Time to Get Spooky
Time to Get Spooky
Nightmare Hayrides Back to Serve Screams on September 27th
Photos Courtesy of the Nightmare Hayrides Facebook
It is time to embrace the fact that the end of September through October 31st is extended Halloween! (It’s pretty much that time of the year for me all year, it’s just officially that time for everyone else.) And what better way to celebrate the return of spooky season than taking a trip out to 6319 Sommerville Valley Road in Ellicottville, NY on a weekend evening and boarding a hayride that is sure to give you chills and thrills.
That’s right, the Nightmare Hayrides is readying to open for their 2024 season and they’ve got a great crew of haunters ready to make you shriek. Owner Karen Kent provided us with some great information on what guests can expect this year.
At the moment, as far as anything new in concerned, Karen says that, “You never know from day to day. A lot of it depends on the haunters that are working that night. We are still working on the setup for this year, so a lot can change from now until we open.”
What remains the same (if it’s not broke, don’t fix it as the old timers say), is how your trip into the unknown will go. Without giving the spooky secrets away, Karen explained, “You enter a building where you get on the hayride that last about 20 minutes and takes you around a 22-acre field, where there are all kinds of scary creatures and fun things to see. After you return to the building, you walk thru the Gothic Chamber and down a dark a dreary wooden maze where there are haunters to greet you. If you make it through there, you will enter the haunted barn and go through a jungle, a claustrophobic wall, and lots of hallways which will lead you to the vortex tunnel. Don’t think the barn isn’t haunted because it has many haunters in it!”
The “haunters” really put effort into their characters and aim to scare your pants off as best they can (figuratively speaking of course). But this isn’t just for adults. While it is geared towards an older crowd, they do get many small children. It may be too much for the littles who are easily frightened but sometimes, the kids are the ones who love it and their parents are too scared to go. So really, it is a family friendly environment that people of any age can enjoy, just gauge your children’s fear tolerance before making plans.
Having attended the ride myself more than once, it’s always a little different no matter how many times you go, but my favorite part besides riding in the wagon and seeing all the spooktacular attractions has got to be the haunted barn. It’s dark, confusing, filled with jump scares, and other neat things. Karen herself doesn’t have a favorite part of the ride, “I really have no favorite, I could be bias, but I think it’s all great and all our haunters in the field or the barn do a great job.”
Afterwards, if you’ve got a little dry mouth from screaming in terror or your stomach could use some substance after triggering it’s adrenaline rush so many times, you can stop at the snack shack. There you will find reasonably priced cheeseburgers, hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, soups, nachos, pretzels, walking tacos, cookies, and more. Their drinks include hot cider, hot cocoa, and nice refreshing water, so you can refuel and unwind while you celebrate surviving the Nightmare.
This is a staple fall attraction in Ellicottville, NY. Karen ended with, “This is the 33rd year we have done this. My family and I really enjoy seeing all of the happy and excited faces so plan on having a great time. We also have a souvenir shop where you can buy sweatshirts, t-shirts, blankets, and hats to commemorate the experience. Looking forward to seeing old and new faces when we open for the season this year!”
The Nightmare Hayrides begin Sept. 27th and run till Oct. 27th, only Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. No reservations accepted. It is $30 per person. Kids ages 5 years and under are free. Make sure you come dressed for the weather, the hayride runs rain or shine. To keep up to date on any changes or general information, visit nightmarehayride.com or visit their Facebook page.
