'Not for the weak at heart': Haunted house opens at Craven County Fairgrounds
The love of all things scary drives one man's desire to bring the thrill of Halloween to people in New Bern and the surrounding area with a haunted house that is sure to scare even those who are not easily frightened.
While giving visitors the scare of a lifetime, the event also serves a greater cause. 'Scaring Away Hunger' has been the motto of the event since its inception with food donations being a huge part of its success.
Monster Martin's House of Terror opens Wednesday-Monday from 6:30-10 p.m. at the Craven County Jaycees Fairgrounds located at 3700 U.S. 70 East in New Bern. Admission is $10 and a canned good. Donations will benefit Religious Community Services as well as a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales.
The House of Terror is a fear-filled maze with scary things happening around every corner. Be prepared to be scared from the time you enter until the time you leave. No secrets will be given away due to part of being able to be scared is the element of surprise!
Vendors and food trucks will also be on site.
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Jon Martin, owner and operator said the wait may be a little bit longer than what people are used to for something like this.
"It's not just a walk-through," he said. We have actors who perform short skits and other interactive things to do throughout the haunt. Everyone has always said it's worth the wait."
Martin has 40 volunteers who help 'scare' through the maze. "I really couldn't do this without them," he said.
The adventure is not recommended for children ages 10 and under, however, Martin leaves it up to the discretion of the parents.
Martin said his family has always loved Halloween. As a child, his home would always be decorated for the holiday.
"We were the only house in the neighborhood that had the spooky music and the spooky decorations, but it was nothing like this," he said.
Martin started his haunted house 19 years ago while living in New Jersey. He relocated to New Bern about 2 1/2 years ago and started his tradition at his home where the haunted house has been held for the past two years.
Arnold Hatton, who also lives in New Jersey and has helped Martin in the past made the 8-hour trip to New Bern to see Martin's latest build.
"I've been a part of it for 11 years," Hatton said. "I just can't stay away from it. It gets into you. You start building things and knowing what it's going to do is exciting. It gets so scary sometimes, I don't even want to walk through it."
While in New Jersey, all canned goods were donated to the local food pantry.
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"They really depended on those donations," Martin said. "They have since started their own Scaring Away Hunger yearly event and I'm happy to see that something I started is still being carried out."
Martin who is a contractor moved the event to the fairgrounds in order to create a better experience for visitors.
"I am currently looking for a place where I can keep everything up year round, preferably some place indoors," he said, sharing that he would change things every year, but having a set location would be a lot easier than rebuilding the haunted house every Halloween.
Martin's House of Terror is opens Wednesday and remains open through Halloween night from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
In order to allow children to participate, Martin held a 'No Scare' event on Saturday. Visitors enjoyed pumpkin decorating, a kid's costume contest and a friendly behind the scenes tour of the haunt.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: House of Terror opens Wednesday at Craven County Fairgrounds
