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.

Spirits on Sproat earns Golden Chainsaw for second year in a row

For the second year in a row, Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead has received a Golden Chainsaw Hall of Fame rating from The Horror Tourers, a group of well-traveled fans who critique home haunts and commercial Halloween attractions. We are honored to be awarded this rare and prestigious designation.

It's not too late to see the display for yourself – we're open every night now through Halloween. Thanks to The Horror Tourers for their kind commentary, which you can view below.

Spook spotlight: Meet the Bride of Chucky

Good things come in small packages, it's been said. But bad girls come in ultra-petite sizes sometimes, as is the case with the Bride of Chucky, who looks like she could fit into a diaper as easily as she could a sexy halter top. Here's what we know about her:
• Also known as: Tiffany, dollface, devil in a toddler’s dress
• Dirty little secret: She married Chucky for his money and plans to strangle him as soon as she lands a morning TV talk show deal
• Pet peeve: When Chucky forgets to put the potty chair seat down
• Favorite book: “Little Women”

Spook spotlight: Meet Vincent Price

Boris Karloff may be considered the most famous horror actor in Hollywood history, but many would argue that the crown really goes to Vincent Price, who made his bones playing creepy characters and countless fright films. Here's what we know about Mr. Price:
• Favorite TV show: “The Price is Right”
• Weapon of choice: His sharply trimmed mustache
• Often seen at: The House of Wax, The House of Usher, The House on Haunted Hill, The House of Boos
• Secret shame: Broke his pelvis while trying to moonwalk during his rap in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”

Spook spotlight: Meet Sally

It's not easy being a mad scientist's plaything or the patchwork girlfriend to a bald-headed albino with multiple personality disorder. But Sally sallies forth and rises above the fray (and the frayed fabric, too) as the queen of Halloweentown. Here are 4 fun facts about Sally:
• Favorite song: “Rag Doll” by Aerosmith
• Secret talent: She keeps Jack Skellington in stitches
• Weapons of choice: Deadly nightshade, a needle and thread, sexy detachable gams
• Personal heroes: Raggedy Ann, Lucille Ball, the Bride of Frankenstein

Spook spotlight: Jack Skellington

He may be tall and wiry, but Jack Skellington is fat in the head with fun plans for Halloweentown. He likes to sing, dance, play Santa Claus, and spend time with Sally, among other pastimes. Jack is also known for the following:
• Aliases: The King of Halloween, Bone Daddy, baseball head
• Suffers from: Anorexia, multiple personality disorder, lazy Hollywood agents who can’t get him a movie sequel
• Little-known fact: Once sued Billy Corgan for copying his look
• Least-favorite holiday town:  Canadian Boxing Day Town

Spook spotlight: Slappy

Even a dummy knows that the most feared character in the Goosebumps series is Slappy, the pint-sized villain with a Napoleon complex who wants to make the world grovel at his feet – which is a pretty low place to be. Fascinating facts about Slappy include:
• Favorite book: “World Domination for Dummies”
• Personal heroes: Charlie McCarthy, Howdy Doody, George W. Bush
• Phobias: Termites, fireplaces, monocles, bony knees
• Little-known fact: Has scared millions of children but is afraid to ask Annabelle for a date

Spook spotlight: The Flying Monkey

They say humans descended from the apes. If that's true, where's our wings? That's a question you may want to ask the Flying Monkey, who's always ready to do the evil bidding of the Wicked Witch of the West. Want to learn more?
• Known for: Capturing Dorothy, guarding the witch’s castle, making it rain ape dookie on stupid humans below
• Hates: Organ grinders, Jane Goodall, “Shock the Monkey,” “Bedtime for Bonzo”
• Favorite food: Liquefied witch

Spook spotlight: the evil witch from Snow White

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But after eating an apple from the Witch from Snow White, you won't need a doctor – you'll need an undertaker. She bears a basket of bad luck and a mirror full of malevolence. Steer clear and be mindful of these facts:
• Nickname: Miss October
• Weapon of choice: Toadstools, eye of Newt Gingrich
• Dirty little secret: Prefers battery-operated broomsticks
• Favorite performer: Stevie Nicks

Spook spotlight: Pennywise the clown

Bozo was America's favorite TV clown for many moons. But Pennywise, the evil sewer dweller from Stephen King's "It," snatched the top clown crown from consumer consciousness in the early 1990s and never let go. The dossier on Pennywise reads as follows:
• Nicknames: Pound foolish, balloon goon, Wonder bread, Baldy McDonald
• Voted in high school: No. 1 class clown
• Secret shame: That’s his real nose
• Little-known fact: Banana peels instantly turn black before he slips on them

Spook spotlight: Meet the Wicked Witch of the West

She's the green-skinned goddess who's made us melt since young childhood – the black-clad broomstick-riding badass who has minions of flying monkeys and Winkies at her command. She's the Wicked Witch of the West, and she won't stop until she gets those ruby slippers. Consider these facts:
• Bet you didn’t know: She likes to dunk her Munchkins in coffee
• High-tech pastime: Skyping in the sky using cloud-based messages like “Surrender Dorothy”
• Secret wish: That somebody would drop a house on those lazy, good-for-nothing flying monkeys

List of Chicagoland Halloween haunts now posted

Spirits on Sproat isn't the only Halloween-themed property worth visiting this October. Want a list of Chicago-area Halloween yard displays as well as paid haunted attractions? The 2016 list of Chicagoland Home Haunts is now ready for viewing/downloading. Click here to access it.

