Anyone who doubts Rob Galey’s claim that Halloween has always been his favourite time of year would just have to check out his Festival of Fear at Galey Farm for living proof.
His family’s 4150 Blenkinsop Rd. farm and agri-tourism attraction known for its fake Egyptian sphinx, three-hectare corn maze, western town, Valley of the Dinosaurs, petting farm, its classic, working train and other crowd-pleasers has increasingly capitalized on Galey’s Halloween obsession. And this year is no exception as it becomes a giant field of screams from 6 to 10 p.m. nightly until Halloween.
The fright night experience that began in 1999 as the Cornfield of Horrors has morphed into a witty, elaborate Halloween spectacle with scores of moving parts, visual and sound effects, motion activated displays and creatures including a family-friendly Haunted House, the Crazy Train, Madame Isabella’s Seance, a spooky ghost town and the horrifying, PG-13 rated Carnevil Haunted House.
“We’re not just a haunted attraction. We put a lot into this every year and have very professional displays,” says the father-of-two whose son Steven, 17, now runs Carnevil’s master control.
“We’re both addicted to Halloween,” the Saanich farmer deadpans, glancing at old friend Neil Salmond, known for his Tuxedo Drive home that has often won Christmas lighting competitions.
Salmond, who dresses up as Santa Claus each Christmas, looks creepier this drizzly night when he dons his mask as the freaky, cigar-chomping proprietor of the tamer house of horrors.
The family friend and his wife Michelle, who does the festival’s overall props and elaborate set design, provided the creatures and exhibits from what was once Victoria’s Haunted Mansion attraction.
Her creations, at once ghoulish and witty, are head-turners. Take for instance the action at the Trick or Treat Diner, the Beverly Chills Hall Golden Ghoul Awards, where Dead Skelton and Hell Gibson are among nominees, the Creepy Couture fashion boutique and the Wizard School, where a bearded, Gandalf-life instructor teaches students while Monster Mash plays in the background.
At the refreshments caravan, the words “Help us” scrawled in blood on a sign catches your eyes as its operator explains its yummy mini-donuts are made by “three board-certified mini donutologists.”
A group of twentysomething girls, including four Smart Set co-workers, were among animated visitors the night we dropped by.
“That was terrifying! I will never do that again,” said Grace Penney, laughing nervously after experiencing a spooky spectacle during Madame Isabella’s Seance in a musty, seriously haunted parlour.
“We came out because we wanted to find a group activity that wasn’t about going out drinking,” said Nicole Sidney. “It’s fun.”
Galey said his goal is to make Festival of Fear as family-friendly as possible. To help achieve that, his Halloween events that on busy days require a staff of up to 50 to handle maintenance, sell tickets, run attractions, operate the train and pumpkin patch hayrides and so on includes increased security. Bags are checked and anyone suspected of being under the influence is denied entry.
“It’s a production that has just gotten really big over the years and I can’t do it myself any more,” said Galey, adding he isn’t about to stop scaring up the fun anytime soon.
For more information go to galeyfarms.net.