POWAY, Calif. (KGTV) — After a break during the pandemic, Poway's "Once Upon a Halloween Festival" is returning to Old Poway Park, including a haunted house that is a labor of love for the volunteers who build it.
Lynn Wolsey, who oversees the haunted house, says the goal is to bring more families to the historical park, which helps engage visitors with Poway's history.
She creates a spooky pathway through the Templars Hall building, which was built in the 19th century. Filled with live actors (no touching allowed) it's meant to be welcoming to scary (but not too scary for children), decorations, and animatronics.
The haunted house has been a draw for 15 years.
During that time, Wolsey has seen many children become fascinated by all the history the park showcases, including old buildings, gardens, and the park's famous steam train and trolley.
“These are all things that get people excited about coming here...so that they have a passion for Poway and how important this community is and how different it is from other places where they might live," Wolsey said.
The haunted house will be open each night from Thursday, Oct. 27 through Monday, Oct. 31. The full festival will take place Saturday, with 10,000 people projected to attend.
