Dayton Volunteer Fire Department is gearing up for its annual haunted house event, promising evenings of thrills, chills, and family-friendly fun. The haunted house will take place over two weekends in October—Friday and Saturday nights on Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 25-26. The haunted house begins at 7:30 p.m. each night and will run until the last group has braved its way through the haunted halls.
To accommodate additional festivities, the haunted house will open earlier at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, in conjunction with JLA Realty’s Fall Festival. All the action will take place at Dayton VFD Station 2 on Cook Street, located next to Dayton City Hall. For visitors, parking will be available along Depot and Church streets, while Cook Street near the fire station will be closed to traffic for the duration of the event to ensure the safety of attendees.
Tickets are $12 per person, and groups will be limited to five participants each, escorted by two guides to navigate the scenes. Those who have attended in previous years can expect some new surprises, as firefighters and volunteers began setting up on Sept. 1 and invested an additional $1,400 in fresh attractions this year.
The haunted house is designed to be a full experience, but if a participant in your group decides they’ve had enough, there is a designated exit about midway through the tour. However, according to Bradley Templeton, firefighter and chairman of the haunted house committee, DVFD encourages everyone to stick it out to get the full experience.
“We discourage people from exiting midway because we want them to get their money’s worth,” Templeton said.
But the scares aren’t the only draw. Each night of the event, DVFD volunteers will be selling hot dogs, drinks, and churros outside the fire station. For those looking to enjoy a less terrifying evening, there will be outdoor seating and a family-friendly Halloween movie showing throughout the night. Tables will be set up near the concession area, allowing visitors to relax, enjoy some snacks, and soak up the festive atmosphere without stepping foot inside the haunted house.
Dayton VFD has also taken steps to ensure a comfortable experience for all guests. Porta-potties and handwashing stations will be available outside to maintain cleanliness and convenience.
The haunted house event is one of the Dayton VFD’s major fundraisers of the year, with all proceeds going toward supporting the fire department’s operations, equipment, and training. While the haunted house is a highlight of the fall season, the department’s largest fundraiser remains the “Boots and Bullets” event, held every January.
Tickets are sold at the door on the nights of the event. No pre-sale tickets are available. For more information, call Templeton at 936-402-6134.