By APRIL REYNOLDS

akr011@latech.edu

 

Trick-or-treating and horror movies are yesterday’s thrills. Been there, done that.

For those eager and brave individuals who seek more spine-tingling ways of celebrating Halloween, the haunted scream park called Edge of Madness is possibly the place.

“We try to imagine what would scare us,” owner Carolyn Hill said.

The scream park, located at 1097 Highway 151 S. in Calhoun, is $20 for general admission to all three haunts. Thursday and Sunday Madness Specials are $20 for unlimited visits from 7 to 10 p.m.

Hill said the scream park is eight years old and has been open for business for seven years. She said it is rebuilt every year and has grown in size from one haunt,  to two and now to this season’s haunts: the Kingdom of Scream-A-Lot, the Edge of Madness Insanitorium and the Mansion of Tormented Souls.

“This year the mansion is totally new,” Hill said. “We keep one of the haunts as is, and we make enough changes in the third haunt to keep it fresh, with new surprises.”

Kelly Garrett, a junior family and child studies major, said she visited the scream park last year with her family.

“I only went in once because I was scared,” Garrett said. “I had already heard about the other ones.”

Garrett said the Kingdom of Scream-A-Lot was like a maze, and she enjoyed everything from the shaking bridge, believable fake spiders and the one-story slide to even having to crawl out of the doorway of one room after the ceiling lowered. Garrett said the scariest aspect of the park was the masked man with a chainsaw.

“From the time we got there to the time we left, he was everywhere,” Garrett said.

Hill said the chainsaws seem to be the most frightening aspect for most people.

“What everyone remembers is the chainsaws,” Hill said. “It’s hard to keep those guys on a leash.”

Shedrick Hay, a junior Spanish major, also visited the park and said he enjoyed the chainsaws and the mansion.

“As soon as you walk into the room, you have people jumping out at you,” Hay said.

Both Hay and Garrett enjoyed the park last year and anticipate this year’s changes. They said they have made plans to return this year.

“We have a huge out-of-town fan base,” Hill said. “We’ve even had guests from Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and Arizona.”

She said Edge of Madness has been described as different than other haunts.

“We try not to use the same gimmick too much,” Hill said.

Though Hill said she does not recommend bringing small children since the park is geared for a more mature crowd of adults, young adults and teens. She said she leaves such decisions to the discretion of parents.

“Our goal is to make it fun,” Hill said. “Whether you screamed or laughed, what matters to us is that you had a fun night.”