Numbers were down at Ghost Ridge this year.
The haunted house took in $17,880 – about $1,000 less than last year.
But, it won’t affect what will be given to the non-profit groups that participated.
The Maple Ridge Bruins Rugby Club, the Inritius Alliance LARP group and Maple Ridge Country Fest will each receive $4,500 with the balance going back to next year’s Ghost Ridge.
Committee member Lorraine Bates said the turnout was a bit disappointing, especially with the extra effort volunteers took to advertise over social media.
“It is very labour intensive,” said Bates.
“A month to six weeks it takes to put the house together and then it’s seven days of having to man different stations, and then acting. At the end of it, there were more sets that each group was responsible for.”
Seven days was a long haul, even for the students. “Then you have to tear it all down,” she explained, speculating that maybe one of the reasons for the low turnout is the amount of haunted houses popping up in the area.
Next year, Bates is hoping to open the haunted house for five days, down from seven this year.
“It’s very similar to the fair. There was not much difference between a three-day fair and a two-day fair.”
But, on the last night when the volunteers were finished, even though they were exhausted, they were talking about what they are going to do for next year’s Ghost Ridge.
“That’s what success looks like,” said Bates.