MEXICO — If you want an idea of how scary the upcoming Mexico Recreation Center haunted walk will be, just ask 8-year-old Logan Graham.
Logan is a pretty good authority on the subject. He has been working with his father, Nick Graham, on some of the many props for the event, which will take place this Friday and Saturday, as well as on Friday, Oct. 30.
Around noon on Saturday, father and son entered the downstairs portion of the Recreation Center to put in some more volunteer work on the haunted walk.
“I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be pretty scary,” Logan said.
Nick Graham, one of a core of 10 volunteers putting this together, said, “We’re always trying to add something new. It’s a challenge to top last year.”
This year’s event doesn’t carry a theme. Instead, it was simply named, “Wicked!”
With more than 15 rooms and nearly 9,000 square feet of space, Recreation Center Director Wayne Sevigny said that “Wicked!” is one of Maine’s largest and scariest haunted houses.
Tickets will cost $5 at the door, which will open at 6 p.m., with walks running from 7 to 10 p.m. Sevigny said the tickets are sold by time slot to prevent long waiting lines. People will enter the haunted walk in groups of five or six people, every three minutes or so.
With more than 700 people participating in last year’s haunted walk over two days, organizers decided to add a third day this year.
More than a month of work has already been put into this event. It takes the coordinated effort of 60 to 70 people to run the haunted walk, Sevigny said.
It includes numerous modular rooms with many twists and turns, each room carrying its own Halloween theme, Graham said. He added that there are new safety ramps installed in areas where there might be tripping hazards.
Graham said, “I grew up in a home where Halloween was a big deal.”
Diane Farnum, Graham’s mother, used to have a business, Costumes Plus, on Main Street in Mexico. Farnum would make his Halloween costumes much the same way Graham is making Logan’s costume this Halloween.
Graham built a 9-foot Frankenstein and a 9-foot clown with an 11-foot arm span for the haunted house.
Refreshments will be available for purchase at the snack bar at the entrance of the walk, and entertainment will be provided in the gymnasium, including Cory Heinzen, local paranormal investigator. People will be able to view a video of paranormal investigators from the Web series, “Haunt-Me” at www.haunt-me.com. In one episode, the team investigates the old Mexico High School building, where the haunted walk takes place. Attendees also can view the dybbuk box featured in that episode.
Scot Grassette and 49 Franklin are also participating in “Wicked!” Nick said. Those attending the haunted walk this Friday and Saturday can get coupons to attend the Halloween Illusion Show at 49 Franklin on Friday, Oct. 30. And those who attend the 7 p.m. 49 Franklin event will receive $1 off the entry fee to “Wicked!” after the show.
Next year, there will be an effort to work with more local businesses with the event, Graham said.
All proceeds from the haunted walk will go toward the River Valley Recreation Center.
For more information, call 207-364-4912 or 207-357-3109.
bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net
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