Calgary's first 'Drive-In Haunted House' sells out before opening night

Canada's first-ever drive-in haunt opens Friday at the parking lot in New Horizon Mall, where spectators driving their own cars will enjoy four seven-minute long drive-in spooky productions, all experienced at a safe social distance

Calgary — Canada’s first-ever drive-In haunt opens Friday to sold-out audiences at Calgary’s New Horizons Mall.

Faced with the unusual realities of celebrating Halloween event season in a pandemic, Haunted Calgary got innovative, creating the Devil’s Drive-in. Organizers call it “a unique and terrifying experience that offers a safe, social distancing, scare from the comfort your car.”

Christine Campbell with Haunted Calgary said, “We were really worried we were going to have to close for the year and at the last minute we came up with this idea of a drive-in theatrical production.”

After many late nights and a lot of effort the idea became a reality. Campbell said.

“Instead of the regular maze that we build from scratch - which takes about four months of hard labor - we have these event tents.”

Attendees will drive in their own cars with  family and cohorts into the subterranean, heated, parking lot at New Horizon Mall where Haunted Calgary has set up four seven-minute-long drive-in spooky productions.

“If you opt for the extreme immersive experience you can also even get ‘blood’ covering all over your car .” Campbell said.

She thinks that this kind of fun is necessary in the middle of a pandemic. “We need it as a morale booster but we need to be able to do it safely and we just didn’t feel that our regular attraction could be done safely.”

The $50 tickets sold out for the 2020 season  very quickly, but there are a couple ways to still get involved - and the only blood you'll spill will be fake.

“We are still recruiting more monsters  and  ghouls and zombies.” Campbell said.

If you’re interested in getting the behind the scenes view of haunted Calgary you can visit their website. (HauntedCalgary.org)

Costumed cast members will also be attending New Horizon Mall’s Spooktacular Halloween Celebration and Haunted Dollhouse Scavenger Hunt on October 17th.

This family event is free and socially-distanced activities include the Scavenger Hunt, Psycho Photo Booths, and a Balloon Pumpkin Patch. Costumes are encouraged and masks are required.

Haunted Calgary is a social enterprise. Its volunteers donate their time and a percentage of profits are donated to a number of charitable partners.