Haunted Haven: Weekend activities include kids’ trick-or-treating, ‘Blackout Night’

ROCK FALLS – Local horror attraction Haunted Haven is gearing up for a weekend of frightful fun.

Owner and operator Melissa Schultz said her “haunt family” of ghastly creature actors have been going strong at their new location, 126 Anderson Drive in Dixon, otherwise known as “Who Else Land.” The new location takes visitors on a terrifying trek through the wooded trails surrounding the property.

Visitors take a hayrack ride from the parking lot to the event, where they can purchase concessions, visit the gift shop or buy a ticket and wait in line.

“The new location has been a complete hit,” Schultz said. “There’s something about walking that trail, even in the daytime, that’s kind of spooky. Then, we add 30 actors, some spooky lights and spooky sounds, some chainsaws, and it’s just terrifying.”

Haunted Haven’s original location near Rock Falls burned to the ground in May, taking costumes, props, tools and other equipment that Schultz spent years acquiring. That is when the Who Else social club stepped in and offered to rent Schultz space on its land.

“I’m extremely grateful to Who Else and the community for having our back,” Schultz said. “We’re taking things one season at a time with our arrangement with Who Else, and hope they welcome us back next year. If they do, I’d love to see us expand the haunt even deeper into the woods.”

For now, Schultz is concentrating on finishing the current season, including a few plans for this weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 26, local tattoo artist Michael Baker returns to Haunted Haven to showcase his signature fire-spinning skills.

“If you’ve never seen Michael spinning fire, you have to come and watch,” Schultz said.

On Sunday, Oct. 27, Haunted Haven will host special kids’ trick-or-treating hours from 3 to 5 p.m. and feature free daytime walk-throughs of the haunt.

“Normally, we take the kids through the haunted house with the lights on, and they can trick-or-treat,” Schultz said. “The actors would sit in their spots with candy, and the kids could trick-or-treat through the barn. It’ll be a little different this year, but it will still be a good time.”

Later that evening, the lights will go out from 7 to 10 p.m. for “Blackout Night,” where visitors are left to navigate the haunt with only “a flashlight and prayers.”

Haunted Haven is open from 7 to 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through Saturday, Nov. 2.

Tickets are $15 at the ticket stand, or visitors can skip the general line by buying a “Slash Pass” online for $20. The final ticket of the night is sold at 11 p.m., and the haunt will remain open until the last visitor dares to enter its doors.

Parking is free, and a spooky hayrack ride brings visitors from the parking lot to the haunt and back.

Schultz advises visitors to look for signs along the road when traveling to the haunt, as GPS directions are not always correct. For more information or help finding Haunted Haven, call 815-213-2269.

“If you haven’t been out, please come see us,” Schultz said. “To the community who have visited Haunted Haven before, come experience this new venue with us.”