Spirits on Sproat ready for prime time this Saturday

Your favorite Halloween haunt, Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead, will reopen to the public for its 13th season this Saturday, October 1, from 7-11 PM. We've got lots of new characters and surprises for you to discover, so make plans to visit this weekend, or any of our open dates in October (click here for full schedule).

Midnight Terror Haunted House moves to massive new location in Oak Lawn

Things can get messy in the Black Oak Grove butcher shop.

When it comes to fun Halloween scares, the bigger the better – which explains why Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn has relocated to a mammoth new site for its third season. Visitors to this year’s edition of Oak Lawn’s first ever commercial haunted attraction can expect an incredible value: two all-new haunted houses for the price of one at a prime indoor location that, compared to last year, offers more than four times the space and a walk-through duration that’s approximately three times longer.

Never content to rest on his laurels or repeat himself, Midnight Terror creator/co-owner and Oak Lawn native Justin Cerniuk wasn’t satisfied with the size or expansion potential of his previous location in the village. That was the 6,000-square-foot Beatty Lumber warehouse property, which hosted the haunt in 2014 and 2015 but was razed over the summer. He and co-owners Robert Page and Maciej Kulawiak found the ideal digs in which to dig up the undead and expand Cerniuk’s ambitious nightmare vision: a former fabrics factory at 5520 W. 111th St., just 3.3 miles south of Midnight Terror’s last address and boasting 26,000 square feet.

“We hit the mother lode when we found this warehouse, which offers so much more room than our previous site,” says Cerniuk, an ex-Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan during combat operations there. “I’ve always dreamed of staging a really large, immersive haunted attraction. Now I can – one with a completely unique mythology, wide cast of characters, and ultra-detailed sets and props that combine to create an unforgettably frightening experience. This is going to be above and beyond any other paid haunted house you’ve ever visited.”

Meet Tool – head foreman of the Factory of Malum.

For those who dare to pass beyond Midnight Terror’s portals, here’s the inventive setup fiendishly concocted by Cerniuk and his skeleton crew: The small provincial settlement of Black Oak Grove (in reality the earliest known moniker for what eventually became the village of Oak Lawn) has become Ground Zero for a battle between the forces of good and evil. The once-thriving community has turned into a hellish landscape populated by Stalkers and FearCorps monstrosities lurking around every corner. The only path forward requires following the mark of Willow, a wraithlike female entity searching restlessly for her disappeared father, a factory owner named Sledge. Those who survive the horror of Black Oak Grove must venture through the Factory of Malum, named after the demonic overlord who has enslaved Sledge and his minions within an industrial labyrinth that manufactures your worst fears.

To make these demonic visions come to life, Cerniuk had to start from scratch. So he created a fresh and original storyline driven by an ensemble cast of creatures – each with its own personality, devilishly detailed design, and custom costume. (The story arc is detailed within Willow’s diary entries and brief webisode video segments posted at midnightterror.com.) The reinvented haunt’s mazelike walls were intricately hand-fabricated. Additionally, every nook and cranny along the maze was enhanced with elaborate props, set pieces and fright furniture. They add awe-inspiring color, texture, depth and realism to the environment and make for distinctively themed rooms, passageways and scare stations.

“The level of fine detail in the architecture, wallscapes, props, costumes and makeup, combined with our carefully timed scares and surprises, is impressive. It’s totally unlike any other haunted house,” says Cerniuk, who this year expects to well exceed the 15,000 visitors who attended Midnight Terror in 2015. “For example, we’ve created an enormous replica of an old town main street, featuring a butcher shop, school, library, jail, and mechanic shop, plus a 13-foot high waterfall.”

Highlights of the 2016 version of Midnight Terror include:
• A 30-minute walk-through (on average) across two haunted houses – Black Oak Grove and the Factory of Malum
• More than 60 rooms – double last year’s number
• Over 100 actors – at least 30 more than 2015
• 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
• The guidance of skilled haunt industry professionals, among them veteran actor trainer/scare choreographer John Shankel, makeup manager Bonnie Bones, and scenery artist Barbie Hood
• A gift shop where Midnight Terror shirts, hoodies, hats and other apparel as well as Halloween-themed merchandise can be purchased
• Free entertainment for guests waiting in line – among them street drummers, stilt walkers and DJs.

What’s more, attendees can take advantage of valuable promotions, such as:
• $2 off each ticket when purchased online at midnightterror.com
• Half off regular admission on opening night, September 29
• $5 off regular admission on Thursdays in October if you bring an item for a military veteran (a list of acceptable items is posted at midnightterror.com)
• Ladies get $10 off on October 6
• Students with a school ID get $5 off on October 9
• Family Day on October 30 between 3 and 5 p.m., when kids age 12 and younger can walk through, free of charge, with the lights on and wave to the actors, who will be in friendly mode.

Cerniuk is also excited about off-season possibilities at the new location.

“Beginning early next year, we plan to offer laser tag in the same space as well as bookings for private parties,” he says.

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 $33 online. The attraction is wheelchair accessible and open, rain or shine (a covered waiting area is provided), from: 7-10 p.m. on Sept. 29, Oct. 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, and Nov. 4 and 5; and from 7-11 p.m. on Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, 30 and 31. 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.

