The Mourning After Halloween 2013: Those Haunts That Remain
Which Halloween Haunts Remain Open Through the Weekend? Find out…if you dare!
November 1 is traditionally the most depressing day of the year for avid Halloween enthusiasts, signaling the end of the happiest time on Earth and the beginning of another dreary twelve-month stretch until the next ethereal occasion on which ghosts and ghouls rise from the grave to haunt the land of the living. Fortunately, this year’s come-down is buffered by the continued operation of several Halloween haunts in Los Angeles. If you need one last fix to raise your restless spirits until next Halloween, check out these events.
Note: Recommendations below are based on our experience of the haunts this Halloween, not on past reputation; we have not given recommendations to any haunts, even our favorites, that we we did not visit this season.
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STAGE AND SCREEN
The Afflicted
(Recommended)
Location: The NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Dates: November 1-2, 8-9, 15-16
Hours: 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 10pm on Halloween Night
Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: It’s not the  Theatre 68 Haunted House that we have come to know and love over the past few years, but it’s about as a good a substitute as one could hope for. At their new venue in the NoHo Arts Center, instead of presenting their familiar walk-through attraction, the 68 Cent Crew is staging this revised version of Leif E. Gantvoort’s clever 2006 play (formerly known as “They’re Not Zombies”).  The Afflicted is a wild combination of horror and comedy, both hilarious and horrific. The staging is tight; the performances are electric; and you will need a poncho if you sit in the front row – unless you want your clothes dyed red (blood red, that is).
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Delusion: Masque of Mortality
Location: Bethany Presbyterian Church, 1629 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles
Dates & Hours:
- November 1-2, 7pm-midnight
- November 3, 6-10pm
- November 7, 7-11pm
- November 8, 7pm-midnight
- November 9, 6-11pm
- November 14, 7-11pm
- November 15, 7pm-midnight
- November 16, 6-11pm
- November 21, 7-11pm
- November 227pm-midnight
- November 23, 6-11pm
Tickets: $60, with discounted preview nights ($56) on September 26 & 27
Website: Click here
Description: We have not seen it yet, but we hear that writer-director Jon Braver’s  latest Halloween production – a combination of drama and walk-through haunted house – is even more interactive and exciting than its predecessors. DELUSION: MASQUE OF MORTALITY takes its audience back to the year 1931, as they seek refuge from a plague decimating the land – apparently inspired by Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death.” In case you are out of the loop, Delusion sets a new bar for Halloween events in Los Angeles. It realizes the claim other haunts make but fail to achieve – placing you inside the horror, as an active participant.
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Lovecraft: Nightmare Suite
Location: Lex Theatre, 6760 Lexington Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90038
Dates: November 1-3.
Hours: Friday and Saturday performances start at 8pm, Sunday performances at 3pm
Tickets: $20 at the door, $10 in advance.
Website: Click here
Description: The Visceral Company (who gave us the memorable “They’re Not Zombies” a few years ago) offers this portmanteau of six short plays inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft, including “The Outsider,” “The Picture in the House,” “Cool Air,” “Nyarlathotep,” “The Cats of Ulthar” and “The Statement of Randolph Carter.” This is the Los Angeles debut of the show, which previously was staged in New York. All text is taken directly from Lovecraft’s writing, and realized on stage with shadow play, puppetry, and storytelling. Directed by Dan Spurgeon (who created the concept), “Lovecraft: Nightmare Suite” stars Andrew Bourgeois, Devereau Chumrau, Maya Eshet, Nicole Fabbri, Daniel Jimenez, Steve Peterson, Eric Sand, and Mark Souza.
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The Purge: Fear the Night
(Recommended)
Location: Variety Arts Theatre, 940 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Remaining Dates:November 1-2.
Hours: There are eight “arrival times,” at 15-minute intervals. The first set run at 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, and 8pm; the second set at 10, 10:15, 10:30, 10:45pm.
Tickets: $39-45 when purchased in advance
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Blumhouse Productions’ new event for Halloween 2012 got off to a stumbling start in September, but since then it found its footing to become one of the most exciting seasonal attractions available in Los Angeles. This year’s production is less a Halloween haunt (it has little connection to the season) and more of an interactive theatrical experience, loosely based on the film from which it takes its name. The Purge: Fear the Night is an exciting adrenalin run, in which you are taken hostage by anti-government forces eager to shut down The Purge (the annual night when all crime is legal).
