From school costume parades to local haunted houses, Crescenta Valley has no shortage of Halloween fun.

by Sabrina SHELTON

The sun sets earlier and the weather is (finally) cooler. It’s a magical time of year; Halloween has arrived! For those who have exhausted themselves by visiting every haunt in Southern California and for those who prefer to party locally with family and friends, the Crescenta Valley has plenty to offer this Halloween night.

For 17 years, David Krohn has transformed his home into a haunted experience extraordinaire. The first eight years he opened the doors to his home on Vista Court and for the last nine years revelers have visited his Nightmare on Whiting Woods residence in search of a good scare.

This year’s theme is Ghost Town.

“Ten years ago we talked about [doing a ghost town] but we didn’t because we would have to build a lot of stuff,” Krohn said. “But we came to terms with it and we built a lot of stuff.”

His yard has been transformed into an Old West ghost town featuring a blacksmith, stable, undertaker, cigar shop and general stores.

For the transformation, Krohn gathered the same group that has helped him for years including his brothers Gary and Steve Trousdale, Geoff DeBoskey, Mark Enright and Alan Bernhoft.

“The most challenging thing this year was the amount of stuff we had to make,” he said, “and trying to make sure nothing was wrecked by wind or rain.”

On Tuesday night he and his friends stayed up late, worried about the wind advisory that was issued for the area. Luckily the ferocity of the winds predicted did not show and everything survived what did arrive.

He said for the most part his neighbors have been supportive and the past Halloween crowds have been excited to walk through the haunted presentation and respectful of the neighborhood.

As far as what ages are appropriate to enter his haunted Ghost Town, Krohn said it is entirely up to the child. He does suggest that no one under the age of 10 walk through without an adult.

“Having little kids walk through with other little kids is not fun for them,” he said.

Admission to the event is still free although several people have told Krohn he should charge, but he has rejected those suggestions. He and his friends “like to scare people” and really enjoy creating a haunted house that can bring frightful joy to his community.

Nightmare on Whiting Woods is located at 413 Whiting Woods Drive and open tonight, Halloween, from sunset to 11 p.m.

Another traditional local event is the Halloween Spooktacular hosted by the Montrose Shopping Park in the 2200-2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue. It’s a trick or treat experience free to the public that has been happening longer than many can remember.

MSP Events Coordinator Dale Dawson knows that Spooktacular was well-established before he started providing his services to the shopping park.

“It’s a community service, a safe, sane place for kids to trick or treat,” he said.

Almost 100 merchants up and down the avenue will be participating in the fun handing out candy. Halloween Spooktacular runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Ghosties and ghoulies are advised to come early because once the candy runs out, that’s it for the night.

To accommodate Spooktacular, Honolulu Avenue will be closed tonight, Halloween, to vehicular traffic from Verdugo Road to Las Palmas Avenue from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Parking can be an adventure as every year there are between 10,000 and 15,000 people who converge on Honolulu, so plan accordingly, warns Dawson.

In addition to a fun night of candy-collecting by kids, the evening also promises to be a great opportunity to people-watch.

“Be prepared to enjoy a myriad of creative costumes from kids to adults,” said Dawson.

For middle and high school thrill seekers, Crescenta Valley High School is presenting its 1st Annual Haunted Basement. It is designed and produced by the CVHS entertainment, technology and live production class, formerly known as Stage Arts. Ondina Dominguez has been the ET&LP teacher for the past three years.

The second and third year students in the class are honors students and needed a class project. The idea for a live haunt was pitched and approved.

“The purpose was to design something from beginning to end,” Dominguez explained. “We thought it would be a fun project for the students. They came up with it themselves.”

The Haunted Basement was a way students could experience the entirety of an event from concept to design to production.

The students took inspiration from Knott’s Scary Farm, which boasts mostly original ideas and concepts versus using intellectual properties, like the Frankenstein monster or the characters from “IT.” There are about five different rooms in the Haunted Basement that feature some Halloween staples like a medical room and doll room.

Why the school basement? The space underneath the auditorium at CVHS has been lovingly dubbed “hell” by its students, so why not place a haunt there?

Dominguez was proud to say that “the parents of my students were supportive. The students worked hard, so come and see their hard work!”

There are two horror levels to the show: low level (meant for middle school students to gain their interest in taking the class) and high level (meant for high school students and adults). The Basement will show its low level haunt from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and transition to the high level scares from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight, Halloween. For CVHS students, the Basement will be open during lunch for walk-throughs.

The cost of admission is $3 for middle school students with ID, $7 for high school students with ID, and $10 for adults. All are welcome … if they have the nerve.

  David KROHN, Sabrina SHELTON