Spirits on Sproat October 2016 schedule now posted

Eager to learn exactly when Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead is open for visitors this October? We've locked in our calendar and it's ready for viewing by clicking here.

The spirits return on Oct. 1

Your favorite Halloween house is readying for a killer comeback. Mark down Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 on your calendar--that's the night Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead comes back from the dead. This year, we will debut more new props than ever before and expand our dates of operation to a record 19 nights in October (weather permitting), most notably a string of 11 consecutive evenings when we'll be open (Oct. 21-31).

We now have over 50 famous monsters and horror icons from your favorite scary movies waiting to be discovered; joining our ranks for 2016 will be several newly made classic creeps as well as mini miscreants that gave you the willies as a wee little kid (hint-hint).

The Halloween season is right around the corner--can your nerves handle the fright? Make plans to visit Spirits on Sproat and find out! Check back to this site between now and October for more updates and our official schedule.

Spirits on Sproat's Svengoolie spotlighted by the real McCoy

Halloween may be long gone on the calendar, but it's still fresh on the mind of Svengoolie, TV's favorite horror host. He featured our Spirits on Sproat life-size Svengoolie figure on his program last evening during a Christmas season broadcast. Click the video below to view.

Thanks for a great Halloween

The living (and the undead) at Spirits on Sproat want to thank our fans for another fantastic Halloween season. More visitors came to our display in 2015 than in any previous year, which we greatly appreciate. Hard to believe another October has come and gone, but we're already getting excited about plans for 2016. Hope to see you again in 11 months!

A picture is worth a thousand monsters

The official 2015 video of our Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead is now live and ready for prime time. Click on the video below to watch...if you dare!

Spirits on Sproat named to the Horror Tourers Hall of Fame

The Horror Tourers, a group of dedicated and well-traveled reviewers who evaluate professional haunted attractions as well as home haunts, has just named Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of Dead to its Hall of Fame for the 2015 season!

It's quite an honor for a non-professional yard display that started from humble beginnings with meager props back in 2004 and has grown into one of the south suburbs' favorite Halloween destinations.

Thanks to The Horror Tourers for their kind words and generous review, which are captured in a review video you can view by clicking here or on the video below.

Spirits on Sproat mentioned as one of the best south suburban haunts

The Chicago Tribune/Daily Southtown has just published a new article on south suburban home haunts that rise above the pack, and Spirits on Sproat is mentioned as one of the notables.

Click here to read the full story.

Spook spotlight: Evil Ash

The evil dead refuse to stay dead – thankfully for us – as evidenced by a new cable series based on the popular horror film franchise. The key character, of course, is Ash, who has a penchant for turning evil himself from time to time, as demonstrated in" Evil Dead 2." Here's the full scoop on Ash's demonic alter ego:

• Afraid of: The Book of the Dead, cabins in the woods, Kris Jenner
• Secret shame: His severed and possessed right hand constantly flips him the bird
• Favorite films: Evil Dead 2, The Exorcist, The 3 Stooges Meet Hercules
• Favorite book: A Farewell to Arms

Spook spotlight: Nosferatu

What you get when you cross the bloodsucking undead with Wienerschnitzel? Nosferatu, of course. This vampire with a solar sex panel can transform from a man to a bat and back again with the precision and efficiency of a fine German automobile. Want to know more? Consider:

• Otherwise known as: The German Dracula, sauerkraut fangs, Old tall bald and gruesome
• Inventor of: Goth, the Bauhaus movement, the Autobahn, German Expressionism, the Snuggie
• Favorite pigout food: Authentic Oktoberfest blood sausage

Spook spotlight: Annabelle

What is it about clowns and dolls that scare the bejeezus out of children (and lots of grown-ups, too)? To help explain the latter, consider this creepy counterfeit kid, better known as Annabelle. She's got nightmare written all over her. But, to lighten your dreams a little, here are a few fun facts about this demonic doll:

• Known for: Being the creepy doll in “The Conjuring,” giving children nightmares, her off-again/on-again romance with Chucky
• Favorite pastime: Turning Cabbage Patch Kids’ hair white from fright
• Secret shame: Every time she loses a child beauty pageant her fussy stage mom takes away her cell phone privileges

Spook spotlight: Carol Anne

Want to scare your kids away from watching too much TV? Have them take a peek at Carol Anne, the wee little star from "Poltergeist." Where you and I see snow on the screen, she sees dead people, and she doesn't even have the sixth sense. Here are more strange but (probably not) true facts about Carol Anne:

• Catchphrases: “They’re here…” “I’m afraid of the light, mommy.” “Would it kill you to score some One Direction tickets?”
• Secret wish: That dad would quit being so cheap and buy a hi-def flatscreen TV already
• Sick of hearing mom say: “Standing too close to the television is bad for your soul, sweetie.”