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Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in 4D
Location: El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 1-800-347-6396
Dates: November 1-3
Website: Click here
Description: Has it truly been 20 years? Walt Disney’s El Capitan Theater celebrates the big event with their annual revival – this time in so-called “4D” with “newly enhanced interactive sensory effects,” including “scent, wind, snow, fog, and more.” In the lower lounge of El Capitan Theater, there is a 20th anniversary display about the making of the movie.
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Urban Death: Tour of Terror Haunted Theatre Attraction
(Recommended)
Location: 4850 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, California 91601
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: 8:30p to 11:30pm.
Tickets: $12.
Phone: (818) 202 – 4120 for reservations.
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group a condensed version of their Urban Death stage show, tailored specifically to the Halloween season, with a walk-through maze you must navigate in the dark in order to reach the performance area. This is one unusual and unique Halloween event – one that we recommend highly. There is plenty of street parking at the location, but allow five minutes for seat. No food or drink allowed inside.
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The Voices of Pioneer Cemetery present Almas: Day of the Dead
Location: Pioneer Cemetery, 14451 Bledsoe Street Sylmar, CA 91342
Dates: November 1-2
Performance Times: every hour 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, and midnight.
Tickets: $15. The admission price may be tax deductible; this is a charitable event.
Phone: 818-970-1286
Website: Click here
Description: This fundraiser, benefiting the non-profit San Fernando Valley Historical Society, takes you on a night-time tour through the actual Pioneer Cemetery, with actors portraying the ghosts of the past. In Almas: A Day of the Dead Celebration, the emphasis is on history rather than horror, but there is an undeniably spooky atmosphere as you wander past graves and see mysterious figures flitting in and out of shadows before stepping forward to recount their personal history. Please note: Bring your own flashlight. Walking required; wear sturdy shoes. Shows performed rain or shine. No one under age 7. No photos.
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Wicked Lit
(Recommended)
Location: Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery 2300 Marengo Ave, Altadena, CA 91001 Phone: 818 242 7910
Dates: November 1-2.
Hours: Red Death Experience begins at 7pm. The plays begin at 7:30.
Tickets: Â prices range from $45 to $55 (STANDBY ONLY!!)
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Unbound Productions presents a trio of plays based on classic supernatural fiction, intertwined with a theatrical “experience” filling the intermissions between performances. This year’s trilogy of terror is based on THE LURKING FEAR by H.P. Lovecraft, THE NEW CATACOMB by Arthur Conan Doyle, and THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW by Washington Irving. Before and between the three one-act dramas, the audience will be immersed in THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH EXPERIENCE, a series of vignettes inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe. As before, these performances require the audience to keep up, as actors move through real locations: room, corridors, an art gallery, and a cemetery. Wear comfortable shoes, and be prepared for cold weather outside.
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HALLOWEEN YARD HAUNTS
DIY House Haunt
Location: 11206 Califa Street, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Dates: November 2
Hours: sunset until midnight,
Web Page: Click here
Description: Do-It-Yourself Halloween enthusiasts “Charlemagne Lazarus” (a.k.a. “Charlemagne Kinsman,” a.k.a. Brian Miller) throws his hat into the ring with this new home haunt. The DIY Haunt House is described as short and suspenseful, with a low fright level but probably not appropriate for children under eight. The haunt is free. The entrance is on the cross street, Fair Avenue.
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Eternal Rest Cemetery
Location: 414 Rose Avenue Eternal Rest Cemetery, Venice, California
Dates: Â November 2.
Hours: usually 7pm to midnight, longer if lines persist
Website: Click here
Description: The Eternal Rest Cemetery unleashes all manner of horror for Halloween. This home haunt features a small decorated yard overflowing with props and a brief but enjoyable walk-through that attracts long lines of adult trick-or-treaters. A great way to finish off a long Halloween Night!
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The Haunt with No Name Yet
Location: 19351 Hatteras Street, Tarzana, CA
Dates: Â November 1 & 2.
Hours: 6-10pm
Website: Click here
Description: This spooky yard haunt – unnamed yet far from anonymous – returns for another Halloween of subtle scares. There are no living monsters, but there are plenty of spirits, decorations, and a few amazing effects. Free for all. Great for kids, as long as they are not too easily scared.
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The House at Haunted Hill
Location: 4400 Saltillo Street, Woodland Hills, CA
Dates: November 1-3
Hours: 7pm-midnight on Friday and Saturday, 7-10pm on Sunday
Website: Click here
Description: The most elaborate yard haunt in Los Angeles returns for another Halloween, featuring spectacular lighting and effects timed to a pre-recorded story conveyed with music, narration, and dialogue. Admission is free, but the event does get crowded, so come early and expect to walk (nearby parking is at a premium).
