SOLEDAD — Soledad-Mission Recreation District was transformed over the weekend into a haunted house, attracting students and families to travel through pathways filled with horror film villains.
The third annual Nightmare on Walker Drive took on the theme of horror movies. Tourists started the haunted maze by watching a short film that featured all the horror film antagonists who they would encounter inside.
Starting with Chucky from “Child’s Play” and moving into such films as “It,” “The Purge,” “The Shining” and “Saw,” tourists experienced jump scares, interacted with the movie characters and even chose whether a “Purge” victim should be “purged” or “saved.”
“Each year we’ve had a different theme,” said Andy Sarabia, assistant director. “The first year’s theme was the original ‘Nightmare on Walker Drive’ with different nightmares. This year’s theme is all things horror movies.”
There were about 29 volunteers who served as cast members, and nearly 30 students came to the Rec District after school leading up to the Nightmare on Walker Drive opening last Thursday night, Oct. 25.
Nightmare on Walker Drive lasted three nights, continuing on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“It’s been great to put on,” Sarabia said. “The swimming pool closes in October and we begin set up right after that.”
The idea came about three years ago as a way for youth to express themselves creatively and also serves as a fundraiser to kick off the fall fundraising season.