Spook spotlight: Medusa

Some of us have a bad hair day. But just imagine rolling out of bed and seeing a head full of hissing serpents staring back at you in the mirror. That's Medusa's lot in life. One gander at her can turn you to stone forever, so be careful. Intrigued to learn more? Here's the lowdown on this beauty pageant contestant:

• Catchphrase: If looks could kill
• Little-known fact: Needs an injection of anti-venom every time she brushes her hair
• Secret wish: To be America’s Next Top Model
• Little-known fact: Can turn a drunk man stone cold sober

Spook spotlight: Jack Torrance

You don't have to be clairvoyant to know that there is trouble brewing at the Overlook Hotel, temporary home to Jack Torrance and his helpless family. Jack's recovering from a clear case of cabin fever, and now that he's on the loose, anybody could be his next victim. Here are Jack's quick facts:

• Favorite pun: Axe me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies
• Little-known fact: Sold 10 million copies of his novel “All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy”
• Pet peeve: When hotels forget to leave a mint on his pillow
• Mother’s advice he failed to heed: Button up that overcoat or you’ll freeze to death

Spook spotlight: Meet Zeke

Introducing Zeke the slack-jawed zombie, cousin to undead Zed. Zeke is chomping at the bit to get a gander at all the crowds who will be coming to see him this October. Here's a quick dossier on not-so-sleek Zeke:

• Favorite song: “If I Only Had a Brain”
• Original cause of death: One botox injection too many
• Nickname: Brad Pitt without the pulse
• Preferred vacation spots: Cabo San Mucus, Club Ded, Maliboo, Murder Beach, Gland Canyon

Spook spotlight: Norman Bates

Here's a Norman who's far from normal. I mean, just look at the getup. And that wig. And that cleaver. He's about to shower you with attention of the terrifying kind. Still don't recognize him? If you haven't seen the greatest horror movie ever made, "Psycho," then Norman Bates may not be a household name in your mental Rolodex. But it should be. Get cultured up – without getting cut up – by seeing the classic film posthaste. Meanwhile, study up on what makes Norman tick:

• Favorite holiday: Mother’s Day
• Pet peeve: Motel guests who leave soap scum on the shower walls
• Little-known fact: Gets his hair done at the beauty parlor on senior discount Thursdays
• Title of his autobiography: It’s a Wonderful Knife

Spook spotlight: Carrie White

Teenage girls can be so cruel. Especially when they splatter pig's blood all over you after setting up an elaborate scheme to make you think that the school's top hunk truly wants to be your prom date. But revenge is a dish best served White – as in Carrie White. What else do we know what Carrie? Plenty...

• Favorite band: My Bloody Valentine
• High school achievements: Named to the horror roll and scream’s list every semester
• Catchphrase: Blood is thicker than water
• Has nightmares about: The fashion police

Spook spotlight: The Grim Reaper

Not to be confused with The Angel of Death (who's flying around in our backyard somewhere and also covering his skull face with a black hood), The Grim Reaper likes to look about with flashing eyes and scope out the scene. Don't let your eyes meet, however – he might just harvest your soul prematurely. Here are some more interesting tidbits about this dude:

• Movie appearances: “Monty Python’s Meaning of Life,” “The Seventh Seal,” “Transformers 15” (the one where everybody finally dies thanks to his uncredited cameo)
• Nickname: Scythe for sore eyes, Mr. Buzzkill
• Secret wish: That the average human lifespan was at least 50 years longer (his feet are killing him)

Spook spotlight: Svengoolie

Chicagoland's own beloved horror host, Svengoolie, is now immortalized in our Gallery of the Dead. That's right, Sven has joined the ranks of Spirits on Sproat's army of the undead, and he's wielding one badass rubber chicken. Here's the dossier on Berwyn's favorite son:
• Voted in high school: Most likely to be elected Mayor of Berwyn
• Secret shame: Everything he eats now tastes like rubber chicken
• Moonlights as: The manager of a boy band featuring Tombstone, Durwood and Kerwyn
• Little-known fact: Nearly underwent breast augmentation surgery to beat Elvira’s TV ratings

Spirits on Sproat returns...tonight!

It's October 2, which means Spirits on Sproat: The Gallery of the Dead is about to be re-animated and come back to life for another season. We open tonight promptly at 7 p.m. There are several new props to discover and surprises in store for visitors, so make plans to come by this weekend. We're just dying for a chance to scare the yell out of you!

Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn returns with double the dread

Malum (pictured) runs the factory

Blackwood Hospital is one of two Midnight Terror attractions

Midnight Terror Haunted House made a big splash in 2014 when it debuted as Oak Lawn’s first ever commercial haunted attraction. Now, it’s preparing to awe visitors with an all-new frightfully fun attraction that’s at least twice as large as last year’s. In fact, the site now hosts two uniquely themed haunted houses deviously designed to terrify patrons: (1) Factory of Malum and (2) Blackwood Hospital, both included with the price of admission.

Inspired by rave reviews and an even better-than-expected turnout (over 9,000 customers) last October, Midnight Terror creator/co-owner and Oak Lawn native Justin Cerniuk refused to rest on his laurels or repeat the same haunt. So last November, as soon as his inaugural attraction closed, he went back to the drawing board and began plans for a completely different and expanded Midnight Terror attraction for 2015. Working closely with village officials, Cerniuk and co-owners Robert Page, Maciej Kulawiak and Mark Krupa earned approval to expand their attraction’s footprint beyond the boundaries of the 4,000-square-foot Beatty Lumber warehouse that shelters the walk-through portion of their haunt.

“Now, I get to fulfill a longtime dream of mine – hosting two haunted houses on one site and enhancing the experience for visitors with a greater level of detail and sensory stimuli,” says Cerniuk, a former Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan during combat operations there. “This year, we created fresh sets, animatronics and props as well as a whole new mythology, backstory and cast of characters that mesh with the themes we’ve built into this two-in-one attraction.”

