2022 Midseason Update

Published by October 15, 2022 Category: HHC News & Updates

Fall is finally upon us! Thanks to a little dip in the temps, football back on TV, and a few leaves descending towards the earth, I think it is safe to assume we are already knee-deep in the extravaganza that is Halloween!

As we are halfway through another exciting Halloween season, let’s catch-up on some news, updates, and recap. All haunted attractions are now open! So, let’s queue up Michael Myers part 23, find ourselves a 21-foot skeleton, and lets run amuck to all of the best attractions and events within 100 miles of Chicago. Let’s go!

The Cake

After traveling 2,553 miles last season, let’s give another round of applause to all our award winners for 2021, as chosen by the Haunted House Chicago Review Team:

  • Best Haunted Attraction of 2021: Evil Intentions Haunted House in Elgin, Illinois
  • Best New Haunted Attraction of 2021: The Old Joliet Haunted Prison in Joliet, Illinois
  • Jim Warfield Acting Award Recipients: Alex Woday as “Sharky” from Statesville Haunted Prison in Crest Hill, Illinois, and Karsen Green as “Itchy the Klown” from Abandoned Haunted House Complex in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin

Please note: “Sharky” is now featured at HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport, Illinois

And of course, here’s the complete 2021 Official Haunted House Chicago Top 13:

  1. Evil Intentions Haunted House in Elgin, Illinois
  2. HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport, Illinois
  3. Abandoned Haunted House Complex in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
  4. Statesville Haunted Prison in Crest Hill, Illinois
  5. Massacre Haunted House in Montgomery, Illinois
  6. Basement of the Dead Haunted House in Aurora, Illinois
  7. Realm of Terror Haunted House in Round Lake Beach, Illinois
  8. Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn, Illinois
  9. Disturbia Haunted House in Downers Grove, Illinois
  10. Niles Scream Park in Niles, Michigan
  11. Haunted Hills Hospital in Crown Point, Indiana
  12. 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago in Schiller Park, Illinois
  13. Sonny Acres Farm Haunted Barn and Hayride in West Chicago, Illinois

Movers & Shakers

Statesville Haunted Prison & City of the Dead in Crest Hill, Illinois, may have closed their doors last season, but the story will continue. Releasing in a trailer only days after the fall season officially started, it seems that all the crowd favorite-characters from Statesville including Fluffy, Sharky, and Heretic, will be continuing their adventure at HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport, Illinois.

Previously known as Terror in the Timbers, a new production crew has taken over the campground and created a brand new journey titled, The Halloween Experience. This will still be a tour attended in your personal vehicle through Camp Big Timbers in Elgin, Illinois.

Moving into the scene in a BIG way, the Kane County Fairgrounds will once again host a haunted attraction. This time, it will be in the form of a HUGE monster truck that fights zombies! Check out, Monster Purge in St. Charles, Illinois.

After a few years of delays due to the untimely passing of Jason Ciszewski and COVID, the tunnels underneath St. Pascal’s Church in Chicago, Illinois, open once again as we are given the chance to experience. The Catacombs once again!

Midwest Haunters Convention

Midwest Haunters Convention returned to Rosemont, Illinois, and it was an amazing homecoming! Filled with exciting contests, vendors, booths, seminars, haunt tours, and events, this was THE not-to-miss event of 2022! Congratulations to the poor souls who participated in the second Screamin’ Hot Sauce Challenge, and to these amazing attractions that participated in Haunted House Chicago Row and various games:

  • 13th Floor Chicago Haunted House in Schiller Park, Illinois – Featured on Saturday Night Tour!
  • Basement of the Dead Haunted House in Aurora, Illinois – Featured on the Pre-Convention Bus Tour!
  • Disturbia Haunted House in Downers Grove, Illinois – Featured on the Pre-Convention Bus Tour!
  • Evil Intentions Haunted House in Elgin, Illinois – Featured on the Pre-Convention Bus Tour!
  • Hells Gate Haunted House in Lockport, Illinois
  • Massacre Haunted House in Montgomery, Illinois – Featured on the Pre-Convention Bus Tour!
  • Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn, Illinois
  • Realm of Terror Haunted House in Round Lake Beach, Illinois

Mark your calendars now and plan to attend Midwest Haunters Convention 2023 on June 9-11, 2023. It will be held once again at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois!

This is THE ultimate Halloween trade show event for operators, actors, fans, enthusiasts, and well… everyone! It will include over 60,000 square feet of exhibit space, special VIP haunted house tours, workshops, networking, parties, instructional demos, fashion shows, contests, and more! If you are reading this, this convention invitation is for YOU!

Closing Time

Year-round legendary haunted attraction, Raven’s Grin Inn in Mount Carroll, Illinois, is still temporary closed to public tours and available by appointment only.  In addition, McHenry Jaycees Haunted House in McHenry, Illinois, Park After Dark Haunted House in Chicago, Illinois, Reapers Realm Haunted Attractions in Hammond, Indiana, and Domum Diaboli Haunted House in Shorewood, Illinois, are still temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

The Bus Was Back!

