Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Creepy clowns converge on Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn on Nov. 4-5

The Ringleader serves as the master of scare-a-monies
at Midnight Terror's Clown Takeover.
Throughout 2016, creepy clown sightings have dominated the news. Now, sinister circus exiles everywhere have descended on Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn, which will present a special two-day-only “Clown Takeover” haunt on Friday, November 4, and Saturday, November 5, from 7-11 p.m.

Midnight Terror, which wraps up its third annual Halloween-themed attraction on October 31, has decided to extend its season by hosting these two encore dates. But it isn’t simply reopening its doors and repeating what it offered in October – the haunt will be completely redesigned with all-new characters, costumes, props and themes that play upon our innate fear of clowns.

“This will be an entirely new and unique haunted house totally different from what we offered in October,” says Justin Cerniuk, Midnight Terror creator/co-owner and Oak Lawn native. “We will have over 100 clown characters, each with a one-of-a-kind personality, costume, and backstory. Visitors will be treated to a lot of shocks and surprises as they rediscover Midnight Terror in a whole different way from what they previously experienced.”

Here’s the scary scenario Cerniuk conceived: The unnerving clowns spotted across Chicagoland this year have been kidnapped by Boss Clown and his greasepaint-faced minions and brought back to Midnight Terror Haunted House. There, the unleashed clowns wreak havoc and force everyone they come in contact with to join their evil jester ranks. The brave souls who venture into Clown Takeover territory will encounter a myriad of monstrous mimes, putrid pranksters, fiendish fools, big-red-nosed brutes, and cartoonishly colored cut-ups eager to cut you up, including The Ringleader, Dynamite Dave, the Balloon Buster, The Twins, and Boss Clown himself. Attendees can even choose to have a free quick-change “clown makeover” (while supplies last). For more clues about what to expect and to view a promotional video that introduces the characters, visit MidnightTerror.com; for special discounts and promotions to this event, visit Midnight Terror’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/midnightterrorhauntedhouse.

“Tickets are bound to go quickly because this is such a limited engagement event, so you’ll need to act fast if you want to be among the lucky few to experience our Clown Takeover,” says Cerniuk, who adds that the encore dates provide an extra opportunity to attend Midnight Terror for Cubs fans who didn’t want to miss any playoffs games (the World Series wraps up by November 2).

Highlights of the Clown Takeover edition of Midnight Terror include:
A 30-minute walk-through (on average) across two indoor haunted houses
More than 60 rooms to explore
Over 100 actors
Over 50 props custom made for Midnight Terror, Hollywood-style CGI effects, a cutting-edge lighting system, and a state-of-the-art sound system
Free entertainment for guests waiting in line – among them street drummers, stilt walkers and DJs.

Midnight Terror Haunted House is located at 5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn, Ill., 60453, just east of the intersection of Central Avenue and 111th Street. Tickets can be purchased online at or at the box office on site: regular admission per person is $25 at the door or $23 online; VIP admission per person, which provides faster entry without having to wait in the general admission line, is $35 at the door or $31 online. The attraction is wheelchair accessible and open, rain or shine (a covered waiting area is provided), from 7-11 p.m. on November 4 and 5 only. Visitors can park for free at the Oak Lawn Metra station parking garage (located at 9525 Tulley Ave.) and take a complimentary round-trip shuttle – with costumed characters aboard to entertain passengers – to the Midnight Terror site. For more information, visit midnightterror.com or email midnightterror.info@gmail.com.