2023 Status: Having reopened with a new crew in 2022, the Westchester Park of Pain celebrates its 40th anniversary with the return of their walkthrough Halloween maze.

Dates & Hours: October 27-28, 30-31, 7-11pm.

Tickets: $10 (cash only, at the door).

Recommended For: Ages 12 & Over

7000 W. Manchester
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Recreation Center Website: click here

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Westchester Park of Pain & Halloween Kid Zone Information & History

The Park of Pain is a community center haunt that has carved out a niche for itself, earning a reputation for being a cut above similar non-profit efforts. Though its DIY status is unmistakable, it effectively marshals its limited resources to yield entertain results, geared for customers in its neighborhood but worth checking out for fans of indie popup haunts. It is also the longest running community center haunt in Los Angeles, though there was a break in its continuity.

For over three decades, Westchester Recreation Center offered a scary walk-through attraction during the final days of October, transforming the park’s gymnasium into “Westchester Haunted Park” – a name that was eventually switched to to “Park of Pain.” Geared for local trick-or-treaters, the settings were fairly simple, but the mazes were lengthy. The monsters were not too scary for youngsters, but they made an effort to put on a good spook-show for the whole family. The event was recommend for adults and children seven years and older.

There was also a less scary daylight event on October 31 called Halloween Kid Zone. Young trick-or-treaters and their parents were invited to Westchester Park’s gym for games, scary stories, and a costume contest.

The Park of Pain was dropped from Westchester Park’s schedule in 2019 and remained so during the 2020 pandemic. In 2021, Westchester Recreation Center brought back its Halloween Kid Zone. The Park of Pain was resurrected in 2022, proclaiming “Back like it never left!” A new crew was involved and instead of using the gym for its haunted house, the walkthrough led through a few rooms of the building for entering a wooden maze constructed outside, filled filled with blind corners with opportunities for jump scares.

2023 saw Westchester Park of Pain celebrating its 40th anniversary – with hopefully many more to come.

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Westchester Park of Pain Archive

Check out our past coverage of Westchester Park of Pain…

 

Find more Kid-Friendly Halloween Fun and Halloween Home Haunts.