We had a great time with our ghost hosts: Japes and Terry, during the 2022 edition of the Lost Souls Haunted Bus Tour! There were two tours this season:

  • Saturday, October 1st: Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn, Illinois, HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport, Illinois, and behind the scenes and after party at The Old Joliet Haunted Prison in Joliet, Illinois. Sponsored by our friends at Haunted Illinois!
  • Saturday, October 8th: Disturbia Haunted House in Downers Grove, Illinois, 13th Floor Haunted House in Schiller Park, Illinois, and behind the scenes and after party at Evil Intentions Haunted House in Elgin, Illinois. Sponsored by US, Haunted House Chicago!

Get A Job!

Interested in helping to deliver the screams and nightmares we crave? Nearly all haunted attractions are in-need of staff! Check out their respective websites and social media pages for information on job fairs and instructions for applying.

Stages, Screens, and Screams

Have any energy left? Need something to do on those nights off? (Insert laughter) Here’s some fun ways to enhance your Halloween holiday season:

TV/STREAMING/MOVIES: If you can’t stop yourself from doing air-guitar solos of Master of Puppets thanks to Stranger Things Season 4 or binging on The Devil in Ohio, here’s some other options for the small screen: Halloween Wars hit Food Network on September 18th, and Outrageous Pumpkins arrived on 25th. Rob Zombie’s remake/re-envisioning of the The Munsters arose on Netflix on the 27th. To round-out the month, the sequel to the legendary Hocus Pocus arrived September 30th on Disney+. Running amuck into October, season 4 of The Coroner struck the CW on October 4th. Season 2 of Chucky, slashed the 5th on Syfy. A Friend of the Family bloomed on Peacock on October 6th, as well as Terrifier 2 released. From the team behind The Haunting of Hill House, The Midnight Club set up shop on Netflix on the 7th, as well as the latest edition of Hellraiser pinned on Hulu. Michael and Laurie battled it out, maybe for one last time starting on October 14th in Halloween Ends in theatres and on Peacock. Creepy/funny The Curse of Bridge Hollow crept into Netflix on October 14th as well. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities creeks into Netflix on the 25th.  Netflix continues the screams with The Good Nurse on the 26th. Of course, don’t miss the latest installment of the Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror 33, releasing on Devil’s Night, October 30th. In addition to those scheduled shows, here are some good ol’-fashioned standbys that started on October 1st: Freeform 31 Nights of Halloween, AMC FearFest, Disney Channel’s Monstober, Syfy 31 Days of Halloween, and Turner Classic Movies. Don’t forget about the year-round weekly Saturday creature-feature from our friend, Svengoolie on MeTV! Finally, keep your eyes peeled for the Addams Family series, Wednesday, which premieres just in time for Thanksgiving on Netflix on November 23rd.

MUSIC: To say that people are excited to get out of the house is an understatement. TONS of musical acts are touring now, and here’s our best to capture some of the highlights. Black Label Society crashes the Rave on the 16th. Queue the bodies and bartender for Drowning Pool, Ill Nino, and (Hed)pe on October 15th at the Forge and the Rave on October 20th. Our final offering before Halloween comes when goth-girl, In This Moment plays the Horseshoe in Hammond on October 22nd and the Rave in Milwaukee on October 23rd.  Need something to nurse your Halloween-hangover? The mighty GWAR thrashes the Rave on November 4th, and old-school metalheads, Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel close out two nights at the Forge on November 5th and 6th.

SPORTS: The Bears and Packers play in week 6 on October 17th.  The Bulls and world-champion Bucks won’t play each other until January 2022.

Hide and Seek

Haunted House Chicago is giving back to its fans and patrons even more! Throughout the season, you will want to follow us on social media channels for opportunities to win free shirts, swag, and tickets to many of the haunted attractions throughout the Chicagoland area. Our full review schedule is out, and we encourage you to find us as we travel to 30+ different attractions and events. If you find us, take a picture with us, tag us, and we will reward you with free Haunted House Chicago gear! (And maybe even some free tickets to Midwest Haunters Convention!) Watch our schedule here: https://www.hauntedhousechicago.com/hhc-review-team-reviews/

As of October 15, 2022, we have completed visits to 17 attractions and events, with at least 14 more to go!

Follow us here:

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We look forward to meeting you throughout this season!

With that, we thank you for reading. Keep checking HauntedHouseChicago.com for the latest updates and happenings to help make your holiday season the scariest and safest yet!

Frightfully Yours,
The Haunted House Chicago Staff/Review Team

Note: All information is correct as of the original posting of this article. Although we intend for all dates and locations to be accurate, please check/research before setting off on your journey.

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