Visitors first enter the Factory of Malum, the nightmarish industrial headquarters of a demonic dream-haunting overlord named Malum, who has transformed his workshop’s rooms and corridors into architectural manifestations of your worst fears and phobias. As you wind helplessly through Malum’s labyrinth, you come face-to-face with a menagerie of scary simulations, including grotesque insects, snakes, rats, living dolls, sparking electrical hazards, fire-scorched clowns, pitch-black passages, and claustrophobia-inducing narrowed hallways. Accompanying you on this excursion into fear are fellow factory worker fiends who mercilessly shriek, stalk and surprise at virtually every turn.

But your tour of the terrifying doesn’t end there. Next, your mission is to avoid becoming an inpatient at Blackwood Hospital, the warped wards of which you’ll walk warily through in the hopes of being discharged without being dismembered. It’s awfully convenient that a medical center is adjacent to Malum’s factory, but it’s awfully creepy that the hospital beds, surgical tables, and padded cells are occupied by mangled, possessed, and deranged factory employees under the care of the sadistic physician Dr. Blackwood and gnarly nurses who belong in hearses. Souls fortunate enough to escape Blackwood’s confines must lastly brave an outdoor home stretch better known as “Chainsaw Alley” before they can taste freedom.

Yes, it’s safe to say that Cerniuk and crew had a busy off-season.

“We had so many great ideas for a bigger and better haunted attraction that are now being realized,” says Cerniuk, who plans to keep Midnight Terror within Oak Lawn and improve it every year. “Staging this on a bigger scale also meant growing our staff, delegating responsibilities and dramatically increasing our budget.” Consequently, the 2015 edition of Midnight Terror includes:
• More than 30 rooms – 15 more than last year – as well as a new outdoor section.
• 70 actors – 50 more than 2014 – each a distinctive character with a custom costume and makeup.
• The guidance of experienced haunt industry professionals, among them veteran set detailer Dan Haynes and actor trainer John Shankel (who choreographs the scarers’ actions).
• A brand new LED lighting system and improved sound system.
• Hollywood-style CGI effects, including monitors displaying monstrous footage.
• Free entertainment for guests waiting in line – from DJs to stilt walkers to street drummers.

Additionally, visitors can benefit from special promotions, some involving partnerships with community organizations, including:
• Half off regular admission (a $9 value) on opening night, October 1.
• Ladies get $5 off on October 8.
• Students with a school ID get $3 off on October 11.
• Buy one regular admission, get another for half off on October 22.
• First 25 people pay half price regular admission on October 28.
• Family Day on October 31 between 3 and 6 p.m., when kids age 12 and younger can walk through, free of charge, with the lights on and trick or treat with the actors, who will be in friendly mode; during this three-hour period, families can also register early on-site for the 2016 Westside Baseball season or for a local Boy Scout troop.
• An on-site community blood drive (date to be announced soon): anyone who donates blood will receive a half-off regular admission voucher.
• A $3 off coupon (valid on select dates), found online at midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com.

Cerniuk promises that guests will get a great bang for their buck at Midnight Terror, which he says charges much less than other commercial haunted attractions – in fact, admission is as low as $9 after some of the aforementioned discounts. For those who want their chills without the wait, a V.I.P. pass provides fast entry.

Midnight Terror Haunted House is located at 9531 S. 52nd Ave., Oak Lawn, Ill., 60453, near the intersection of 95th Street and 52nd Avenue. Tickets can be purchased online at or at the box office on site: regular admission per person is $18; each V.I.P. pass is $25; discounts for large groups are also available. The attraction is wheelchair accessible and open, rain or shine (a covered waiting area is provided), from: 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 28, and 29 and on Nov. 1; and from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, and 31. Visitors can park for free inside the nearby Metra parking garage at 9525 S. Tulley Ave. To purchase tickets in advance, get a coupon worth $3 off admission on select dates, or for more information, visit midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com or email midnightterror.info@gmail.com.

Spirits on Sproat comes back from the dead on Oct. 2

We are now mere days away from the kickoff of Spirits on Sproat's 2015 season, scheduled to open on Friday, October 2. Rest assured that we're busy preparing several new props, lighting effects, and live entertainment as well as improving our popular scavenger hunt games.

Check back to the site regularly between now and October 31 to learn the latest news about our home haunt. We will be posting all new spook spotlights – individual profiles of specific new characters with descriptive details and humorous trivia – as we advance toward Halloween.

Make your plans now to visit Spirits on Sproat this October... If you dare! For our October 2015 schedule and driving directions, click here.

Sayonara from Spirits on Sproat

Thanks to all for visiting our Spirits on Sproat display this year, and for helping to make this our best season yet! Now only 365 more days to go...

Happy Halloween!

The Spirits on Sproat 2014 video: the next best thing to being there!

Want a sneak peak of what you can expect when you come see our home haunt in person? Feast your eyes on fiendish new footage of our display that we just posted. It's the 2014 (10th anniversary edition) official Spirits on Sproat video, ready to be watched by clicking below. Enjoy!

Another area paper features Spirits on Sproat

Our 10th anniversary continues to get a lot of attention from neighborhood publications. This time, The Reporter weekly newspaper teased our display on the cover and then gave Spirits on Sproat a prominent write-up on page 4. To read the article, click here.

Spirits on Sproat featured in local newspaper

Your friendly neighborhood house of horror has been spotlighted in the latest edition of the Southwest News Herald newspaper, which writes about our home haunt's 10th anniversary and inspirations for many of the characters we display.

