Forest of Fright Near Zanesville Ohio Opens October 3rd

Small Town Philo Ohio Has Big Time Haunted Attraction Forest of Fright

Over the last nine years owners Vicki and Robert Bader have turned Forest of Fright into what many consider to be the best outdoor haunt in the state.  Philo with a population of under 800 is about 10 miles outside of Zanesville.  On Friday and Saturday nights in October it seems the whole population is having fun over at Forest of Fright.  Plenty of folks from Zanesville, Columbus and as far away as New York stop by.

Forest of Fright is an outdoor haunted attraction that makes use of a nearly one mile haunted trail that goes deep into the farm’s woods.  The storyline has the farm once owned by the Duncan family who unfortunately had a daughter Kari who was mentally ill.  As Kari grew up her basement playroom became a place of demented torture, dismembered bodies, and mass murder.  When the original house burned down only bodies and parts were found.  It is a great storyline for a haunted attraction and Forest of Fear does a nice job in weaving it throughout their scenes.

However as strange as it seems the area has been investigated for paranormal activity for years by such organizations as the Ohio Paranormal Investigation, Central Ohio Paranormal Research, and the Ohio Ghost and Research Society.  So not all the haunts in the deep woods at Bader’s farm are man made.

How does a big time attraction survive year after year in a small town?  They make it really scary and lots of fun with all new fresh scenes every year.  Forest of Fright has free parking, food and gift concessions, security, and nightly entertainment.  They are open 11 nights between October 3 – November 1, 2014.  Tickets are $12 per  victim.  Senior tickets are $8.  Military members with ID get in for $8.  They also offer a VIP ticket called Demon Fast Pass for $20 including a free hot chocolate.

But it takes more than fright to keep people coming back year after year.  Try a great bonfire, nightly DJ with music, a big screen horror movie show, good food every night plus two special events October 18th and 25th.  This year’s feature bands are Iconic Tonic and Mary’s Crooked Box.

So don’t get me wrong, as they have more than their share of strobe lights, fog machines, animatronics, sound effects and local volunteers.  In fact the volunteers and makeup artist Kelly Nestor bring Krazy Kari and her friends to life or maybe I should call it death.

The attraction begins with a walk deep into the woods, into the foggy maze, through the Tunnel of Screams, the Butcher Shack, Asylum in the Hillside, and past the blood thirsty Hillbilly Klowns.  As you make you way to Kari’s basement playroom you ride the working “Hellavator” down with the dead bellhop.

On October 31st they offer a lights out tour experience.  Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Location: Forest of Fright – 7295 Duncan Run Road, Philo, Ohio 43771.

Dates of Operation:
October 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, 31,
November 1
Hours:  Open 7:30pm – 11:00pm all nights except 10:00pm October 30.

Looking for a great place for a birthday party, bachelorette party, company event, or event for your group.  Forest of Fright has reservations available from June through October.  Take a ride in the hearse or contact them for a great photo opportunity.

Funtober hopes to continue to bring you more things to do as we countdown to Halloween.  Find more Ohio Haunted Houses here.