowe’en night which is next Saturday.

To get to the Proulx Berry Farm from Orléans take Innes Road east past Trim Road to O’Toole Road, turn left and then look for the signs.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

Return to top

Return to Front Page