Insanity Haunted House in Peru returns with new scares

The 10,000-square-foot haunted house in Peru is back after winning multiple voters’ choice awards for top haunted house in Illinois.

This year, the attraction has a whole new section to entertain and scare its visitors.

Owner of Insanity Haunted House Pete Pavia said 30% of the show is new compared with last year. It includes new actors, redone rooms and new concepts.

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A photo of dolls spattered in fake blood inside the Insanity Haunted House at the Peru Mall on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. The haunted attraction is more than 10,000 square feet and has earned multiple honors in Illinois, including No. 2 in the state in 2021 and No. 3 in 2020. (Scott Anderson - sanderson@shawmedia.com)

Pavia has had a successful past few years, with voters’ choice awards ranking his haunted house No. 2 in the state in 2021, No. 3 in 2020 and top 10 in 2019. Pavia said he’s so proud of the sets and ideas he’s had that it’s hard for him to decide what to change year to year.

“Now I’m getting to the point where … the house looks fantastic, I don’t want to change it,” Pavia said. “But you have to change. If you don’t change, you’ll get passed. You have to change to survive in this, and people want a new show every year.”

Pavia prides his haunted house as being unique, detailed, intense and actor-driven. The experience includes lasers, strobe lights, fog, smells, real props and costumes and exclusively handmade sets. Pavia designs the entire set himself and puts it together with a team of builders.

There are 35 to 40 paid actors specially trained by Pavia who run different rooms throughout the house. Each actor develops his or her own character and creates dialogue to scare the people who come through. A big part of it is distracting the visitor with the sets or by bombarding their senses so the actors can more effectively do their scares.

Pavia moved his business to the Peru Mall after his previous location in the Charlestowne Mall closed. He said he’s always loved Halloween since he was a child and his father took him to haunted houses. He originally started a yard display as an adult and then made the decision to turn it into a business. This is his fifth year in Peru.

“Everyone in this area has been awesome,” Pavia said. “They come up, support us, follow us on social media and I couldn’t be happier.”

Insanity Haunted House is open 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays for the rest of the month. It’s open 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the remaining Sundays in October. A children’s matinee show without live actors will be 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 16, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.

Tickets are $17 regularly, VIP tickets are $27 and kids matinee tickets are $7. Tickets can be bought at the door or online. The Haunted House is an extreme event and visitors are advised against bringing young children to the full show and to read all warnings before entering.

“You’re going to see stuff here you’ve never seen anywhere else,” Pavia said.

The final show of the season will be a blackout event from 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 5. All lights will be turned off and visitors will be given a glow stick to move about the house. Insanity Haunted House is located at 3940 Route 251 inside the Peru mall. For information, visit insanityhh.com/home.html.