It's alive (almost)! Spirits on Sproat opens Friday

Halloween is right around the corner – and so is the start of our Spirits on Sproat schedule. Just a reminder that we officially open in two days, on Friday, October 1, from  7-11 p.m. For our full schedule, click here.

Michael Myers hopes to see you and your family this season. Please remember to bring and use a facemask during your visit, which we may require if COVID numbers increase.

Happy Halloween season everyone!

Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn expands dates, rooms, actors, and props in 2021

In 2020, Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn proved that a commercial haunted attraction could operate safely and successfully, despite the pandemic—and without compromising on scares. Fans rewarded that commitment to quality by coming out in droves and selling out most dates on the calendar, with no resulting cases of coronavirus reported.

This year, Midnight Terror plans to up the fright factor by going bigger and better than ever for its seventh consecutive season. It will nearly double the number of days on its schedule from last year, operating across a record 22 dates beginning Sept. 24 and ending Oct. 31. Additionally, Chicagoland’s favorite Halloween destination will add more actors, animatronic props, rooms, and special effects to its labyrinth layout, which boasts two connecting haunts under its roof, each with a different theme but both included with a paid ticket.

Visitors will also enjoy covered outdoor and indoor waiting as well as entertainment provided by a DJ, photo opportunities before entering and departing, and online ticket discounts during the first three weeks of operation. And unlike last year, a limited number of same-day on-site tickets will be available to walk-up patrons, while supplies last.

“We’ve improved how our costumed characters interact with the audience by building in more jump scares and surprises, too,” says haunt creator/co-owner Justin Cerniuk. “We’ve redesigned many rooms to evoke a different emotion or reaction, such as claustrophobia, fear of bugs, and smells that trigger terror. Our fan-favorite chainsaw alley that concludes the experience has been reimagined, as well.”

Perhaps most significantly, one of Midnight Terror’s two haunt themes has been updated. Formerly known as Black Oak Grove, it’s now known as Willow’s Nightmare, adding a new chapter to the continuing terrifying narrative of Willow, a wraithlike female haunted and possessed by evil beings. The other haunt, Factory of Malum, is named after a demonic overlord who has enslaved an army of monstrous minions hell-bent on preventing you from making it out of their industrial complex of creatures alive.

If you miss out on any of the fun in September and October, you can try to claim tickets to Midnight Terror’s popular annual Clown Takeover dates, Nov. 5 and 6, when the haunt is completely populated by evil circus dwellers (tickets start at $28).

To cater to families and the easily frightened, Midnight Terror will conduct daytime scenic tours from 1 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 30 and 31 for a reduced price ($20 per ticket). This allows groups of all ages to walk through the haunt with the lights and special effects on. On these dates, children are encouraged to arrive wearing Halloween costumes but must be accompanied by an adult.

Midnight Terror has been voted a top 10 haunted attraction in the entire country by readers of USA Today, rated as a 2020 top 10 haunt by TheScareFactor.com, declared the number one haunted house in all of Illinois by Fox 32 Chicago, and highly recommended by Thrillist, NBC, the Chicago Tribune, Patch.com, Haunted House Chicago, Illinois Haunted Houses, and others.

Cerniuk says his haunt will carefully follow updated coronavirus safety protocols and guidelines issued by local and state authorities. Check

Midnight Terror’s posted COVID-19 policies for the latest updates and details on precautions being taken.

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. General admission per person starts at $28 online and $30 at the onsite ticket booth; VIP admission per person, which provides faster entry without having to wait in the general admission line, is $45. Or you can purchase immediate admission ($60 per person), which guarantees instant entry into the haunt.

Visitors can park for free on-site. The attraction is wheelchair accessible and open, rain or shine, from:
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sept. 24 and 25, Oct. 1, 2, 8, 9, and 31
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 26, and Oct. 3, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 27, and 28, and Nov. 5 and 6
7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, and 30

For more information, visit MidnightTerror.com or email midnightterror.info@gmail.com.

Spirits on Sproat Halloween display returns in one month

Eager for some good news in 2021? Perk up, Halloween fans: Your favorite Halloween house will reopen for a new season in only one month, on Friday, Oct. 1.

For Spirits on Sproat's 18th season, we've decided to focus mostly on monstrous animatronics--you know, the kind that move, talk, growl, howl, laugh maniacally, and give you nightmares. Check out several new animated figures we're adding this year, which will bring our total number of props to nearly 100 (!). And while you're here, don't forget to be on the lookout for Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees creeping around.

Our 2021 schedule, which can be viewed here, calls for us to be open 19 days in October (weather permitting). Take time out next month--and a few minutes away from possible White Sox playoff games (go Sox!)--to come visit our expanded display (featured twice on Svengoolie's TV show), which is shaping up to be our biggest and best ever.

