Have you always wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes of Haunted Attractions, Scare Attractions, and Halloween? We tell those stories here!
In this episode, we remember our friend and fellow Haunter, Jan Knuth.
The Haunt world lost a good one. R.I.P. Jan Skaggs Knuth She was always a kind soul, loved Haunting, was an admin for this group, & even thought about me enough to include my opinion in her book "Not Afraid to Slay: Women of the Haunt Industry". You will be missed… Here is part of her obituary: "A memorial service for Janet L. Knuth will be held on November 20, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska, with Pastor Darren Theesen officiating. Janet Leigh "Jan" (Skaggs) Knuth, 60 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Jan was born in Holdrege, Nebraska, on January 14, 1965, the second of three children, born to Wes and Monica (Valentine) Skaggs. She received her education from Holdrege Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1983. She pursued higher education and received a degree as a Physical Therapy Assistant from Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas. Following her education for over 20 years, Jan worked as a Physical Therapy Assistant, starting in Holdrege at Holdrege Physical Therapy, and continued working across the state for Tabitha Home Health. Jan had a love for Halloween and scaring others since she was a little girl. She started a yard haunt at their residence, after a few years, it had grown so much that she bought a house to expand her vision and started Gray House Haunts. Jan also authored her own haunt book, Not Afraid to Slay, Women Of The Haunt Industry. On November 12, 2005, Jan was united in marriage to Steven Knuth at the First Baptist Church in Holdrege. The couple made their home in Holdrege. Jan enjoyed spending time at Johnson Lake and nurturing a beautiful garden. Her passion for animal welfare across the state, particularly for dogs, was inspiring. She was committed to providing a loving home to the most vulnerable dogs from shelters, and she was an asset on the board for the Holdrege Animal Rescue. Jan's love and devotion to her family and friends were equally unwavering, and she consistently demonstrated kindness and generosity to those around her. Her laughter was infectious, and her kind-heartedness and loyalty were truly remarkable. Jan had no tolerance for injustice, and she was always a voice for the voiceless."Join the guys behind Midnight Syndicate, Edward Douglas & Gavin Goszka! We ask them questions like: How to create your own haunt music? What inspires them to make music? Sound tips and tricks? Plus, we play the first 3 tracks from their NEW album Darkened Corners.
Midnight Syndicate is an American musical duo known for creating dark, atmospheric, and gothic-themed instrumental music. Their tunes and ambient sounds are used in themed attractions worldwide.
Since 1997, composers Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka have produced what they call "soundtracks for the imagination," blending orchestral scores with sound effects to evoke a sense of horror, mystery, and fantasy.
Find their music: https://www.midnightsyndicate.com/
Start or grow your haunted attraction: https://www.haunterstoolbox.com/
Get Haunt Badges for your crew: https://scareitbadges.com
Join the Haunter's Toolbox Facebook group to attend events like these: https://www.facebook.com/groups/haunterstoolbox/
Sammy Days & David Gricius are the Scare Actor Trainers and Scare Actors at Fright Nights in Southern Florida. Join us as we pick their brains...
Fright Nights is an annual Halloween event that occurs at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. Open through the beginning of October through Halloween, the event features multiple haunted houses, "scare zones," midway rides, food vendors, games, and live entertainment.
Stalk Fright Nights at https://www.southfloridafair.com/p/fright-nights
Start and grow your Haunted Attraction at https://www.haunterstoolbox.com/
Reward, recognize, and retain your actors with https://scareitbadges.com/
Halloween Hollow Haunted House in Silver Point, TN, Has Everyone Screaming From Nashville to Knoxville, Tennessee, With Its Massive Outdoor Halloween Event!
We answer your questions to the owners, Carroll Lee Moore III and Erica McElroy, as we discuss what it takes to own and operate the most unique haunted attraction in Tennessee.
Start and grow your haunted attraction at HauntersToolbox.com
Stalk the Halloween Hollow at HalloweenHollowHaunt.com
Reward, recognize, and retain your scare actors and staff at ScareItBadges.com
Eddie McLaurin is the creator and owner of the Woods of Terror haunted attraction in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Here's a brief overview of his story: Family Legacy: The Woods of Terror sits on land that has been in McLaurin's family for generations, dating back to his great-grandfather, Simon Peter "Pa Pete" McCormick. Inspired by the Land: McLaurin was inspired to create the haunted attraction by the 26 graves on the family property that scared him as a child.
Year-Round Commitment: He treats the Woods of Terror as a full-time job, dedicating himself to its year-round operation and improvement.
Bone Daddy Persona: During the operating season, McLaurin takes on the persona of "Bone Daddy," leading parades and interacting with guests in makeup and costume, including a live snake.
Community Engagement: He is known for engaging with his customers and giving back to the community, including supporting local businesses and charitable causes.
Building a Haunted Kingdom: McLaurin is credited with building Woods of Terror into a highly-respected haunted attraction, creating a unique and immersive experience for visitors.
Dedication and Hard Work: His success is attributed to his strong work ethic and commitment to his vision for Woods of Terror.
Check out Woods of Terror here: https://woodsofterror.com/
Become a Haunter's Toolbox member: https://www.haunterstoolbox.com/
Matthew Murphey is a Haunter and a trial attorney. Matt has worked in courtrooms since starting his legal career as a court-martial clerk in the United States Army in 1985.
He also knows Haunted Attraction's legal roadblocks.
We'll discuss: -Protecting yourself from legal battles
-How to start a non-profit attraction
-Employee contracts & applications
-Waivers: Good or bad?
-How to deal with local codes & laws
-Insurance & Liability
-Legal guidelines around your brand
-Do you own your characters?
-Advice for Home Haunters & HOAs
Matt has tried cases to juries in three states and five federal districts as counsel. Matt's background in science coupled with his trial experience with prosecution agencies allowed him to transfer his trial skills to private practice fifteen years ago to complex patent and other intellectual property, financial institutions, and commercial litigation cases.
Start, grow, & scale your haunted attraction business at HauntersToolbox.com
Find Matt at themurpheylawyers.com
Scott and Jewel Simonson answer all of your questions about creating killer videos and photos at your haunt, marketing on a budget, retaining your actors, haunt technology, and other questions you have about Haunted Attractions.
"Haunting Media was founded by experienced haunted attraction owners, who, much like you, understand the intricacies and importance of delivering a truly detailed and immersive experience. As we carefully crafted our own haunted attraction, it became apparent that our photos and videos should mirror this attention to detail.
With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Haunting Media ensures that our content creation services cater to your specific needs. Each member of our team is not only highly experienced in the haunting industry but also exceptionally creative. We understand that no two attractions are alike; therefore, we take great pride in tailoring our offerings to suit your unique vision." -HauntingMedia.com
Start or grow your haunted attraction at HauntersToolbox.com