Frankenstein’s monster, werewolves and zombies will be taking over DJ Carroll’s garage on Halloween night, giving trick-or-treaters a night of fright.
For the past 15 years, the Elmira District Secondary School drama teacher has invited kids to stop by his house to get a scare and a handful of candy. This year, the theme for his home-based haunted house is a ‘Mad Scientist’s Laboratory.’
“There are going to be all kinds of crazy science experiments in there,” he said, adding that his annual haunted house will even have some zombies lurking in the shadows along with a few other surprises. “There may be one or two talking heads. There is going to be a werewolf in a cage going crazy.”
The haunted house will be open for trick-or-treaters when the sun starts to set and the ghouls and goblins take to the streets. Parents who are concerned about their young children getting too scared at the interactive display can bypass the scientist’s lab and grab some candy. There will also be a toned-down version of the mad scientist’s laboratory.
“We do two versions: one that is a little bit scarier, and one that is a little bit more fun for the younger kids,” he said.
His front yard is a graveyard with gargoyles, tombstones and a few surprises buried in the dirt, waiting for children dressed as princesses, superheroes, Disney characters and more to happen by.
Carroll can’t pull the whole thing off on his own, and even with the 30 hours of work it takes to put the haunted house together, EDSS student volunteers come to put on some costumes and give kids a shiver and a shock.
![EDSS drama teacher DJ Carroll is teaming up with his students to continue his Halloween haunted house tradition. This year’s theme is “Mad Scientist’s Laboratory” and his garage will be transformed with Frankenstein’s monster, werewolves and talking heads. The haunted house opens up at 5 p.m. Saturday at 14 Limera Ave. [Liz Bevan / The Observer]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/post_news_hauntedhouse.jpg)
“Some of the drama kids help out, get dressed up, get into character,” he said, adding that the complex Halloween display isn’t just about scaring kids. “We also collect cans for the food bank, so we do ask people to bring some non-perishable food to drop off.”
The Mad Scientist’s Laboratory will open for unsuspecting trick-or-treaters to come around 5 p.m. and will run during prime candy-collecting hours on the evening of Oct. 31 at 14 Limera Ave. in the Lunor subdivision by the golf course. Just look for the open graves and gargoyles and enter … if you dare.
