Props coming together and going GREEN

New Props
Three of the new rooms for the visitors to the Open House of the Bedford School this year will be the Headmaster's Chamber, Divination Classroom and the Potions Master's Office. These photos are of different props you will see in these new rooms.

The shelve is from an old peice of wood from a replaced deck. The Jars are all Salsa Jars with new lables on them they will be aged with water colors and then will be ready for the Potoin Masters office.

One of the house Bells Rung when a member is in good standing

This is a Crystal ball from the Divinations Classroom

One of the four house owl lanterns you will see in the headmasters office.

First Parish Haunted House is GREEN!
We have always prided ourselves in re-purposing as much of the environment we create as possible. From the Jars and Bottles of the Potion masters classroom last year and his Office this year to the walls of the hedge maze last year all had been found objects destine for a land fill. The three large props this year will be built from reclaimed wood. They are built with wood from a Deck that was recently replaced, a old play structure that no longer was safe and pallets destine to be used as firewood. These props will remain in circulation for years to come. The bottle will some day find there way into the recycling but for now we are excited to use them as set decorations. Some items will be combined and sold as sets on eBay for other Haunts to use in the future. We choose not to use specific items because of the potential effect on people and planet. We use latex based paints for all the props and we don't use oil based smoke machine at the event. We would love to use smoke machines but they are 1400 watts that we can do without. Where possible we are using LED lighting as a means to reduce our energy requirements. All the maps are printed on recycled paper. The popcorn bag we used at first parish are made of recycled paper and we continue to look at ways keeping our environmental footprint to a minimum.

Theme for 2009
Not the last Haunted House but our last year of the Bedford School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In 2009 we are moving on to a new theme still as always family friendly with a little Boo! to make you smile. Stay tuned!

Kick off meeting report

Well our first meeting for 2008 went very well. Here are a few key items covered:

• We are expanding the size of the event incorporating another room upstairs.
• Registration and the line to get in will now be under tents next to the Church.
• We will have a short video running at the enterence to give out information on the three floors of activities and how ticketing will work.
• A simplified ticketing system will be in place for folks who want to do parts of the haunted house more then once. This was a big issue last year and we think this will resolve the issue allowing for folks to have a significantly reduced re-entrance fee.
• We are continuing our Harry Potter inspired theme: Welcome to The Bedford School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but each of the rooms will be different then last year. Two slightly scary.
• Two entrance's Scary and Not Scary to the Bedford School.
• The Cracked Cauldron will be expanding.
• The spiders Den makes way for the Three Brooms Gaming area.
• The Deadford Dungeon of Doom is being reworked more info (coming soon)
• We are moving the flow of the different events to allow for less confusion.

We are looking for more yards to place signs if you have a high profile yard that you wouldn't mind having a sign in please let me know at lostj2@verizon.net

Thank you

Karl

Update from the Bedford Plant Fair

Well our advertisement for the Haunted House at the First Parish Plant fair went well though there were some disappointed faces when we had to take it down due to heavy winds in the afternoon. We had two different inflatable haunted houses back to back allowing for the kids to explore the different rooms and it certainly added to the fair like feel of the day.

I will be posting the changes for this years haunted house so you can see whats new and different from last years event. I think you will be pleased.

Cheers

Welcome to the Bedford School 2008

We were are in full swing for planning the haunted house this year. Look for our display at the Plant fair in may http://www.uubedford.org/plantfair/index.htm
We will have a video from last years haunt and a flyer for this years haunted house.
We hope to see you there.
Regards

End of year update on plans for next year.

2008 will see an expansion of 2007's events, the tour of Bedford School of witchcraft and wizardry will be different. It is our intention to add and mix it up so it will be very different from last year but just as charming. We are looking at two entrances to the school next year.
1) General entrance: where kids of all ages can walk through the school in a not to scary interactions.
2) Scary entrance: where you will come face to face with dark forces that wish to topple the Bedford school and enslave those that oppose he who can not be named.

We are expanding upstairs with more interactive rooms and a few more animatric creatures as you walk the mystical Streets of Job Lane. On the first floor we will be adding more games and a larger snack area. The entrance to the Deadford Dogeon of Doom will be moved to the back of First Parish allowing for better flow for all the guests.
We hope to expand the Consert of the Great-fully dead and have even more spectral visitors during the event.

Look for our video and display at the First Parish Plant fair in the spring.
Have a wonderful winter.
Regards
Karl

A few pictures from 2007

More photo's coming soon.

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.