Wow! I mean WOW!!!

Well its been just over a week and I am just now recovering. The 2007 First Parish Haunted House was a huge success we lost count at one point at the number of attendees. I wish to applogise to all of you who had to wait in the long lines at the front door and at the entrance to the Deadford Dongeon on Doom. I hope the wait was worth it. I will be posting pictures shortly and should have a few videos on youtube in the coming weeks.Please note we are planning to do this again next year... So look for our first update on 2008 First Parish Haunt House before Christmas.

Its crunch time in Deadford 2007 First Parish HH

Well the Boston globe screwed up and posted our event for Thursday! (Dough!)






No - the haunted house is Saturday the 27th!!!!


Well not much we can do about it now. I hope not too many folks show up Thursday, if you did I am very sorry. We have asked the Globe to at least change it on their web site.

OK now onto the update. Here are two of the rooms fully set for the haunted house. The potions room has really come out well. please click the picture to see it full size.


There is a slightly spooky feel to the Spectral lounge. not too much but it has a feel for the Adventurers Club in Disney and that's not a bad thing. We set these room up for a photographer from the Minuteman newspaper. Look for an article about our little haunt in Thursdays edition.

One of our mad scientists has made an amazing animatronic sorting hat that is going to amaze the kids. I have not pictures of that yet. We want to keep it as a surprise. I can't want to see folks reactions to it.

First Parish Haunted House 3 Floors of Fun

Click the image to see all that is happening at First Parish
Areas marked in Red are for older kids. The only other area that might be scary is the Hedge Maze on the second floor.
The entrance to the Deadford Dungeon of Doom is through the Deadford Cemetery around the back of the Church and through the side entrance.
You can go through the Deadford Cemetery and not go into the Dungeon if you like to see the haunted grave yard.
The main Entrance to the Haunted house is through the Front of the Church on the common side.

NEW Animatronic Completed just in Time

This is Norman and he will be singing Grim Grinning Ghosts near the Hedge Maze on the second floor be certain to check him out. This prop is built from a singing christmas tree not only does his eyes open and his mouth open and close his head also rocks side to side as he sings.

This years we have three floors of fun waiting for you.

Lower Level:
Deadford Dungeon of Doom: Scary Walk through. Warning! Not for the younger crowd! This is a Scary dark walk through and is presented by First Parish's Junior and Senior Youth Groups and is not to be missed.


First floor:
Spiders Den: This is a great Kids area has lots of activities, Games, like Owl ring toss, Pumpkin stack and Golden Snitch Bowling will entertain kids of all ages. The spiders den will also have a Crafts area where kids can choose from a number of projects. (Kids must be accompanied by an adult at all times.)

The Cracked Cauldron:
Relax and set a Spell at the Bedford Schools Of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Very own Cracked Cauldron Menu Offering refreshments for sale. Menu:

Popcorn................................$1.00
Water....................................$1.00
Assorted Soda......................$1.00
Assorted Candy...................$1.00

Polly Page's Jellybeans.......$2.00
Assorted baked good .........$TBD

Concert of the Great-full Dead, Bedford's School of Wizards and Witchcraft Ghostly Choir. During this short concert you will be entertained by ghostly apparition's visiting from our famous sister institution Hogwarts in England.

Second Floor:

Relax in the Spectral Lounge
You enter the party by first passing through the Spectral lounge. Interact with the humorous talking crystal ball. He can see your future and it’s not so scary…

Meet the Sorting Hat
Next you are whisked into the Evaluation Chamber where you will be sorted into one of the four houses of the Bedford School of Wizards and Witchcraft.




Potion Masters Chambers
Following your sorting you will take a crash course in magic as you walk through the Potions Room. Try your hand and feel if you can tell the difference between the Eye of Newt from the lips of a dragon.



Can you find a way out?
Then lastly on this floor you will have the opportunity to pass into the party through the Hedge Maze. Can you find the secret chamber that overlooks the Spiders Den?

We have added another feature to the Bedford School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will have the opportunity to visit Minerva's Magical Music Machine Lab. In this labratory of the school you will have a chance to try your hand at a Therimin.

Relax and set a Spell at the Bedford
Schools Of Witchcraft and Wizardry's
Very own Cracked Cauldron

Menu
Popcorn................................$1.00
Water....................................$1.00
Apple Cider..........................$1.00
Keurig Coffee ......................$1.00
Assorted Candy...................$1.00

A Brief History of the Bedford School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The Bedford School, founded in 1730 by four professors from Hogwarts, is one of eight established in the new Colonies during the “great expansion” of the original eight American schools (1690 to 1771). Bedford and Salem are the only two that survived the American Revolution.

During this period, the polarization of sides devastated the school. Not only did they lose the support of Hogwarts during this Muggel war, but The Ministry of Magic recommended the closure of all the expansion schools in the American Colonies. Under this order all Headmasters returned to England but instead of closing, both Bedford and Salem chose to stay open. The wounds of the Revolution ran deep and not until the war of 1812, where both schools worked with the Ministry of Magic to topple the plans of a rogue wizard, did the two schools reunite with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Through the past two centuries, Bedford has been a counterpoint to the more traditional ways of its sister School in Salem or its founders school Hogwarts. The Bedford School has always been a place of progressive ideas and actions that have centered around the individuals’ needs to make a difference and to strive to be more. These ideas have caused tension between Bedford and its sister schools not to mention The Ministry of Magic. This tension exploded in February of 1978 when the Ministry intended to stop a rally of Muggle rights supporters by causing a massive blizzard. The protesters moved the rally to February 4th, the day before the posted date of the protest and its impending blizzard. The rest is history.

Though the scars of war have fallen far behind and the progressive stance of the school irritates those that wish to travel a more settled path, a friendly rivalry has grown between Salem, Hogwarts and Bedford. This rivalry will culminate in 2009 when The Bedford School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will host the 483rd World Wizards Championship.

For more information contact the Ministry of Magic - Halls of History, Lower Level Catacombs B1331-West.