The 16th Annual Halloween
Haunted House at Solvang Theaterfest attracted long
lines of revelers Friday and Saturday at dusk.
Also known as “The Swamp of
Screams (Beware the Bayou),” the frightfest lured
hundreds of patrons through the creepy bog, deserted bayou pot and black magic
of a makeshift jungle.
The Solvang and Buellton
Parks & Recreation departments sponsor the annual event.
Ghosts, witches, pirates and
skeletons lurked beyond the venue’s walls. Skeletons rested in coffins and
beds; skulls embedded in fences kept a sinister watch on festival-goers
and gravediggers alike.
Clear and starry skies —
framed by stark tree branches — provided hauntingly moonlit nights, with
a slight nip in the air.
As always, refreshments
weren’t far behind: Spirits in the form of coffee and cider were available, as
were cookies, pastries and candy apples — for those survivors who still
had an appetite.