With tricks, treats and things that makes the hair on one’s arms stand up, here are some exciting Halloween events in the area in 2024.

NEW ULM NIGHTMARES

New Ulm Nightmares celebrates 10 years of terror this October as it returns the Brown County Fairgrounds under its mastermind Doug Hughes.

Hughes, who has seen his haunted house creation grow over the years and change locations from places like Turner Hall to Minnesota Street to now the Fairgrounds, was happy to welcome Nick Vigil back into the fold this year after Vigil helped construct and put on scares last year.

A sneak peek into what one can expect when visiting this year’s New Ulm Nightmares’ haunted houses at the Brown County Fairgrounds.

Vigil, a 2024 New Ulm High School grad, said he accepted Hughes’ offer to help set up New Ulm Nightmares last year due to Vigil’s prior involvement and wanting to upgrade from his own haunted house.

“I acted in his haunts for multiple years and then I did my own haunt in Searles at my uncle’s house,” Vigil said. “Doug came to that one year and was like, ‘I didn’t know you were doing all this, why don’t you come do it for real at the Fairgrounds next year?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes please,’ because that’s a big upgrade. So that’s kind of what got me here at least, but I’ve just always loved Halloween.”

Hughes stressed that this event wouldn’t be possible without the support and help from volunteers, friends, family and his girlfriend, Rhonda.

“It’s a lot of energy from the actors when they come in,” Hughes said. “And when people come in and I hear their screams and then their laughter, that’s what keeps me going. During it, it’s a lot to build and take down, set up, it’s just a couple of us doing it, so it’s a lot of work. Hundreds of walls to put up and take down, but the Fairgrounds have been so nice because we have more space to work, bigger haunts we can build and they’ve been really helpful with just everything here.”

This year out of the mind of Hughes is “The Manor Haunt” and “The Woods Haunt.” In “The Manor Haunt”, the largest haunted house at the Fairgrounds, guests are welcomed to make their way through Haus Rotterhammar and explore its secrets.

Nick Vigil and Doug Hughes pose for a photo inside New Ulm Nightmares haunted house “The Woods” at the Brown County Fairgrounds in New Ulm. “The Woods” is one of two haunted houses on display this year.

Hughes does offer a disclaimer for guests not to wear necklaces in the shape of a cross or bring any wooden stakes, garlic, mirrors or holy water to Haus Rotterhammar.

In “The Woods Haunt”, a “Movie under the Stars” event with a feast awaits guests at Black Forest State Park. The special movie showing to guests is a 1941 film titled “The Curse of the Werewolf.” Hughes also said he wants guests to ignore rumors of missing hikers and strange animal sightings at Black Forest State Park.

New Ulm Nightmares opened for the spooky season on Oct. 18, but there are still many scares to go around. The thrills continue Saturday night Oct. 19 and on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26. All of these events are from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., while Halloween night will also offer the haunted experience from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Blackout nights, no lights, are offered in The Manor Haunt from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.

“The big goal is when you come out, you’re going to feel like you’re walking through a TV show or a movie set and you’re going to be scared like it’s real, like this is really occurring right now,” Hughes said. “Because all the pieces that we have and the way we have it designed and the actors that we have, it’s going to be worth your time to have the people next to you scream. If you’re on a date, even better because guess what? Your date’s going to be holding you nice and tight [laughs]. That’s what I always tell the guys, ‘Hey, just bring a date here, trust me, they’ll be holding you.’ And the funny thing is it’s usually the other way around, the guys are holding the girls and are scared and the girls are usually the ones leading the way through.”

Brent Mielke stands next to his favorite Halloween prop inside Zoo-Man’s Nightmare Underground basement in Sleepy Eye.

The October thrills don’t end with just New Ulm Nightmares’ haunted houses this year either. This year, all new to the event are a pair of five-minute mini escape rooms. In one is the “Plumber’s Apprentice,” where a leak needs to be addressed and the main valve needs to be turned off before the boss shows up to check on the work. “Send in the Clowns” is the other escape room offered, where guests are The Ringmaster and the show starts in five minutes. Entering JoJo the Clown’s dressing room, one must find the button to turn on the circus music in five minutes to not miss the start of the show.

Another new event this year Hughes and co. offer is Pumpkin’ Chuckin’. Guests will be able to shoot pumpkins from a slingshots at targets to try and win sweet prizes. Tickets are available in advance online at newulmnightmares.com or by visiting New Ulm Nightmares on Facebook. Those that wish to pay at the front gate should be aware that it is cash only. Tickets are $15 for regular line, which includes entry to the Fairgrounds, free parking and both haunted house admissions.

