McCarey Haunted House is a Halloween treat
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Werewolves and witches, skeletons and zombies - you'll see them all at the McCarey Haunted House in Tillsonburg.
You can tour their backyard daily from 7-9 p.m. until Halloween at 6 Third Concession Road, near the Norfolk Mall (easy access from Simcoe Street).
"We're ready to go," said Monica McCarey, expecting a busy weekend. "It's slow tonight (Tuesday), but I think Friday, Saturay and Sunday are going to be our busiest nights. Last year, I think it was the Friday night, they were lined up around the tree (on the front lawn)."
The newest additions to Bob and Monica's backyard Halloween exhibits are the Incinerator, the Zombie (not to be confused with Zombie Mother and children), as well as two new witches and werewolves.
"And we have extra coffins," said Monica.
Admission is a food item to be donated to the Helping Hand Food Bank. Last year more than 400 visitors donated approximately 1,000 pounds of food.
They have a ways to go before they match that amount, but Monica is confident.
"It's hit and miss," she said. "We had like eight people last night (Monday). Be've had people who have never been here before, so that's good.
"We'll get there."
The McCareys had a dozen student volunteers assisting them the first two nights dressed in costumes.
"At least 12 kids tonight and about the same last night," said Monica. "The younger kids are coming out. We've got kids in Grade 5 and 6, 7 and 8... they're young, but they asked if they could help so I said 'sure why not?' I couldn't get high school kids this year - they didn't want to come or they only wanted to come for an hour. I want kids who want to be here."
With temperatures just over the freezing mark, it was a cold Tuesday night. But it was expected to be a bit warmer on the weekend.
"It's cold, but we haven't had the rain," McCarey noted. "Last year we had one night when it was like a sliding mud pit. And it poured that one year... we had carpets in there, leaves, towels on the ground, just so people wouldn't slide around."