– Emma Morrison
Fort Edmonton is typically known for its happy and homely atmosphere, but a darker presence has arrived and captivated the Fort and its patrons.
DARK Fort Edmonton provides guests with three unique haunted houses. Each haunt targets different fears, themes and plots. All of the haunts have a high level of production, including incredible actors, Hollywood-quality props, and an eerie atmosphere that carries you through the event.
The haunts include Dead Wedding, which portrays the story of two dead lovers. Taste of Eternity includes a cannibalistic cult… and you’re on the menu! You can even travel back in time with Slaughter Pack, where werewolves have taken over a quaint, old fashioned little town.
The creators of DARK, have also kept those who scare easily in mind. If you don’t wish to be absolutely terrified, or touched, you can to purchase a special scare amulet to let actors know to not scare you – too much.
Along with the pendant, there are food, drinks, and other acts available at the DARK circle.. if you don’t want to attend the haunts, you can enjoy the festivities around the campfire.
“Come, even if you are too afraid, definitely come. We have created different scares. You’ll be fine in some haunts and frightened in others,” said event design lead, Teresa Ryan.
Providing a night to remember, and unforgettably haunting performances from actors, DARK Fort Edmonton has defied expectations for its guests.
My Experience:
When I first arrived at DARK Fort Edmonton, I definitely was feeling anxious. I didn’t know what to expect. Honestly, I thought that it would just be a very cheesy Mom and Pop haunted house.
However that could not have been further from the truth. Event Design Lead, Teresa Ryan, explained the three Haunts to us. Each haunt was completely different from each other, and followed a different theme. She explained that since different things scare different people, they made sure to accommodate them all. The one that initially intrigued me most was Taste of Eternity. It was very relatable to our current cults and the haunt seemed like it would be very scary.
I was surprised though, my favourite haunt by far ended up being Dead Wedding! The costumes, use of space and props helped to enhance the overall experience. I have never felt more scared. The old church we were led through helped reinforce my fears. Along with Dead Wedding, Slaughter Pack terrified me – I jumped an actually ran away from actor. Each house gave me a different feeling of anxiety, nervousness and impending doom. At one point, I was nearly too scared to continue.
When we finished experiencing all the haunts, I enjoyed the festivities at the Dark Circle. They had a variety of food, like Skewered Rat (chicken skewers), a Cup of Dirt (chocolate mousse) and Bloody Balls (donut holes with strawberry sauce), to name a few. There were other actors wandering the campfire site, like skeleton stilt walkers, and a Zoltar fortune teller. All in all, my experience at DARK Fort Edmonton will forever stay with me because of the surreal and disturbingly real feelings of fear. If you want to go, I suggest that you do. It is a wonderful opportunity to see Fort Edmonton in a whole new light… or dark. And, DARK Fort Edmonton does have a little bit of fear in store for everyone.
Image courtesy of Aaron WIlmot
