Believe it or not, we’re already halfway to Halloween. And some of the most favorite haunted houses are already kicking it into gear. Fear Factory celebrated the halfway mark with a spooky weekend of haunts for Halloween enthusiasts to enjoy. 

At the end of May, Fear Factory held their “lights out” event, meaning guests only have a finger light to guide them through the spooky thrills and chills. Zombie buses ran from The Gateway to Fear Factory, decked out in Halloween spirits. They ran the bus every 30 minutes.

“It’s kind of a time that's away from Halloween to still do some Halloween fun stuff,” said Rob Dunfield, co-owner of Fear Factory. “And it's a good way for our crew to get together and not have such a long break in between performances and stuff. So it's kind of a great way for our people to stay kind of active and in touch all year round, rather than just waiting till the fall.”

Fear Factory was recently named the top haunt of 2023 by the Haunted Attraction Association. This is the second time in the last three years that Fear Factory has been named in the HAA’s top haunts list. 

“This award wouldn’t be possible without our incredible team and their commitment to providing fans with an exceptional experience,” Dunfield said in a press release. “We’re honored to be included in the list of the top haunts with so many others around the country that are consistently innovating and finding new ways to entertain haunted attraction fans of all ages and interests.”

Dunfield said they always want to give their best for their guests. 

“We always are shooting for our best,” he said. “We're always making new things, new things to share, some new attractions, features and gaming changes. Every year, we try to make some new stuff, to draw people to come see more of what we do. And there's always some of the old things that people always return to see and come back for year after year. But yeah, we definitely are going to be always trying to top last year.”

Fear Factory is located on what used to be Portland Cement Works in the 1800s. Due to the danger of manufacturing in those days, through the use of boiling liquids and heavy machinery, the building saw several accidents. 

“There's a lot of old history, and that draws the paranormal people to want to come and try and communicate with some of those who pass on,” Dunfield said. 

Dunfield said they see several paranormal investigation teams throughout the summer, hoping to speak with the ghosts that wander the halls. They also offer public investigations for those who want to join in on the experience and see what really haunts Fear Factory’s walls. 

The hunts are typically from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends and everyone is invited to join in on the fun. They also offer private ghost hunting tours, where your group will be the only ones wandering the building, looking for things of the past. 

Dunfield said even himself and some employees have experienced unexplainable things while in the building, whether it’s lights turning off by themselves or feeling something tugging on their costumes. 

“I've always said that, if there are any ghosts here that they can stay, and as long as they're friendly and nice, we can always be friends,” he said. 

Fear Factory opens the second weekend of September this year, with their second weekend open over Friday the 13th. 

“Yeah, it's going to be a big [night], so that'll be real fun,” Dunfield said. “I already have some special stuff going on.”

Once October hits, Fear Factory, located at 666 W. 800 South, will start opening on weeknights, gearing up for Halloween. λ