By Mary O’KEEFE

Halloween is celebrated in Crescenta Valley with several traditions including the Spooktacular hosted by the Montrose Shopping Park and Nightmare in Whiting Woods where, for that last 17 years, local resident David Krohn has turned his home into a haunted house.

It started at his home in Vista Court and the annual ritual continued when he moved to Whiting Woods. Nightmare in Whiting Woods has become the place to be for all who want haunted Halloween fun. Each year Krohn changes the nightmare’s theme and the audience, made up primarily of the Crescenta Valley community, loves it.  

“We built a giant castle in the backyard,” Krohn said of this year’s haunted event. “We are gothic-themed.”

The scare is a throwback to the old-fashioned horror movies that featured spooky castles and the haunts of medieval times.

Arriving at the ideas for the themes come in a variety of ways, but it usually starts with the volunteers thinking up ideas for next year’s event as the current one comes to a close. For the castle idea, Krohn said, Gary Trousdale sent him drawings to change his home into a castle.

Trousdale has been creating haunted houses for about 30 years. He held an event at his home in Northridge for 13 years but, for the last 17, he has been lending his talents to Krohn’s event.

Krohn said there is a learning curve each year as the special effects and building take shape.

“There is a certain learn-as-you-go [process],” he said.

In addition to Trousdale, who is a director of such animated films as Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Hunchback of Norte Dame,” costumer and sculptor Mark Enright adds his skills to the all-volunteer effort. Enright creates masks that many in the community have seen at local art events in Montrose.

Krohn gets his volunteers by word of mouth and by sending out emails inviting people to help. He loves hearing stories of those who have walked through Nightmare in Whiting Woods because Krohn and the volunteers do all this work for the love of the community and the love of a good scare.

The neighbors, he said, have been supportive, despite that last year 778 people walked through the Nightmare. There is not a real set age limit; however, if visitors can make it through the line, hear the screams, see the haunted castle and get past the doorman – they can make it through the Nightmare event.

Nightmare in Whiting Woods is free to the public, is open one night only (Oct. 31) and is located at 413 Whiting Woods Drive.

“It’s just scary fun,” Krohn said.

For those who might like their scares on the lighter side, on Oct. 31 Montrose celebrates Halloween with Spooktacular when the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. closes down the 2200, 2300 and 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue to host thousands of expected trick-or-treaters.

It is trick-or-treat fun from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Merchants will be at their shops ready with treats. Several merchants will have special events during this time like at Quilt n Things, 2411 Honolulu Ave. Visitors are invited to “knit your brains out” during its Zombie Knitters event. The event is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and visitors are invited to come early in Halloween attire, or zombie dress, for make-up.

Around town, several homeowners have gone all out to celebrate Halloween. For example, at 3926 Los Olivos in La Crescenta there is a host of ghastly and ghostly horrors guaranteed to bring a shudder to even the most stalwart trick-or-treater.

Last week, one of the renewed CV traditions – The Haunted Jail – invited all to a zombie-filled land that even included a swamp.

“It was a huge success. We had a large turnout and the response was overwhelmingly positive. We had people of all ages screaming and jumping in reaction to the scare actors. One of the highlights was the swamp we created at the entrance to the maze,” said Deputy Alex Covian.

“The carnival was fun and well-attended and additional scares, which were appreciated, included air bursts, a wall of bodies, and Spider Hall was cool,” said Deputy Eric Matejka.

“We’re thrilled by the response and are already tossing around ideas for next year,” added Covian.

  Mary Okeefe