{"id":2496651,"date":"2026-07-10T16:12:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T16:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2496651"},"modified":"2026-07-10T16:12:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T16:12:54","slug":"wakefield-to-host-pop-up-carnival-at-mystery-hill-on-july-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wakefield-to-host-pop-up-carnival-at-mystery-hill-on-july-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Wakefield to host pop-up carnival at Mystery Hill on July 18"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div id=\"videoWrap\" class=\"spacer-large videoWrap\" style=\"position:relative\"><media-video video-id=\"90875365007\" title=\"Nathan Wakefield has big plans for Mystery Hill in Onsted\" poster=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740270007-mystery-hill-062626-es-17.jpg?crop=2399,1351,x0,y173\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\" placement=\"snow-video-story-priority\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"uwVideoPlaceholder\" slot=\"placeholder\" style=\"z-index:19;width:100%;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"vidplaybtn\" style=\"display:-moz-box;display:-ms-flexbox;display:-webkit-flex;display:flex;background-color:rgba(0,0,0,.4);border:2px solid #fff;border-radius:80px;cursor:pointer;height:80px;width:80px;position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);z-index:10\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div slot=\"videoDetails\" id=\"videoDetails\" class=\"videoDetails\" style=\"padding-top:8px;padding-bottom:8px\">\n<div id=\"videoDetailsContainer\" class=\"videoDetailsContainer\" hidden=\"\">\n<p>Nathan Wakefield has big plans for Mystery Hill in Onsted<\/p>\n<p>Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of Mystery Hill in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/media-video><\/div>\n<p>Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.visitmysteryhill.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.visitmysteryhill.com\/\">Mystery Hill<\/a> in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" fluid=\"\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>Wakefield, a local entrepreneur, said a mix of childhood nostalgia and professional experience led him to purchase the site at 8765 US-12.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have fond memories of visiting Mystery Hill as a child,&#8221; he said, recalling a visit last year that reignited his interest. &#8220;It felt absolutely magical to me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>When the property went up for sale this spring, Wakefield tracked down the California-based owner \u2014 who had purchased and improved the property after the COVID-19 pandemic. The two connected over a shared vision, citing his background in business and fifteen years as a showperson.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"390\" outstream=\"\"\/><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740276007-mystery-hill-062626-es-07.jpg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740276007-mystery-hill-062626-es-07.jpg?crop=2046,1534,x0,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740276007-mystery-hill-062626-es-07.jpg?crop=1151,1534,x360,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740276007-mystery-hill-062626-es-07.jpg?crop=2399,1350,x0,y92 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press\" caption=\"Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of Mystery Hill in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Wakefield, who lives nearby, is able to take a more hands-on role \u2014 working closely with on-site staff and making regular visits for improvements and customer interaction.<\/p>\n<p>In the short-term, he plans to expand gift shop offerings, increase marketing outreach and host small events. In the long-term, he&#8217;d like to add new exhibits to the oddities museum, build a stage for live entertainment and potentially develop the property into a small amusement-style venue.<\/p>\n<p><cta-atoms-container-inline util-module-path=\"elements\/cta\" class=\"spacer-large\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"related-link\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong style=\"margin-right:3px\">More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/2026\/07\/02\/mystery-hill-onsted-michigan-new-owner-nathan-wakefield\/90755438007\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">New owner continues 74-year legacy of Mystery Hill<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the future, he said, the attraction\u2019s defining features will remain intact.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe gravitational house will remain unchanged, other than periodic maintenance,\u201d Wakefield said, adding experiences like seeing water appear to run uphill and walking through gravity-defying rooms are central to Mystery Hill.<\/p>\n<p><media-image image-set=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740272007-mystery-hill-062626-es-11.jpg bestCrop, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740272007-mystery-hill-062626-es-11.jpg?crop=2267,1700,x66,y0 4:3, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740272007-mystery-hill-062626-es-11.jpg?crop=1275,1700,x240,y0 3:4, https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2026\/06\/29\/PDTF\/90740272007-mystery-hill-062626-es-11.jpg?crop=2399,1350,x0,y0 16:9\" image-alt=\"\" credit=\"Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press\" caption=\"Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of Mystery Hill in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences.\" orientation=\"horizontal\" class=\"spacer-large\" util-module-path=\"elements\/media\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The site&#8217;s visitors can expect incremental updates this season, including new merchandise focused on sideshow history and juggling equipment. A pop-up carnival, scheduled for July 18, will include a bounce house, vendors, food trucks and live performers.<\/p>\n<partner-banner util-module-path=\"elements\/partner\" fluid=\"\" bottom=\"\" lazy=\"\" class=\"spacer-large\" min-height=\"600\" outstream=\"\" momentum=\"\"\/>\n<p>Wakefield hopes the investment will help drive tourism across the Irish Hills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an absolutely beautiful area and I want to do what I can to help bring more people out here.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014 Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.<\/em><\/p>\n<lit-timestamp class=\"column ten-column no-gutter spacer-small\" slot=\"timestamp\" publishdate=\"2026-07-10 15:35:55.556205438 +0000 UTC\" updatedate=\"2026-07-10 15:35:55.556205438 +0000 UTC\"\/><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.lenconnect.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nathan Wakefield has big plans for Mystery Hill in Onsted Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of Mystery Hill in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences. Nathan Wakefield, the new owner of Mystery Hill in Onsted, has plans to expand the popular attraction while preserving signature experiences. Wakefield, a local [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2496652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[39915,54641,6297,22034,239348,24392,21739,344928,22764,21738,239343,239347,346464,23759,346463,346469,153291,240351,23139,239344],"class_list":["post-2496651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-affiliate","tag-destinations","tag-eamotion","tag-events","tag-events-u0026-listings","tag-listings","tag-local","tag-local-affiliate-travel","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-overall","tag-overall-positive","tag-parks","tag-positive","tag-theme","tag-theme-parks","tag-tourist","tag-tourist-destinations","tag-travel","tag-u0026"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Wakefield-to-host-pop-up-carnival-at-Mystery-Hill-on-July.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2496651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2496651"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2496651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2496653,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2496651\/revisions\/2496653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2496652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2496651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2496651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2496651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}