Halloween in Unionville

Boo! Get ready for the 2025 Haunted House at the Unionville Community Fair. The haunted

house has been a part of our community’s fall traditions for years. Since 2019, Edward Schultz has run the haunted house and is now joined by Leigh Anne Johnson. Together, they’re bringing the beloved haunted house to us this autumn. 

The haunted house consists of seven rooms, each with a distinct theme. The scare actors pick the room they want to be in and can even bring their own decorations. Last year, some of the rooms included a vampire lair and a witches’ den! Some actors, dressed as clowns, wandered throughout the house. In Pennsylvania, every walk-through attraction has to be registered and officially inspected. The actors are also trained in safety to make sure the whole experience is safe. The haunted house, despite being a tent, needs a building permit as well. In order for the fair to host the haunted house, the tent must have an electrical supply that’s up to code, pass a physical inspection, and get a certificate of occupancy. It’s an arduous process, but a worthwhile one.

When the haunted house was first getting started, the founders had some help from local haunt attractions. Matt Herzog, owner of Pennhurst Asylum, and Randy Bates, owner of Bates Motel, helped get the tent started. On the first night of the tent, constant screams were ringing through the autumn evening. Edward Schultz recalls how he heard a young boy exclaim, “It was scary…but that was the most fun I ever had!” and how another child went through six times! The tent attracts many people throughout its time at the community fair. 

The scare actors really make the tent what it is today. The actors meet weekly for a month or two leading up to the fair to plan, prepare, and go over safety regulations. They figure out costumes and props to make the experience as memorable as possible. They show up early to the fair to do elaborate makeup and don their costumes. They spend their night doing their best to scare people; however, if people seem a bit too scared, the exits are clearly labeled. 

The scare actors also had tons of fun scaring the crowds. One actor, who played a witch, recalls how “it was a lot of fun! I made so many fun memories and can’t wait to do it again”. Another actor, who played a mysterious vampire, notes how “our costumes and props brought both laughter and screams from all who entered. Spreading the Halloween spirit in our town during an event uplifting small businesses was wonderful to see!” Another shares that, “I have never done something like that before so it was really cool to go out of my comfort zone! It was so cool hanging out with everyone and meeting new actors!”

Cue the spooky music and fog machine! We’ll see you at the haunted house this October 3rd and 4th.