The Candlelighters Ghost House opened its doors to frights and fun
As Halloween nears, the Candlelighters Ghost House, located in Fremont Hub, becomes a place of screams, candied apples, and entertainment. But the real scare starts weeks earlier, from the building of the house up to the busy nights near the end of the season.
Even in the earliest stages of planning, designing the Ghost House is a group effort. Alicia Barros Marin Young, a Candlelighter, or organizer of the Ghost House, said, “Every year we start around September, and every Saturday we start building the house for 6 to 7 weekends.” She talked about all the different responsibilities Candlelighters have, spanning a wide range of tasks. “We’ve got to rent the place and buy all the trinkets that people win. We’ve got to sign up all the students. We’ve got to organize all the timetables and buy the costumes and makeup—all of that. A lot goes into keeping this place running.”
She also talked about the theme of the event and how it gets picked each year. This year’s theme was based on movies directed by Tim Burton, a director known for his gothic horror and fantasy films, including Beetlejuice and Corpse Bride, which are implemented into the Ghost House. “Now we have different movies; we have Edward Scissorhands, and Jack Skellington, and different ones like those that jumpscare visitors.”
Fairies in the kids’ line posed with the scare actors in the main Ghost House in various costumes before opening (Photo Credit: Alicia Barros Marin Young).
Many factors go into keeping the Ghost House running, including the student volunteers that help in the house. Avi Gonzalez (10), a volunteer inside the house, spoke about her experiences scaring people, saying, “There was this middle aged couple, and the woman just went, ‘Woah!’ and the man was like ‘AHH!’ and he kept getting closer. ‘That was really scary,’ he said.”
Another volunteer, Corina Church (10), also talked about her experience with the people who visit the Ghost House. She said, “I have been thrown into a wall once by a person by accident. He just kind of threw his arm out. It was an adult, and he felt very, very bad afterwards. But other than that, you mostly just have people screaming very loud, being very caught off-guard.”
From the other perspective, people visiting the Ghost House also note how it has been a memorable experience. Aashna Bhagia (9) said, “There was one part where it was just a clear room, and you’d walk past it and think there’s nothing in there, but then they would run up to the glass, and they’d scare you.”
Although many things have changed about the Ghost House since its opening back in 1969, it has always remained a family-friendly place for a wide range of ages. Church spoke about her experiences with the Ghost House’s community, saying, “It’s very community-oriented, and the people that interact with the volunteers are very clear with the idea that they want it to make an experience that people enjoy, especially the little kids—that they want to come back for years in the future.”
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