From left, Lisa Rowe, Maddy Cordes, and Marcus Rowe check Benjamin Veres’s tickets and offer free samples of fresh kettle corn on Friday, Oct. 18, at the Halls of Horror event at 128 Weld Rd. in Wilton. Leo Goddard/Franklin Journal

WILTON — The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area [UWTVA] is hosting its sixth annual Halls of Horror event.

Friday, Oct. 18, was the opening night for this year’s event. As people approached the entrance after checking in, loud screams of terror could be heard. After each group was let into the horrifying labyrinth, the rest of the people in line were left to hear the unsettling ambience, waiting to become the next victims.

Upon entering, guests were met with a dark, twisting and turning maze with rooms full of blood and gore. Monsters and serial killers leapt out in front of their victims and even followed close behind as they tried to decipher a way out. The creepy stares and bone-chilling dialogue was enough to make participants forget that they were only actors.

The actors were students from Mt. Blue High School, Spruce Mountain High School, as well as volunteers from the community and nearby businesses.

Nichole Earnest, Director of Marketing and Communications at UWTVA, said that the event first began at Titcomb Mountain. She said that they partnered with Farmington Fright Fest for a while and that eventually, they wanted to move the event indoors so that the actors and participants wouldn’t get too cold. That is why they moved to the old Bass Shoe Factory at 128 Weld Rd. It is the perfect location for a spooky event like this.

Anyone interested in a good scare can find tickets for the final weekend of the 2024 Halls of Horror on the UWTVA website or at the door of the event. The event is from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 25 and 26. The last group is let inside at 9:30 p.m.

General admission is $25, but there are options for extras in the VIP package for $35 and the Hall Pass for $45.