You can read a copy of the article by clicking here.

Horror Tourers awards Spirits on Sproat 5 out of 5 chainsaws - again!

For the second year in a row, the Horror Tourers, a group of dedicated and well-traveled home haunt reviewers, has given our Spirits on Sproat home haunt a perfect 5 out of 5 chainsaws rating. Here's a sample from their newly posted review:

"The move to the backyard gives visitors an opportunity to study many of the figures up close, which was not really possible in the front, and also allows for the garage to be set up as a staging area, which this year featured many figures, including a brand new figure of the evil Ash from Evil Dead."

You can read the full critique here, which includes a photo gallery and two videos: a commentary summarizing what they liked, plus a walk-through of the display.

Thanks to the Horror Tourers for visiting our haunt again and for the glowing review!

List of home haunts in the area now posted

Curious to learn what other home haunts are up and running for you to visit this Halloween season? The 2014 list of Chicagoland home haunts is now available!

Visit http://1drv.ms/10z00eV to view, download or print this long-anticipated list.

Spirits on Sproat opens tonight!

The night you've been waiting all year for is finally here--Spirits on Sproat opens tonight at 7 p.m.! Come check out our all-new display held entirely in the back yard, where there are more props, more room to explore, and more surprises in store for those who dare to visit. Hope to see you out this weekend (and bring a jacket--it's going to be chilly).

Midnight Terror Haunted House opens Oct. 2 in Oak Lawn

Sledge (the alter ego of Midnight Terror Haunted House owner Justin Cerniuk) is one of over 30 costumed actors eager to greet visitors.

Since he was 10 years old, Oak Lawn native Justin Cerniuk has yearned to create the ultimate spookhouse. Now, with the Oct. 2 opening of Midnight Terror Haunted House, Oak Lawn’s first ever commercial haunted attraction, Cerniuk is about to realize that dream — and give nightmares of the frightfully fun kind to the thousands of visitors expected to attend.

Cerniuk partnered with village officials to repurpose the long-abandoned Beatty Lumber yard property at 9531 S. 52^nd Ave., host site of Midnight Terror, and create a win-win for everyone involved. Working diligently round the clock since August, Cerniuk and his team have converted the 4,000-square-foot Beatty warehouse into a creepy fear factory that will feature dozens of unique props, over 30 costumed actors, and 15 different rooms — including a crypt of the damned, haunted forest, and blackout barracks — that wind throughout the facility in unexpectedly frightening fashion.

Midnight Terror will provide patrons with memorable thrills they won’t get at any other paid horror-themed attraction. Everything inside is meant to overwhelm your senses, look disturbingly authentic and unfold unpredictably. From the custom-built animatronics and finely detailed props to the distinctive wall textures, eerie lighting design, and improvisational scare tactics of the actors, Cerniuk promises a Halloween thrill destination that’s a cut above the rest.

“We’ve even designed certain spaces to have distinctive scents, like the musty smell of the boiler room and the mildewed odor of the catacombs,” says Cerniuk, who personally designs and fabricates nearly every prop, façade and effect used in Midnight Terror. “And visitors are getting a great value. This is no quick stroll through and you’re done. The attraction lasts up to 15 minutes, and it doesn’t end when you exit the building. There are more scares waiting for you outside, too.”

While many professional haunts charge $25 or more per ticket, admission to Midnight Terror is as low as $8 on select dates (after redeeming a $2 off coupon from midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com); for those who want their chills without waiting in line, a $17 R.I.P. pass provides instant entry. What’s more, opening night admission is half price: only $5.

Cerniuk actually started Midnight Terror as a modest free front yard display, outside his Oak Lawn home in 2000, when he was only 10 years old. A year later, with the help of his uncle, Robert Page, he constructed a temporary haunted house in front of his garage. By the time he was a teenager, Cerniuk had become a master monster architect capable of making sophisticated one-of-a-kind props and animated characters, built from windshield wiper motors, air rams, motion detectors, micro-computer controllers and other parts he assembled together. Whether it involved welding linkages or programming relay sequences, this kid could do it all. Combine these skills with his love for Halloween and horror movies and it’s easy to believe that Cerniuk was born to bring out the goose bumps in his adoring public.

“When I was little, my uncle used to take me to some really good decorated houses in the area, where I got a lot of ideas,” says Cerniuk, now 24.

Midnight Terror Haunted House owner Justin Cerniuk readying a prop for his haunted attraction.

Midnight Terror took a vacation when, in 2007, Cerniuk enlisted in the Marines and, over four years, served in Iraq and Afghanistan during combat operations there. Cerniuk returned older, wiser and more determined to make his home haunt better than ever. By 2013, his yard display and haunted enclosure featured 28 custom animatronics, 12 volunteer actors and eight rooms. Fans rewarded his craftsmanship and creativity with heavy foot traffic (over 6,000 visitors last October) and ample donations, a portion of which Cerniuk donated to the Autism Society of Illinois.

Inspired by the overwhelming popularity of his Halloween attraction, and backed by a strong support team that includes Uncle Robert and his two best friends — Mark Krupa and Maciej Kulawiak — Cerniuk decided to go pro this year and bring his talents to the masses. Oak Lawn Trustee Tim Desmond and other village officials aided Cerniuk in finding the right available property and cutting through the red tape involved. Now, after months of careful planning, Midnight Terror Haunted House is ready to open for business.

