Nothing says Halloween like a good scream, and Edmonton’s southside is hearing plenty of shrills, squeals, and cries this October at Edmonton’s Deadmonton Haunted House. From the entrance to the exit, spooks lurk around every corner.
Deadmonton features two haunted houses, a food truck, and a creepy patio setting perfect for gathering. Kathrine Petch, general manager of Deadmonton, expects people to be scared this year, and they’ve prepared for those who may not be able to handle it.
“You know, we do sell Depends at the ticket booth for some people if they need it,” said Petch.
Ghouls, aliens, zombies, and distorted woodland creatures run this year’s event. Centred around two themes, Warped and Dusk, this year is a trip down a rabbit hole of horror and madness and through a nightmare of the undead and unexpected.
“This year is called Warped, so we’ve actually warped some familiar stories that you would know and then it’s a mishmash of time travel and different scenes,” said Petch.
Warped takes place inside a multilevel warehouse that will leave attendees guessing how much fear they must walk through to make it out alive. It aims to distort and take your breath away, and when you think you’re alright, something unexpected is waiting behind every wall.
Dusk is the outdoor haunted house. This cemetery comes to life as guests make their way through the maze of terror based solely on the screams of the victims ahead of them.
“Nobody likes to be in the woods alone [with] fog, cemeteries and zombies, so yeah, we definitely did the scare factor. We try to heighten it every year,” said Petch.
Deadmonton debuted eight years ago in a warehouse behind Grant McEwan. It expanded to the Paramount Theatre on Jasper Avenue before making its way to its current warehouse off Gateway Blvd. and 71 Ave.
Inspiration for the theme of the event changes yearly as the owner and production team examine what’s popular in the realm of horror. The Deadmonton team also travels throughout North America, visiting haunted houses and tours to gain insight into what generates fear.
“One year, we did Face Your Fear, so it was all about different fears that people would have. Last year was all about Area 51 because people think that aliens are scary, so we did an alien-themed one,” said Petch.
Deadmonton has been following Covid protocols since last season, so timed ticketing and face masks continue this year. Once guests are in the compound, they can enjoy the food truck, ghoulish-themed drinks, fire pits, and spooky interactions with the undead. However, the houses are the main attractions and lineups grow quickly.
Regular admission is available at the door or online. It’s encouraged to pre-purchase tickets to guarantee entry. A Speed Pass option is available for those who want to skip the lines.
October 31st is the final night of regular operations with lights inside the house. The Lights Out event will follow on November 5th, 6th, and 7th to wrap up the season and plunge the Warped house into darkness.
“We shut the lights off completely in the warehouse, and it’s an even scarier experience because people are afraid of the dark. You get one lighting device per group. People really enjoy it because the fear factor is there, but you actually don’t get to see all the work that was put into it,” said Petch.
For details and tickets, visit deadmontonhouse.com.
