Haunting at Fiddle Park

October 15, 2015 · 0 Comments

The heart races, palms get sweaty, and your body gets stiff – being frightened has become a fun way to spend time, especially during Halloween.
It’s hard to guess how long the Little family has been hosting a haunted house in Shelburne, a good guess would be about 21 years. Bob Little, the patriarch started pulling a few pranks on the trick or treaters years ago when his children were little. At that time they lived at 116 First Ave W. and thus the yearly haunting had begun. Things picked up when Bob and Susan’s kids Stacey, Jeremy and Andrew were in their teens and began to help out. A family tradition was born. Every year new tricks were thought up. Animatronics both bought and home made were added. Soon family friends were helping out so you could never be sure what was alive and what wasn’t. Getting the screams, the startled squeals and then the resulting laughter were addicting. So much so that when the family moved south of town, family friends offered them the use of their own home in town on Victoria Street to continue the tradition. It became such a neighbourhood hit that when they sold their home, the new owners asked the Little’s to stay on and continue with their yearly fright night. About five or six years ago, needing more space Andrew and his wife Sylvia moved back to Shelburne and resurrected the Haunted House int their backyard on Centre St. There is took on a life of its own, growing in scope and imagination until the opportunity came this year to expand once more and try their hand at the Fiddle Park.
Generally taking three to four weeks for setup, after work and on weekends, this year set up will be a concentrated effort over the course of the week leading up to Halloween. Because of this there will be a new layout and design this year which will take extra work and effort in order to make it come together. The main setup is done by Jeremy and his uncle Shane (Fendley) although all of the family still helps as much as possible, both in the lead up and in the actual fright-making. Andrew and Sylvia have enlisted the help of Carola, Jeremy’s wife, Bob and Sue, as well as many of their family friends, customers and even their kids Paris, Colton, Clara and Henry to lend a hand. Countless man hours are involved in sourcing out props, building and expanding exhibits, running electrical and mechanical lines and then actually making everything work the night of. They are looking for volunteers to come and help with the different areas within the haunted park such as zombies, ghouls and clowns. The list is extensive and they would appreciate any help! Also always appreciated are any pumpkin carvers out there that would love to lend their expertise to the ambiance throughout the event.
Halloween is certainly a favourite holiday for the Little family. A holiday where, whether you wear a designer costume or a simple sheet as a ghost, you are all fair game in the haunted house and all who attend will get a treat at the end! For those that are faint of heart, they have a “good fairy” that will take groups through. Her lighted staff will let all those beasties know that these people are not to be frightened. New this year is a “Mini-Boo” being held on Saturday afternoon that will let people come out and go through in the daylight. That way they can enjoy the work they have put in, if doing it in the dark will be too frightening. Perhaps those will be brave enough next year to attempt it at night where lack of lights, sounds and screams abound.
As always this is a free event. The Little’s don’t do this for profit and they don’t do it for a living. The fun and the memories, which they assure us they have hundreds of great stories of seasons past that get told and retold in the family are their reward for all their hard work. However they also welcome any donations of non-perishable food items for the local food bank. Items will be collected at the event and dropped off afterwards.
The Littles tell us, “This community has been wonderful over the last two decades, laughing with us, screaming with us and making each year better than the last! We truly look forward to doing this for many years to come”!
The haunted house is being held a Fiddle Park located behind No Frills on Second Line on October 30 from 6–10 p.m. and on October 31st with the “Mini Boo” being held from 3– 5 p.m. and then regular haunting happening again from 6–10 p.m.

By Michelle Janzen