“My goal is for everyone to have fun and enjoy a collaborative experience where our scare team and our visitors feed off of each other’s energy and excitement,” says Cerniuk, who cautions that Midnight Terror’s intense atmosphere is not for the faint of heart. “I want to bring back this haunted house every year, bigger and better than ever. I envision this as an exclusive Oak Lawn attraction. This is where I started 14 years ago. This is where I have roots, and I want to remain loyal to my home town.”

Midnight Terror Haunted House is located at 9531 S. 52^nd Ave., Oak Lawn, Ill., 60453, near the intersection of 95^th Street and 52^nd Avenue. Tickets can be purchased online at or at the box office on site: admission per person is $10; a no-wait R.I.P. pass is $17; discounts for large groups are also available. The attraction is wheelchair accessible and open, rain or shine (a covered waiting area is provided), from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29 and 30, and from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Nov. 1. Visitors can park for free inside the nearby Metra parking garage at 9525 S. Tulley Ave. To purchase tickets in advance, get a coupon worth $2 off admission on select dates, or for more information, visit midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com or email midnightterror.info@gmail.com. 

Spirits on Sproat back to celebrate its 10th anniversary starting Oct. 3

Your favorite Halloween house will reopen beginning Friday, Oct. 3, 2014. In celebration of our 10th anniversary, we've moved the display to the back yard to accommodate more props and thrills! Make your plans to visit our improved Gallery of the Dead--if you dare!

For the complete schedule of dates and times we're open, click here.

Spirits on Sproat earns stellar 5 out of 5 chainsaws rating!

For the second year in a row, the Horror Tourers--a group of dedicated and well-traveled home haunt reviewers--has visited Spirits on Sproat and written up a glowing critique of our Halloween yard display. In fact, in 2013 we earned their highest possible rating: 5 out of 5 chainsaws!

Check out their written review, along with a walk-through video, review commentary video, and several fresh photos taken, by visiting http://horrortourers.weebly.com/spirits-on-sproat-2013.html.

Hope to see the Horror Tourers--along with all our other fans and followers--next October!

Only 365 days to go...

Thanks to all for another wonderful Halloween season. 2013 proved to be our best year yet in terms of props, lights, scares and visitors. We're already making our plans for an even bigger and better Spirits on Sproat in 2014. Check back to WeLoveHalloween.blogspot.com starting next September for the latest updates. Happy Halloween!

Now you see him, now you don't

Look closely--that eerie image in the shadows could just be an illusion; or it could be the Invisible Man, one of our more recent enlistees in the Gallery of the Dead. He's a fascinating subject. Consider these facts:

• Favorite songs: I’m Looking Through You, You Won’t See Me
• Pet peeve: Being ignored while flashing strangers in his raincoat
• Secret shame: Pulls his eyebrow hairs off every time he removes the duct tape from his head
• Little-known fact: Sued by the mummy for use of his likeness
  

Time for an experiment...in terror!

Keep your test tubes and syringes far away from the Mad Scientist--he's likely to use them on his poor victim, the subject of horrible and insane experiments. Among the latest in our 2013 series of new monsters, this duo personifies weird science run amok. Here's what we know about this gruesome twosome:

• Nickname: Beaker breath
• Greatest inventions: The Clapper, Mr. Microphone, Snugglie (the wearable blanket with built-in fabric softener)
• Most recent job: Sarah Palin’s campaign manager
  

Return of the prodigal son

Years ago, the Blue Phantom played the keyboard for Spirits on Sproat visitors and climbed the tree above our display to scare the unsuspecting. Now, he's retired from active haunting, but he's earned a permanent spot in our horror hall of fame. Here are more details on the Blue Phantom:

• Known for: Climbing trees, tickling the ivories, chasing after cars 
• Nicknames: Papa Smurf, Blue Man Ghoul, Spock ears 
• Secret shame: Hasn’t grown an inch since 7th grade 
• Voted in high school: Most likely to wear platform shoes
  

Something smells awfully fishy 'round here

Our newest member of the Gallery of the Dead could quite possibly be the largest and hungriest. He normally prowls the ocean waters, but somehow he's learned to swim through grass. Come gaze upon the awesome spectre that is...Jaws! But be sure you don't spill a drop of blood anywhere near our display; sharks can smell that stuff a mile away. Betcha' didn't know these facts about our famous great white:

• Secret shame: Received electro shark therapy treatment 
• Favorite pigout food: Quarter flounder with cheese 
• Little known fact: He’s so old in the tooth that he now wears dentures 
• Sick of hearing his wife say: Chew with your mouth closed
  

Spirits on Sproat 2013 video now ready for prime time

The official 2013 video for our Spirits on Sproat display is now up and running on YouTube. Click below, if you dare!

Death metal has a face

Some people vow to rock and roll until it kills them. And that's exactly what happened to Iggy Vicious, quite possibly the boniest buddy among our Gallery of the Dead. Here are some little known facts on this macabre musician:

• Known for: Playing music so loud and shrill that it can make the skin melt right off your bones
• Favorite band: The Grateful Dead
• Little-known fact: His dog once pulled off his leg and buried it in the backyard
• Famous for: Recently warning Keith Richards to stop copying his image
  
  

One bride you wouldn't want to honeymoon with

They say behind every good man is a good woman. But what if that man isn't so good? Then his mate must surely be evil incarnate, as is the case with the Bride of Dracula. She's a fetching lass in her black coffin. Come see her in all her glory at Spirits on Sproat, but bring a wooden stake just in case. Here's the 411 on the missus...

