Fear on the Farm: South Hadley haunted attraction marks 35 years of Halloween scares

SOUTH HADLEY — He’s got a “license to chill.”

In 1991, Don McCray, founder of McCray Farm, gave a 23-year-old kid from Holyoke the opportunity to see his dream come true.

“I told him that I wanted to create an outdoor haunt for Halloween. And he said, ‘I admire your enthusiasm. Let’s talk about it,’” said Dan Augusto, who is the mastermind behind South Hadley’s Fear on the Farm.

Now, 35 years later, what began as a simple attraction called the Monster Mash Haunted Hayride at McCray’s Farm in South Hadley has morphed into a professionally produced “scare fest” attended by haunt hunters from throughout Western Massachusetts and beyond.

Today, Fear on the Farm begins with an unsuspecting haunted hayride with visions of creepy souls who want to derail your ride, as well as two additional walk-through experiences not for the faint of heart: DON (Diagnostic, Operations, Nexus) Genetic Research Facility and Massacre Manor.

“I am blessed to have the greatest crew. We start building and preparing for Fear on the Farm in early July. Every year me and the crew, who I affectionately call the ‘farm family crew’ after all these years, sacrifice our weekends in the summer to get everything prepared by opening day in September,” Augusto said about a staff that numbers nearly 100.

“The toughest job is to get the doors open for the public,” he added, explaining that the workers who transform into the farm’s ghouls, ghosts and zombies “don’t need a lot of time to rehearse. ”They’ve been doing this for years. I’m giving them a voice, and I think it is actually therapeutic for them.”

Augusto noted they have been “hard at work” adding some new features for this year.

“There are always new surprises on the hayride, but the biggest changes can be found in our haunted houses where, once again, we are bringing even more scares,” he said.

New animatronics await guests, and some areas have been gutted to include more winding corridors and hidden spots for the actors to jump out and scare people.

“The haunts [previously] had some large open scenes and people would just run through and not experience the full thrills awaiting them. We’ve taken care of that now,” Augusto said.

Masks, costumes, and props used in Fear on the Farm are not from your average store selling Halloween supplies. Even before starting to build-out Fear on the Farm in July, Augusto visits one of a number of National Haunters Conventions.

“If you have a major haunting event like ours, and you don’t attend the convention, then you don’t have the newest and best on the professional market for your attraction. When talking with vendors, you’re getting a taste of the industry for the latest trends and what are the next best things to help bring your attraction to life. The industry is always coming up with better, more realistic costuming and props that look amazingly real,” Augusto said.

Prior to beginning your travels through the path to heart-pounding scares on the hayride and haunted houses, and afterwards as well, the Monster Miday provides a more calming area to relax and enjoy a beer or glass of wine with friends, enjoy a donut or two, or grab a bag of kettle corn. Visitors will also find plenty of opportunities for selfies and other photos alongside some of the talented actors and props for background. McCray’s Country Creamery also will be open serving ice cream, snacks and beverages.

Be sure to read the warnings and disclaimers on fearonthefarm.com before leaving home. Among the warnings note that: “Patrons will experience intense lighting and audio effects, strobes, fog, low visibility, and overall, a physically demanding environment. Do not attend if you are pregnant, claustrophobic, asthmatic, prone to seizures and have respiratory or heart issues.”

Yikes.

And most importantly: “Do not touch us and we will not touch you.” Fear on the Farm, after opening day this Saturday — it is not open on Sunday the first weekend — runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning Oct. 3.

Tickets are available online or onsite each day beginning at 6:30 p.m. and are $30 general admission. A $55 fast pass to skip to the front of the line is available online only. Opening day is “Customer Appreciation Night” in honor of the attraction’s 35th anniversary, with general admission tickets priced at $25 and the Fast Pass at $35.

Attractions open nightly at 7 p.m. and run until “the last rider runs screaming,” according to the haunt’s website.

For more information, visit fearonthefarm.com or call 413-537-3510.