SNOHOMISH — This time of year, as a chilly fog settles in the valley and a cool breeze rushes through the corn rows, Stocker Farms becomes Stalker Farms.
Many farmers in Snohomish County have branched out from their dairy origins to celebrate Halloween, grow pumpkins and carve mazes into their fields. But nobody makes it scarier than Keith Stocker and his family.
Scott B Randall hires, trains and puts makeup on the dozens of actors who play the parts in the original storylines staged at Stalker Farms, located near the intersection of Highway 9 and Marsh Road.
Picture yourself in the middle of a bloody, clown-filled horror movie.
“The actors have physically and emotionally demanding jobs,” Randall said. “They entertain while staying on guard for instinctual fight-or-flight reactions by frightened young people or disoriented adults. They stay aware of the crowd mentality, make people laugh, and keep them safe and moving along.”
Randall, 45, earned a theater arts degree from Western Washington University. He is the artistic director of the Red Curtain Arts Center in Marysville and also is directing shows this school year at Everett Community College and Snohomish High School.
Randall is proud of the “scream team” he helps assemble for Stalker Farms, and he enjoys being a member of the “haunt community” of Western Washington. Fans on ScareFactor.com have rated Stalker Farm the scariest haunted place in the state.
Randall’s advice for a visit to Stalker’s? Leave your children at home or with another adult over at the Family Adventure corn maze, because this is seriously scary stuff. Wear boots, especially when it rains (“you wouldn’t believe the number of women who come out in high heels”); expect long waits this weekend; and come to have fun, not to cause trouble.
More Halloween events
Nile Nightmares Haunted House: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 26 and 29, and 7-11 p.m. Oct. 27, 28 and 31 at the Nile Golf Course, 6601 244th St. SW, west side of I-5, Mountlake Terrace. All the information you need is at nilenightmares.com.
Nightmare on 9: The Thomas Family Farm, 9010 Marsh Road and Highway 9, across from Stalker Farm, hosts this second annual haunted event, based on the story about one their ancestors who built a beef slaughter and rendering plant and was tragically torn in half by one of the meat grinders. 7-10 p.m. Oct. 26, 29, 30 and 31, 6 p.m.-midnight Oct. 27-28. All the details are at www.seattlehaunts.com/nightmare-on-9.
Rockefeller Haunted Hotel: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27-28 ($7), and 6-10 p.m. Oct. 31 ($10) at 1806 B Hewitt Ave., Everett. Presented by Black Lab Gallery. Photo booth on Halloween.
Snohomish County Music Project Halloween Party: 6-10 p.m. Oct. 27, 6-10 p.m. at the Northwest Music Hall, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way (inside the Everett Mall). Live music, costume contest, trick or treat, dancing. Cost is $2 youth, $3 adults, $8 families. More info: scmusicproject.org.
Haunted STEM Lab: 12-6 p.m. Oct. 27 at Edmonds Community College’s Monroe Hall, 6606 196th St. SW. Explosions, demonstrations, 3D printing, vortex smoke rings and more. All ages. Free. More info: edcc.edu/stem, rise@edcc.edu.
Stanwood Haunted House: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 at the Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. NW. Elevator ride into basement of terror. Cost is $5. Not recommended for children under age 10. More info: 360-629-7403.
Arlington Hometown Halloween: Events are Oct. 28 and include a Pumpkin Roll down Third Street Hill (11 a.m.); trick-or-treat at participating businesses on Olympic Avenue (noon-1 p.m.); Harvest Party at Arlington United Church (11 a.m.-1 p.m.); costume contest at Legion Park (1 p.m.); pumpkin decorating contest at Arlington Hardware (1:30 p.m.; drop off pumpkins for judging by noon); and a “Die Laughing” comedy show at Olympic Theater (7 p.m.). Comedy show is $10; all other events free. More info: 360-403-3448.
Mukilteo Boo Bash: 1-5 p.m. Oct. 29 at Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Ave. Games, crafts, haunted house. Free. More info: 425-263-8180.
Spooky stories: The Talk on the Beach Toastmasters club of Edmonds offers its fifth annual free night of ghoulish storytelling, 6-7:15 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Beachfront room at Edmonds Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave. Ghostmaster Michael Longpockets is the host.
Scary Silent Movie: Trinity Episcopal Church, 2301 Hoyt Ave., Everett, hosts its fourth annual free Halloween film night at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Organist David Spring will accompany the movie, Adolph Zukor’s classic “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” starring John Barrymore. Come in costume. Treats available.
School of Rock Halloween: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31 at 4200 196th St. SW, Lynnwood. Trick or treat, play carnival games, check out the school, sign up for free trial lessons. For more information, call 425-361-2518.
Lake Stevens Halloween Festival: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 31 downtown on Main Street. Costume walk starts at 5 p.m. from behind the Buzz Inn. Trick-or-treating at local businesses and the Lake Stevens Library, indoor carnivals at the Community Center and First Baptist Church, a haunted house, truck-or-treat, hot dogs, popcorn and more. Free. More info: www.lakestevensfire.org/events.htm.
Check out even more Halloween events in the Family Fun calendar on B11, along with those listed in the A section of today’s newspaper.
If you go
Stalker Farms, 8705 Marsh Road, Snohomish, opens at 7 p.m. Oct. 26-Oct. 29 and again on Oct. 31. On Halloween, costumed ticket holders will receive candy treats and the first 400 will get finger lights, which you will want because the Blood Rot haunted scene will be without lights. It’s tricky to run hundreds of people through this scary mess each night, so be sure to read all the answers to frequently asked questions on the Stalker website at www.stalkerfarms.com/faq.
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