Get your tricks and treats with upcoming fall events

Oct. 7—From thrills and chills to family fun, October is a good time to get out and enjoy yourself. There's a bumper crop of activities waiting for you.

New this year is Redrum Haunted House, which promises to be an intense experience starting Oct. 18.

"No one is going to touch you, but you will be afraid," promises Deidre Hathor, who developed the haunt with boyfriend Brandon Thompson and fellow local creative collaborators including students of their Artists Seeking Knowledge (ASK) class.

One student even loaned the use of her property for the haunted house that will feature original artwork inside and out, along with special effects from Miguel Rodriguez.

"You'll be thinking bats are coming at you but they're not," Hathor said, offering a hint at what Rodriguez has planned.

Hathor is tapping her background in stagecraft and playwriting along with Thompson's carpentry skills (he builds his own frames for his artwork) to create the haunt that will also have sound and lighting effects and fog.

"I haven't really seen a haunted house like the one we're going to do," Thompson said. "I'm really excited to see Deidre's vision with the storyline coming to life."

Although the pair wants to keep elements under wraps (with some social media sneak peeks leading up to the opening), they would share that the overall theme is "all the scary movies."

"We're taking the top 10, 15 scary movies and one of those people will come out and get you," Hathor said of the terrifying characters who will populate the space.

The house should be a 20-minute walk-through although Hathor warns, "You won't know when it will end. We have a couple of illusions that will have you thinking, 'Where am I?'"

"There is one way in and one way out, so you have to walk the entire path."

(For anyone who would like a few less scares, they can get a glow-in-the-dark wristband to alert performers to tone down the performance.)

Redrum Haunted House will be open from Oct. 18 through 31, with hours from 7 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 7 p.m. to midnight on weekends, at 3824 Wood Lane.

Admission is $20 with all funds going for future ASK classes, which Hathor and Thompson offer for free to students of all ages at their home studio in southwest Bakersfield.

Tickets are available in advance at Eventbrite.com. Those who purchase online will be able to get into a VIP line while others buying the night of will need to wait in a general admission line.

One scare the team doesn't want to worry about is safety. Hathor said although it is an outdoor event, masks will be required and can be provided for those who don't have one.

"We want to be very responsible," she said.

For the latest on the haunt, visit @redrumhauntedhousenbakersfield on Instagram. For details on ASK art classes, contact Hathor (@deidrehathor) or Thompson (@brandonthompson__) on Instagram.

OTHER EVENTS THIS MONTH

Scare Valley/Halloweenville: Fear is back as visitors encounter the ghosts and mysterious dark energy of Lucian Morton's mansion in the Scare Valley side of things. Families can enjoy more treats than terror in Halloweenville, which offers a pumpkin patch, Haunted Hayride, Ghosts vs. Ghouls laser tag, Tarantula Train Ride and Casper's Zone bounce area. Brave souls can also shoot zombies. 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays (Scare Valley opens at dusk), now through Nov. 2, Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Ave. Free admission to pumpkin patch. Halloweenville: $10 (free for children 2 and under), includes 10 paintballs per paid entry (does not include the haunt). Scare Valley: $25 on Friday and Sunday, $30 on Saturday, good for one haunt walk-through, access to all Halloweenville activities. One-time-use Scare Valley fast pass available for $10 per person. Tickets available at scarevalley.com.

"A Nightmare on Elm Street": Something is coming to get you in your dreams when this 1984 horror classic screens at the Fox Theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15, 2001 H St. $7, available at thebakersfieldfox.com, by calling 661-324-1369 or the box office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays. Students and seniors can buy one, get one ticket free on the night of the show. Note: The screening is capped at 999 attendees so proof of vaccination or negative COVID tests are not required.

"Tunnel of Terror: CARnEVIL": Brave The Stranglin Bros. Freak Show, which has taken over Ridgecrest's Blue Rocket Car Wash to offer a drive-thru haunted car wash experience. Costumed employees embrace the spooky carnival theme while helping make sure your vehicle comes out squeaky clean. Proceeds benefit the Burroughs High School Marching Band. Held 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through October, Blue Rocket Car Wash, 141 S. China Lake Blvd., Ridgecrest. $18, includes car wash and goodie bag; those with an unlimited car wash pass can make a $3 donation.

Boo at the Zoo: Bring the family in costume for fun and spooktacular games at California Living Museum. Throughout the day, several of the zoo's animals will receive a treat-filled jack-o'-lantern. Bring your own picnic or buy from one of the food vendors. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24 at CALM, 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway. $10, $3 for children 3 to 12 (who must be accompanied by an adult), $7 for seniors (60-plus) and free for CALM members. $2 for unlimited rides on the Central California Children's Railroad. calmzoo.org or 661-872-2256.

October Fun Fest: Stefon from "SNL" couldn't imagine a better Halloween event at Murray Family Farms, aka "it's got everything": a bounce pillow, pumpkin patch, slide hill, corn maze, expanded sunflower field, storybook trail, vortex tunnel, giant web, brand-new picnic area, animal garden and exotic aviary with "The Roosteree!" exhibit, where families can get acquainted with tons of breeds of "Rockin' and Cawwin' Roosters." Potato blasters ($3), paintball gallery ($10) or a combo ($10 on sale now) available on weekends. Noon to 8 p.m. now through Oct. 31, Murray Family Farms, 6700 General Beale Road. $8.99-$24.99 for weekdays, $9.99-$29.99 for weekends. 855-868-7729. murrayfamilyfarms.org.

Cinema Under the Stars: Halloween Edition: The Outlets at Tejon will screen "Coco," the Disney film about a young musician in search of his grandfather, for its drive-in experience on Oct. 30. The fun starts at 4 p.m. with trick-or-treating stations throughout the outlets, followed by the screening at 6:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in their most festive Halloween outfits or put together creative costumes during their shopping experience. Food trucks including Pita Paradise, Get it Twisted and Gonzalez Tacos will sell snacks and dinner. 4 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30, north parking lot of Outlets at Tejon, 5701 Outlets at Tejon Parkway, Arvin.

Banducci's Pumpkin Patch: Pick out the perfect pumpkin and enjoy a walk through the corn maze. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, 10747 Taft Highway. $5, free for children 5 and under.

We'll be back next week with more fall fun and scary events. Know of one we missed? Send the details to sdias@bakersfield.com.

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter: @realstefanidias.