Originally published at: HauntX 2019: Unmasking the Monsters of Knott's Scary Farm -
HauntX 2019
Author: Tania Escobar
Since 1973, Knott’s Scary Farm has served spooky Halloween festivities, its influence echoing in other theme parks’ Halloween events. Visiting the park is like stepping into an entirely different world, especially the legendary Ghost Town, where monsters emerge from your deepest nightmares.
HauntX 2019, a DIY trade show dedicated to the spine-chilling and monstrous, celebrated the allure of Scary Farm through its Beyond the Fog Panel. This panel spotlighted six scare actors embodying Ghost Town’s infamous monsters: Jasper The Blacksmith (Garret), The Mummy (Chase), The Orphan (Ruth), The Bride (Glo), Otis (Anthony), and Gecko the Green Goblin (Christopher). As the fog rolls in each evening, guests spot these terrifying characters marking the opening ceremony.
Before earning their roles, the panelists were regular park guests, their passion for the scare sparked by previous encounters. They shared heartfelt stories about their journeys to becoming iconic characters, which took two to five years of spooking visitors in mazes.
Characters in Ghost Town can be original creations, passed down from retired scarers, or devised by the scarer. Each has a backstory, often known only to the community, adding a layer of mystery for the attendees. Using their unique physical traits, these scare actors develop compelling characters that play on the senses and imagination of park-goers.
The panel shared their pre-scare rituals, from Anthony’s tradition of browsing past years’ alumni patches to Glo, The Bride, finding inspiration in pictures of loved ones. All agreed that the Ghost Town environment heightens the transformation into their monster personas: the haunting music, the fog’s eerie scent, and the anticipatory screams of guests awaiting the rope drop.
Despite the grueling schedule of portraying these monsters four days a week for six weeks, the thrill of the scare, the laughter, and the transformative process keep their passion burning.