The Trail of Terror has wound its way indoors, unleashing an all new Haunted Arena experience. Although the venue has changed, organizers say the scares are still there – and may be even scarier.
The Trail of Terror began in 2020, as a fun way to beat the Covid blues, and raise funds for the Rainy River Rec Centre. It took place in a rural acreage north of Rainy River, but due to unforeseen circumstances, that property wasn’t available this year. Organizers saw a perfect opportunity to expose thrill-seekers to the ghosts, ghouls and wayward spirits rumoured to wander the halls of the Rec after dark.
“You might see zombie hockey players or zombie soccer players,” said Lindsey Bourre, Rec Coordinator for the Rainy River Rec Centre. “We would have loved to do it outside. We just weren’t able to do it this year. But, I’m saying this is going to be just as scary.”
This year’s iteration of the Trail of Terror will have a corn maze-like “haunted arena” theme. With the lights turned off, the arena is pitch black, so a little bit of lighting was brought in for safety – but not nearly enough to spoil the spookiness, said Bourre.
The tight quarters of the Haunted Arena will add to the creepiness.
According to Bourre, there will be more tight quarter spaces, with areas where participants will be forced to venture through single-file.
“It’s going to be almost like a maze in there,” she said.
As in previous years, the event will feature a “hard-scare” and a “soft-scare” version.
“The hard-scare, I would say, is more for teens or adults,” said Bourre. “There’s gonna be people actually trying to scare the pants off you.”
Bourre says the “hard-scare” will be a more interactive experience, while the “soft-scare” will have additional family-friendly activities like games and music.
The “soft-scare” version will be less interactive, with fewer, and friendlier, live scares, says Bourre.
“It could be more like … a boo and they run,” she said. “Then you’re able to come back upstairs and do games and activities.”
The games area will have mummy races and pumpkin bowling, as well as games for the “zero to three” age group.
The “soft-scare” event will run one day only, on October 25 from 6-8 p.m., in conjunction with the Rec Centre’s Halloween Party.
“You don’t have to book online. You just show up,” said Bourre.
The cost is $5 per person, or $15 per family, making it a budget friendly evening out with the family.
The “Hard Scare” event will take place Friday October 18 from 7 to 11 p.m. and Saturday, October 19 from 7 p.m. to midnight. The cost is $10 per person, with online booking required.
To book a spot, visit the link from the Rainy River Trail of Terror Facebook page. Groups can be up to six people, with five minute spacing between groups.
That’s a drop in price from previous years, noted Bourre, who hopes this year’s less cost-prohibitive iteration will help get people involved and out in the community.
“It just gets people out doing stuff together, as families or as groups, as a community.”
