A scary place in North Carolina turns 40 this Halloween. Kersey Valley Spookywoods in the Randolph County town of Archdale has been trying to frighten guests over the Halloween season since the 1980s. The attraction has continued to grow and now sprawls out over 92 acres.
About 35,000 people passed through the haunted house and abandoned Christmas tree farm last year, says Tony Wohlgemuth, who runs the show on weekend nights in October with the help of his wife of 26 years, Donna. They have help from 180 paid actors and another 70 people in support roles taking tickets, helping with parking and selling concessions.
Kersey Valley Attractions is a year-round business and has a year-round staff of about 15 workers. Its annual Christmas Farm features about 2 million lights. It has zip lines, escape rooms, ax throwing, laser tag and a corn maze. They cater to corporate parties throughout the year, he says.
Spookywoods is the biggest event by far, bringing in between $800,000 and $1.2 million in revenue, he says. Expenses include $300,000 to build sets and about $200,000 in payroll. Other events and attractions help spread out the risk, but the business relies on Spookywoods paying off, Wohlgemuth says.
Some nights up to 4,000 guests attend, so Wohlgemuth recommends people book tickets online. Price points are $35, $65 and $99, the latter giving people quicker access and less waiting. Parking is cash-only and is $10 for cars and $20 for larger vehicles.
With Halloween just a few weeks off, we talked to Wohlgemuth about his nontraditional business. Quotes were edited for clarity.
What does it take to scare someone in 2024?
“It used to be just the sight of blood would scare people. Just terrify them. But now you have video games and all that stuff. So now we have actors coming out of the floors, music, machines that sound like a lightening storm. It’s like you’re going to a war of the senses.”
Who are your fright actors?
“All sorts of people. We have trained actors and bankers and healthcare workers who just enjoy watching people get scared. It’s a lot of fun. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
What sets Spookywoods apart?
“We have a section called Icons. It’s the villains people grew up with. We have Jason and Freddy. We create sets that look like the movie. It feels like you’re in the movie.”
Wohlgemuth says people come to Spookywoods because they want to be scared, but also know that they’ll be safe. Some exhibits have age limits and requirements for parent approval.