• Sick of hearing her husband say: Not tonight, dear, I’ve got a toothache
• Secret wish: To be the celebrity pitchman for 1-800-FLOWERS.com
• Idolizes: Cher (circa 1987), Snooky, Michelle Bachman
• Little known fact: Won a staring contest with Medusa
  

Beelzebub isn't just a regular bub

You've got a date...with the devil. And he's on our front lawn! Come catch a glimpse of Mr. fire and brimstone himself, one of our newest residents of the Gallery of the Dead. Here's what we know about him:

• Aliases: Beelzebub, Old Scratch, Mephistopheles, Rush Limbaugh
• Amazing fact: He stays in great shape but doesn’t exorcise
• Greatest trick ever pulled: Convincing the world that the Kardashians deserve to exist

Introducing the Crypt Keeper

If you haven't yet met the Crypt Keeper (host of TV's "Tales from the Crypt"), then it's time you made a fresh visit to Spirits on Sproat! Here's what you'll learn about this ugly little urchin:

• Known for: Laughing at bad puns and stale morbid humor
• Secret shame: Sits on 3 yellow page phone books to make himself look taller
• Little-known fact: He’s living proof that reading comic books will rot your brain

Welcome to the zombi-ocalypse

Everywhere you look these days, it seems like another zombie is popping up. Whether it's on TV, in the movies, or running for political office somewhere, brain-eating members of the undead are hip. And making a presence at Spirits on Sproat, too, as evidenced by the arrival last year of Zombie Zed. Fun facts on this fascinating figure:

• Nicknames: Lurch, B.O.S. (bent-outta-shape), tall, dark and gruesome
• Secret shame: Was fired from “The Walking Dead” TV show because he gnawed on the director’s arm
• Suffers from: Male pattern baldness, binge eating disorder
  

Meet the Fly!

Spirits on Sproat has added a few new monsters over the last 2 years to our collection, and we wanted to introduce you to each of them. First up is the Fly! Here are some facts on our buzz-happy bug:

• Secret shame: He can’t vomit his food and slurp it back up without watching “Dr. Phil”
• Favorite bands: Garbage, Rancid
• Secret wish: Every time a bell rings, a man-fly gets his wings
• Biggest pet peeve: People who tell him to buzz off

Come play 2 fun new games at Spirits on Sproat

Come visit Spirits on Sproat this year and play two new fun scavenger hunt games designed for young and old!

First, as you probably know, each monster in our display has its own sign with interesting (and comedic) trivia. But instead of placing a sign in front of the monster it identifies, this year we've displayed the signs randomly in the front row. So you have to find the monster that matches his or her sign. There's at least 40 signs--are you up to the chilling challenge?

Next, solve the following riddles below by finding the monsters in our display that:
1. Have only 1 eye to see through
2. Have only 8 fingers to strangle you
3. Are holding knives
4. Are wearing ties
5. Are wearing hats
6. Can change into bats
7. Live in the water
8. Are someone’s daughter

(For the answers, see the paper below the big pumpkin on our front porch.)

2013 list of area Halloween displays ready for viewing

Want to know which area houses are hosting Halloween haunts and yard displays this season? Click here to read or download the 2013 South Suburban Halloween Home Haunt List, and make your plans to tour them all this October!

Horror Tourers ranks Spirits on Sproat among the best

Horror Tourers, a group of dedicated and well-traveled home haunt reviewers, has published a glowing critique of Spirits on Sproat on its website.

We earned a stellar 4.66 out of 5 chainsaws from these creepster critics, who said:

"It's easy to see why this display is so popular. It is the culmination of a lot of hard work and a lot of enthusiasm - a labor of love, if you will - and that's what gives it that little extra 'something' that sets it apart from more traditional displays."

Horror Tourers also posted several photos taken during their visit and two videos related to our display: a walkthrough review and an "on the spot" review.

Our appreciation to Horror Tourers for visiting our display and giving us the thumbs up--er, chainsaws! Click here to read the full review and watch the videos.

Spirits on Sproat opens Oct. 4

Your favorite Halloween house reopens for another season starting Friday, October 4! This year, we're preparing to debut several exciting new props as well as improved lighting effects, making this our most anticipated opening ever.

For our October 2013 schedule of dates and times, click here.

Check out our newest photos!

We have new photos of Spirits on Sproat props and characters ready for you to gawk at.

Check out the latest snapshots by clicking here.

Svengoolie loves Spirits on Sproat!

Your friendly neighborhood Spirits on Sproat owner was thrilled to recently meet Svengoolie, everybody's favorite horror movie host (check out his show every Saturday night from 9-11 p.m. on WCIU Channel 26; visit Svengoolie.com for more details).

Svengoolie (a ka Rich Koz) was nice enough to even sign a poster for Spirits on Sproat, which he affectionately wrote is "my favorite Halloween house."

So there you have it--we've gotten the seal of approval from the master of scare-imonies himself, Svengoolie!

Spirits on Sproat featured in Chicago Parent Magazine

Your favorite neighborhood Halloween display is spotlighted in the new October issue of Chicago Parent Magazine.

Written by the creator of Spirits on Sproat, this fun feature article gives how-to tips on building your own home haunt.

You can read the story here.