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House of Restless Spirits
(Recommended)
Location: 1008 Euclid Street, Santa Monica, CA
Dates: November 2
Hours: 7-11pm
Website: Click here
Description: The spookiest and most subtle yard haunt in Los Angeles once again summons its restless spirits to haunt and delight you. Don’t expect chainsaws, pop-scares, or shocks. Do expect some of the most marvelous and magical effects ever executed in an amateur Halloween event. Closing time is firm. The lines will be long, so arrive early.
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PROFESSIONAL HALLOWEEN HAUNTS
Alone: An Existential Haunting
Location: Downtown Los Angeles (exact address emailed to those with tickets)
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: arrival times from 6pm to midnight
Tickets: $40 for general admission, $55 for front-of-the-line privileges.
Website: Click here
Description: A new attraction opens in Los Angeles this Halloween. Alone: An Existential Haunt offers a 30-minute walk-through experience, which each visitor must accomplish on his own, with only a flashlight. The experience – which is described as one part interactive theatre and one part psychological haunting – sounds similar to the Blackout Haunted House: you to fill out a waiver and then follow the instructions given to you inside the haunt; refusal to comply will result in your removal, without a refund. 18 and over only (bring photo i.d.). Wear comfortable shoes, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
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Blackout: Elements
Location: Variety Arts Theatre, 940 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Dates: November 1-3, 7-9
Hours: arrival times from 7pm to 10:30pm
Tickets: $65
Website: Click here
Description: Blackout returns to Los Angeles for another season of extremely up close and personal Halloween horror, this year titled “Blackout: Elements.” You must walk through alone, with a protective mask and a flashlight, and you must do everything you are told to do – as unpleasant as those actions must be. The official website warns that you will encounter not only the usual fog, strobe lights, darkness, and loud noises, but also physical contact, including sexual and violent situations. You will need to sign a waiver before entering. There is a safety word to yell if you want the horror to stop (literally “Safety!”), and the haunt will ask you to leave if you refuse to perform any of the required actions. There are no refunds. Strictly speaking, this is not a haunted house. Rather, the creators intended it as an avante garde theatrical event, then added the “haunted house” label.
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The Empty Grave
Location: Anaheim Garden Walk 321 W. Katella Avenue Anaheim, CA 92802
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: typically, 6:30m to midnight on Friday and Saturday, with exceptions for busy evenings
Tickets: $13 for 1, $20 for 2 tickets, $20 for a Quick Death Pass (front of the line ticket),  $30 for VIP Funeral Package (2 tickets with front of the line passes, plus 2 Empty Grave t-shirts)
Website:Â Click here
Description: This is supposed to be an all-new version of the spooky spacious haunt, bigger and better than before, with lots of etheral lighting effects to take you into a realm on the other side of the grave, haunted by malevolent monsters who do not want you trespassing on their domain.
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Fears Gate
Location: 816 North Ventura Road, 93030
Remaining Dates: November 1.
Hours: 7pm-midnight
Tickets: $13 for one haunt, $20 for 2, $30 for 3, and $32 for three haunts with extra paintball ammo for the Mutant Militia haunt. The coffin ride is $5 for one person, $9 for two. There are discounts for military personnel with valid ID.
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Oxnard’s annual Halloween haunt is now in its third year, since moving from Sherman Oaks, where it made its debut in 2010 as a big-tent, clown-themed walk-through named Forbidden Haunt. With its new name and current location, Fear’s Gate now offers three attractions: Deadtime Stories, Krazed Klowns, and Mutant Militia (the latter is an interactive paintball experience). There is also a double-wide coffin ride that is much macabre fun.
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FrightFair ScreamPark & Halloween Harvest Festival
Location: Pierce College, 20800 Victory Boulevard, Woodland Hills, CA, Information: 818-999-4565
Dates: November 1-3.
Hours: FrightFair runs from dusk to midnight on Friday and Saturday, till 10pm on Sunday; Harvest Fest starts at 10am every day.
Website: Click here
Description: During the day, the Harvest Festival offers rides and activities for kids (carousel, petting zoo, pumpkin maze, etc). Most of these events require activity tickets, which can be purchased in booklets. The Harvest fest events continue into the evening, when Fright Fair ScreamPark opens the tombstone gates to inflict some real scares on the populace. FrightFair has always impressed  Hollywood Gothique with the aggressive malevolence of the monsters hunting the attractions. The Factory of Nightmares haunted house has long been a favorite, and the Creatures of the Corn haunted trail is quite different from just about any other Halloween event in Los Angeles – a creepy outdoor trek through a cornfield, where the rustling you hear is not always from the wind.
