Slate River Slaughter Halloween Display
October 18th to 31st
#LSN_Outdoors #LSN_CircleTour
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - September 18, 2018 (LSN) The end of summer marks a very special time of year for an enthusiastic gaggle of volunteers who gather to begin their fall ritual. A ritual of brainstorming, collaborating, hatching, foraging, and constructing one of the largest residential Halloween display in the region of Northwestern Ontario.
They work tirelessly of their own accord to build and create DIY props, special effects, costumes, characters, themed rooms, and trails for the fall haunt at the Slate River Slaughter Halloween Display. This event has been taking place since 2012 in Slate River Valley, located at 661 Hwy 130. Head out Arthur Street until you see the HWY 130 South sign, turn left and drive approx 7.5kms
Upon its’ inception 6 years ago, the haunter Tom Parsons, and the hauntress Lisa Poole, have been the haunt-leaders for this group of misfits and artists.
Their passion for Halloween and all that goes bump, thump and creeps in the night, grew from a short walk of about 10-15 minutes into a nearly 1km walk ranging anywhere from 5-25 minutes depending on how frightened the guests are and how fast they walk. There have been 25-30 dedicated volunteers investing 100s of hours yearly, many of them considered like family; The Adams Family. Each year they arrive with tools in hand and dreams of creating nights
of haunting terror to remember.
In October 2012, the first event was thought to be a successful event even though it wasn’t widely known about at the time and there were so many other haunted
tours to venture into. The SRS Halloween Display event often slid under the radar as it is was originally advertised only by word of mouth. Even though the first years’ event, which is located on 100-year-old farmstead with a history of its’ own, accommodated only 250-300 visitors, this year’s event is highly anticipated due to the love and support of its fan base. This year the locals know about the haunt and the early seasonal whispers about the Slate River venue.
Today you can review postings about SRS Halloween Display through online voting (2017 received 19.51% of the popular vote beating out FWHP), social media reviews,
Facebook posts and the reliable Word-Of-Mouth, the wildfire has spread and won’t be stopped. Last year the 11-day event hosted roughly 2500-3000 visitors who dared to make their way past creepy dead and undead characters along the dark shadowy treed walkway; 200m gravel driveway.
This small hobby group create a spectacular display to generates funds to donate to charities that are near and dear to the property owners’ hearts. This is a FREE event to attend and operates on DONATIONS ONLY upon entering the display. To keep their costs down as low as possible they dedicate hundreds of hours to building, repurposing many materials and fund the event themselves. Their goals are to bring something fun for the community to enjoy every Halloween season and to raise donations for charities like Grace Place and the Thunder Bay District Human Society.
SRSHD is a terrifying display organized by two Slate River locals who transform their long country driveway into a bone-chilling-walk-through haunted laneway.
With creatures of all types lurking in the shadows this event is sure to live up to all your spooky standards. Usually starting the long weekend in September, the main parts of the display go up, the rooms are built the trails are mapped, the main larger props and creatures start to take shape. By October the coordinated efforts of Tom, Lisa and the SRS main council begin the lighting the trails, installing the sound and smoke effects and running the major tests on the display. Then two weeks before the haunted walk opens its doors the dress rehearsals take place and the final tweeks, ….and any last-minute changes
are made.
What better way to get involved and to participate in accomplishing these goals with them, then to support the display and help them make this community-based event a successful one for all involved. Why would anyone want to subject themselves to take a walk in the dark in an ancient area teaming with vile creatures waiting for you in the thick of night? The answers lay in the foot traffic, the visitors, enthusiasts and curious cats that get out to enjoy something new and exciting every year. They thrive the on challenging each other to survive the terrifying bone chilling realism of the scary bits. It’s not for the
faint hearted or for everyone.
https://www.facebook.com/slateriverslaughter