Please bring a mask, just in case. Depending on the COVID numbers at the time, and local rules/guidelines, we may require all Spirits on Sproat visitors to wear a mask to prevent spread of the coronavirus, as we did last year. (Thanks for being such good sports about that in 2020.)

It's time to get your Halloween on! See you next month...

Our thanks for a great Halloween season--and here's our official 2020 video

Well, the 2020 Halloween season at Spirits on Sproat is now in the books. And what a great October it was--despite the lingering coronavirus and some downright frigid weather for autumn. 

We want to thank you for coming out (in record numbers!) and supporting our haunt. We also appreciate how respectful everyone was about wearing masks and socially distancing during your visit.

We're already gearing up for another great season in 2021 (Halloween is only 364 days away, after all). Please stay safe and healthy. And whenever you're feeling blue, remember how much fun you and yours had this October at Spirits on Sproat!

As a fond farewell, enjoy our official 2020 video below, which serves as a greatest hits of sorts from the past month.
 

And then there were three...

 Only 3 days remain in which to visit Spirits on Sproat. We'll be open 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 29, then from 7-11 p.m. on October 30 and 31. Don't miss your chance to say goodbye to Michael and Jason before Halloween season 2020 ends!

Spirits on Sproat now open every night through Halloween

 Reminder: Spirits on Sproat is now open every night through Halloween: Monday through Thursday from 7-10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday (Halloween) from 7-11 p.m. Come on out and celebrate Halloween week in scary style!

Reminder: Our Facebook video contest deadline for submissions is Oct. 26

Time is running out to submit videos of your 2020 visit to Spirits on Sproat. The deadline for you to post your videos to our Facebook page is 11:59 p.m., Monday, October 26. We'll judge all the submitted videos, and the winner we pick will win 2 free VIP tickets to Midnight Terror Haunted House. 

So don't forget to post those videos (and your photos, too)!

For full details, click here.

Spirits on Sproat featured in Chicago Tribune article

Your favorite Halloween display is one of several Chicagoland yard haunts featured in a new article published by the Chicago Tribune this week, available here. Check it out! 

Meet Tarman

Being covered in black goo is a fate worse than death. Just ask Tarman, our ebony-slimed new denizen among the undead at Spirits on Sproat. Curious to learn more about this creepy corpse? Read on.

• Famous for: His appearance in Return of the Living Dead
• Favorite food: Cerebral cortex smothered in onions and Grey Poupon
• Favorite songs: Melt With You, Radioactive, If I Only Had a Brain Dirty little secret: Hasn’t had a shower in 43 years

Meet Hornswaggle Pete

The high seas aren't the only place where you're bound to run into a scalawag of a pirate. Trek over to Spirits on Sproat and say hello to Hornswaggle Pete, who is chock-full of witticisms and treasures of trash talk. Here's what we know about this boneheaded character:

• Also known as: Captain Crook, Patchface, the shiftiest pirate ghost west of the Caspian Sea
• Hates: When people ask him to say “Shiver me timbers”
• Nickname for his wooden leg: Mr. Stiffy
• Voted in high school: Most likely to find buried treasure in a garbage dump

Enter the Spirits on Sproat 2020 Facebook video contest and win admission to Midnight Terror

Here's another great reason to visit Spirits on Sproat: you can win two VIP admission vouchers to Midnight Terror Haunted House in Oak Lawn--an $80 value and a great opportunity to experience Chicagoland's best commercial haunted attraction without having to wait in a long line!

Here's what you need to do:

1. Take video during your 2020 visit to Spirits on Sproat. 
2. Post it to our Facebook page (at fb.com/spiritsonsproat) by October 26. (We'd also love for you to share photos taken during your visit, so post those, too.) 
3. Like us on Facebook.
4. Share your posted video on your own Facebook timeline. Make sure the post is public.

We'll judge the best video and award the winner the two VIP admission vouchers. The winner can pick up from Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees (the ones walking around at Spirits on Sproat) between October 27 and Halloween night. Note that the vouchers can be used on Oct. 28, 29, 30, or 31.

A few tips on taking and submitting videos:

• We prefer horizontal video over vertical video (it fills up and looks better on the screen)
• We especially love footage of our live scarers (like Michael Myers and Jason) creeping up and scaring people.
• Please aim for a reasonable video length; not too short (at least 30 seconds) or too long (not longer than 3 minutes) please.
• Do not post video recorded in past years. Only post fresh video recorded between Oct. 1 and Oct. 26, 2020, please.
• We will contact the chosen winner privately via Facebook on October 27, 2020, to arrange pickup of the tickets. Prepare to show a valid ID when you pick up the tickets.

Good luck, and happy Halloween season!

Get your Spirits on Sproat poster before they're all gone

Last year, we quickly sold out of our limited run of Spirits on Sproat T-shirts (sorry, no more available until perhaps next year). But after many requests, we've created a new batch of SOS merch: a limited supply of brand-new Spirits on Sproat posters available for sale to our haunt visitors.