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Halloween Horror Nights
Location: Universal Studios, Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza Univeral City, CA 91608
Dates: November 1 (sold out) and 2
Hours: 7pm to 2am
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Universal Studios Hollywood – the home of horror movies since the early days of cinema – offers walk-through mazes based on famous film franchises: THE WALKING DEAD: NO SAFE HAVEN; EVIL DEAD; INSIDIOUS: INTO THE FURTHER; BLACK SABBATH 13 in 3D (inspired by the rock band); EL CUCUY: THE BOOGEYMAN; and UNIVERSAL MONSTERS RMIX: RESURRECTION, featuring the music of Figure (the latter located inside the year-round House of Horrors walk-through). This year’s ride through the back lot is titled TERROR TRAM: INVADED BY THE WALKING DEAD. Universal is also advertising that, for the first time, the urban settings of the back lot will be transformed into their own mazes and scare zones.
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Knott’s Scary Farm
(Recommended)
Location: KNOTT’S BERRY FARM 8039 Beach Boulevard Buena Park, CA 90620
Dates:Â November 1-2.
Hours: 7pm to 2am
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review:Â Click here.
Description: The Knotts Berry Farm Halloween Haunt opens for another season of horror, featuring ten mazes, nine roller-coaster rides, and two haunted “experiences,” including the return of the interactive Trapped walk-through.
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Old Town Haunt
Location: 20 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: 7-10pm
Tickets: $15 for General Admission and $20 for VIP (no waiting)
Phone: 626-248-7652
Website: Click here
Description: Old Town Pasadena’s dark and disturbing subterranean lair opens its doors for one final season of fear. That’s right: the Old Town Haunt Halloween attraction is billing October 2013 as its last year – meaning that, if you have not ventured into its caverns yet, you must make the effort now or regret it for the rest of your miserable life. This is one of the best Halloween events in Los Angeles, so try not to miss it. As the website says: “This is it: Last year. Last Chance. Can you last?”
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The Queen Mary Dark Harbor
Location: THE QUEEN MARY 1126 Queens Highway Long Beach, CA 90802 Queen Mary Phone: 562-435-3511
Dates & Hours: Novermber 1-2
Hours: 7pm to midnight
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: The Queen Mary sets sail on their annual excursion into Halloween horror, featuring six mazes. The familiar ghouls are back – Captain, Half-Hatch Henry, Scary Mary, and Graceful Gale – with the addition of the Ringmaster, who presides over the new Circus maze, located inside the dome. Other new attractions include the “Ferris Squeal” and a Freakshow.
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Reign of Terror Haunted House
(Recommended)
Location: Janss Marketplace, above Gold’s Gym, 197 North Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, California
Date: November 1
Hours: 7-10pm
Tickets: General Admission $15; Express Line tickets (little or no waiting) $25
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: The premiere Halloween Haunt in Thousand Oaks reopens its doors for 2013. Ever expanding, The Reign of Terror Haunted House will offer even more horror than before, with a whole new section of mayhem: in addition to the original haunted house, the Asylum, Blood Manor, and Miner’s Revenge, Halloween 2013 features Quarantine, a postwar laboratory where experiments have gone horribly wrong.
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Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare
Location: Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Avenue Pomona, CA 91765
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: 6:30pm-1am
Website: Click here
Hollywood Gothique Review: click here
Description: Great news for Halloween haunters in the Pomona area: the Los Angeles County Fairplex, which went dark for Halloween 2012, will host a brand new horrifying event this October, Rob Zombie’s American Nightmare. The fifteen-night extravaganza will run from October 10 through November 2, with three haunted houses and dozens of live musical acts. Rob Zombie is scheduled to headline the live acts on both nights.
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Sinister Pointe
Location: 195 Arovista Circle, Brea, CA 92821
Dates: November 1-2
Hours: 7pm to midnight
Tickets: $17 for a one-time ticket; $25 for a front-of-the-line fast pass; $30 for an all-night pass allowing unlimited return trips through the maze; and $35 for an all-night fast pass.
Website: Click here
Description: The Sinister Pointe Haunted Attraction opens its  doors for Halloween 2013, offering a slightly revamped version of last year’s walk-through. Sinister Pointe offers a pulsating rock-and-roll vibe, which pumps up the adrenalin, and combines that with clever interactivity, which requires you to make choices and/or perform actions (such as putting your hand down a garbage disposal) in order to proceed.
Note: Sinister Pointe is a year-round location that prents other events throughout the year. Watch out for their “Not So Merry Holiday Haunted Attraction” in December.
