Halloween festivities are underway two months in advance for the beloved annual Horizon Events haunted house
By SYDNEY KENT
Halloween can be a frightening time of year for many children, however, Jeff Osborn didn’t let this fear stop his son from enjoying Halloween. Instead, Osborn created his own haunted house that many young children would come to enjoy.
“What got my son over the fear,” Osborn explained, “we had one room that had multiple characters. My son was in the room as part of the props. He ‘scared’ a lot of kids and moms. He loved it.”
Osborn, who lived in Huntington at the time, set up a sign that said ‘free kids haunted house’ in 2009. The first haunted house was more of a haunted shed, as Osborn explained. Children would watch the house come to life as they passed by on the school bus.
As the years progressed, so did the structure. Osborn, with the help of many others, began sectioning off areas to build makeshift rooms and setting up enormous props, a process that now begins over a month in advance.
The first year attracted nearly 300 kids to the haunted house. The following years doubled and tripled in numbers. As his children grew and their schedules changed, the house phased away.
Osborn, who moved to Ossian in 2015, decided to revive the magic of the haunted house in 2020 with the Horizon Events team. Last year, during the second year, over 3,000 children participated in the two-day event. This year the nonprofit hopes to attract higher numbers and encourage more community involvement.
“The haunted house actually begins with a haunted trail,” Osborn explained, referencing the long trail at the Archbold-Wilson park. “Businesses and individuals can sign up to pass out candy in stations along the way. People who have never had trick or treaters can get that experience.”
They hope to involve even more of the community this year. Businesses and individuals alike may sponsor the event or host a table along the trail that leads to the haunted house. All proceeds from the concession stand at the Archbold-Wilson summer concert series go to the free community events hosted by the group. Anyone with an interest in donating time or funds, or signing up for a candy station, may contact Jonathon Zoucha at 260-442-9070 or email Horizon Events at horizoneventscorporation@outlook.com.
sydney@news-banner.com