These 22" x 28" semi-glossy full-color posters, suitable for framing, feature many of the popular horror icons and characters you know and love from our display. Each poster is only $15, but we only have a handful left. So next time you visit Spirits on Sproat (click here for our dates/times of operation), ask Michael Myers or Jason if you can purchase one of these collectibles.

Take a gander at what this eye-popping poster looks like, below

Meet the Grady twins

They say trouble comes in twos. And that's certainly true with these twin terrors, the Grady sisters, who haunt The Overlook Hotel and the thoughts of Danny Torrence. You don't need "the shining" to be able to view these twins. Simply visit Spirits on Sproat. But beware of the following facts:

• Known for: Haunting the Overlook Hotel
• Shameful secret: Daddy always gets mad when they ax a question
• Pet peeve: Danny Torrence never shows up for playdates
• Favorite limerick: “There was an old woman who lived in room 237…”

Meet Clavicle

It's hard to look up to a skeleton. After all, he doesn't even have any flesh on the bones. But if you visit Spirits on Sproat, you'll definitely have to look up to our skeleton Clavicle – that's because he's about 15 feet high. Here's the dossier on Clavicle:

• Also known as: The biggest friggin’ skeleton ever
• Catch-phrase: “I’ve got a bone to pick with you”
• Dirty little secret: Likes to walk around with no clothes on
• Tired of hearing his mom say: “You’ve got to put some meat on those bones”

Spirits on Sproat opens tonight

The big day is finally here – Spirits on Sproat officially opens our 2020 season tonight, from 7 PM to 11 PM. Stop by our front and back yard haunt and get in that Halloween mood.

Just be sure to remember to wear a mask or face covering and practice 6 feet of social distancing during your visit.

Prepare to wear a mask and socially distance when you visit Spirits on Sproat this year

Heads up, fans of Spirits on Sproat. You'll be required to wear either a facemask, Halloween mask, or both (so long as your nose and mouth are covered) if you plan to visit our yard display this season. Please do not forget to bring one of these with you for each person in your group.

We also expect you to appropriately social distance while on our property (meaning maintain 6 feet of separation between you and people not in your group). Additionally, we are not allowed to have more than 50 visitors at one time in our backyard or front yard; if too many people start congregating in either the front or back yard, we may ask you to disperse, wait out front, or come back at another time.

We don't want anyone getting sick or taking unnecessary risks while visiting Spirits on Sproat this year. We also don't want local authorities to shut us down because a few people didn't want to play by the rules. So please be prepared to follow these rules, which we are required to comply with by the state of Illinois and the village of Oak Lawn. Thanks to all for your cooperation, patience, and understanding. Let's make it a fun, safe, and healthy Halloween season!

PS – Don't forget that we officially open on October 2. You can view our full schedule here.

Your favorite Halloween house returns October 2

Great news, Halloween fans – Spirits on Sproat plans to return in less than four weeks! We officially open on October 2 and will have several new props and figures on display this year. For the full 2020 schedule, click here.

Note, however, that we've instituted rules to protect against the coronavirus:

• Any visitors to our home haunt will be required to wear a face mask or Halloween mask (or both, so long as your mouth and nose are covered). 
• We can also only allow crowds no larger than 50 people. 
• Please maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet away from other visitors, too. 
• Be aware that our dates and times of operation this year are subject to change due to the pandemic (if, for example, the state of Illinois rolls back to phase 3, we may be forced to close the backyard portion of our haunt). Check our website and Facebook page for the latest updates to the schedule.

Wrapping up a monster season

Thanks to everyone who came out and visited Spirits on Sproat this year. We battled cold temps, snow, rain and wind, but we managed to remain open every date of our 2019 calendar.

Enjoy the offseason and the upcoming holidays, but make your plans to return to our haunt next fall. Michael Myers will be waiting for you!

Plan your Spirits on Sproat final visit around the weather

The weather forecast is calling for a lot of rain, snow, and cold temperatures between Wednesday and Thursday. We hope that won't keep you from visiting our haunt over its final 4 days. The good news is that Spirits on Sproat will remain open as scheduled Oct. 29 through Nov. 1, no matter the weather.

If you have concerns about not being able to visit on a night of inclement weather, try coming out Tuesday night (tonight) and/or Friday night (our last open night), when the forecast calls for dry conditions.

Hope to see you one last time at Spirits on Sproat this season!

Spirits on Sproat 2019 official video

Carl Batzel getting a congratulatory handshake from Michael Myers

Check out the official Spirits on Sproat 2019 video below, shot, edited and uploaded by visitor/fan Carl Batzel, who won this year's SOS Facebook Video Award!

And make your plans to come out and visit Spirits on Sproat before Halloween season is over; remember, we're open every night through Nov. 1 (7-10 p.m. Oct. 27-30, 7-11 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1).