For $20, guests can skip to the front of the line for both haunted houses, get free parking and enter a secret VIP room in The Manor. Escape rooms cost $5 each, while pumpkin’ chucks cost $5 for three chucks.

New Ulm Nightmares also offers a kids day on Oct. 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., where kids or “scaredy cats” can visit the Fairgrounds and visit the haunts with no scare actors and lights on during the day and candy given out. This family-tailored event has a $5 entry fee.

Vigil said he invites people to check out New Ulm Nightmares this year even if they haven’t before because it’s something new each year and worth it.

Pirates fill a corner section of the spooky spectacle that is Zoo-Man’s Nightmare Underground.

“It’s always new every year and Doug and I have put in a ton of work, so it means the world when people come through and we get good crowds because it makes it all worth it in the end for us,” Vigil said.

ZOO MAN’S NIGHTMARE

UNDERGROUND

Zoo Man’s Nightmare Underground, located in Zoo Man’s Palace at 145 East Main Street in Sleepy Eye, reopened to the public on Oct. 10. Brent Mielke, aka Zoo Man, is once again happy to show off his spooky props and provide scares and fun for anyone that brave enough to enter his palace.

Mielke said he is one of two tour guides for his haunted house next to Larry Hansen. Mielke said if he himself is the tour guide the night of the haunt, he sets up who needs to be set up for scares.

Clowns run amok in Zoo-Man’s Nightmare Underground.

“If I am the tour guide, I take them through slow and I set up who needs to be set up,” Mielke said. “Like anything else, if you get a bunch of high school kids together, boys, very hard to scare because they all clump together.”

Mielke said he tells high school boys interested in his haunted house to mix up the group of friends they come with to include some girls to keep it fun.

“It’s no fun going to a haunted house thinking, ‘You can’t scare me,'” he said. “Well, yeah, we can’t scare everybody, but look at the props and enjoy it. If you really enjoy Halloween, I’d just prefer to not get scared and just walk around three or fours times and enjoy it. I do that anyway, I like to come down here and just look at props.”

And there are plenty of props to look at.

“I’ve got over 50,000 props in the basement,” Mielke said. “I’m counting my signs, I’m counting the little stalls, I’m counting the little rats … my murals. The play pen. Everything is counted.”

While the haunted festivities have already gotten on their way in Sleepy Eye with the Zoo Man, those interested in checking out Zoo Man’s Nightmare Underground are invited to get tickets early to avoid the chore of digging for cash at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Mielke’s Venmo at @Brent-Mielke. Tickets can also be purchased in advance for $10 over the phone by calling 507-766-2523 or at the door for $15.

A full experience at Zoo Man’s Nightmare Underground is offered Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with doors open from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Another attraction Zoo Man presents to those that want to get out of spooky basement and check out what’s upstairs are 1895 Opera House Tours. Those tours at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the same nights, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, for $15 per person. 1895 Opera House Tours present a tour of the old Sleepy Eye opera house that Zoo Man said is a “must-see venue” that may or may not be haunted. Tours can be scheduled in advance for $15 by calling 507-766-2523.

Thursday night’s are two-for-one night, however, and those who call to schedule an 1895 Opera House Tour and Nightmare Underground Tour can get both events for $15 per person.

For families that don’t want quite as many scares, Zoo Man’s Haunted Nightmare Underground can be toured starting Oct. 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a Family Day, which is $10 per person and includes no tour guide or scare actors. Another Family Day with the same times and stipulations will be offered Oct. 26.

Some tours already going on this year, but the 21st year of Ghost Tours of Sleepy Eye will be offered by Zoo Man at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Oct. 19. They are also offered at those same times Oct. 25 and Oct. 26. Those interested can pay $15 per person over the phone by calling 507-766-2523. These tours feature a Ghost Tour Bus ride, limited to 10-12 guests. Other guests can follow in their own vehicles. Mielke ensures those who do follow the Ghost Tour Bus will not get lost. Mielke, the tour guide for these ghost tours, said the crime and bizarre stories told on these tours are true.

All proceeds go to the 1895 Opera House Restoration Project, which aims to restore Sleepy Eye’s old opera house.

For more information, visit Zoo Man’s Nightmare Underground or Ghost Tours of Sleepy Eye Minnesota on Facebook.

HALLOWEEN FOR ALL

Also in the area this year is the 2024 Halloween Hop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 in New Ulm. Local businesses welcome children of all ages — adults, too — to put on their costumes, grab their candy buckets and stop at participating businesses for candy and treats. No purchase necessary to partake in the festivities.

At the Brown County Historical Society again this year and also on Oct. 26 is a Halloween Scavenger Hunt. Spooky prizes will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for those with their eyes peeled when stopping by to pick up candy. There will be free admission to the museum also during this time.