Happy Valley turns into Haunted Valley when locals Stacey and Rich McClellan and their family kick off the annual haunted house called 42nd Haunt, located on 43rd Ave. between Happy Valley and Pinnacle Peak Rd.
42nd Haunt is a haunted house the McClellan family hosts from their actual home. It brings in about 4,960 community members and aims to provide a wholesome and intimate community event for families and Halloween lovers.
Mr. McClellan spoke to Northeast Valley News about why they host the haunted house.
“We do it because we want to keep the spirit of Halloween alive. Too many kids nowadays don’t get the chance to go out trick-or-treating because there are bad people in this world. There’s also a lot of people who are stingy and don’t want to give away the candy, so you walk down the street, and half the street is dark because the lights aren’t on,” Rich McClellan said.
Not only has 42nd Haunt brought together multiple communities and families, but it has also more closely knit the McClellan’s own neighborhood.
“We’ve gotten to know many of our neighbors by doing it…we’ve met neighbors by doing it,” Mr. McClellan said. “We even had a house sold, and in the contract, the lady told them, ‘By the way, we have a haunted house. I hope you like it; otherwise, I’m not selling you the house.”
The McClellans told NEVN that all of the props, attractions, and facades they use are part of a six-year collection, including dressing one of the props with Mr. McClellan’s mother’s wedding gown from 1969.
The decor ranges from dollar store and bulk trash revamping to professional grade, some of which were made, according to Mr. McClellan, by prop makers for the TV show “The Walking Dead”.
Amanda Blondin attended the 42nd Haunt last year and is a “haunt aficionado”. She found out about the 42nd Haunt after following them on Facebook.
She wrote a Google review after attending the neighborhood haunt.
“I had low expectations; there were four groups in line, not a bunch of cars. But, Lord, was I so freaking pleasantly surprised! Our group is Haunt lovers, and this is one of the tops! I screamed for the first time in YEARS!!! Bravo! Go to this Haunt!” Blondin wrote.
Blondin expressed why 42nd Haunt is so unique and effective and her fondness for neighborhood haunts.
“They are an awesome family. When we went in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but their set-up was really nice,” Blondin said. “The best part about it is how they set it up. They could utilize the few actors they had numerous times in a way you couldn’t tell. They used their timing so well. I can’t tell you how hard it is to get me to jump or scream, but they got me twice. It was just simple, but timing is everything. It doesn’t have to be over the top; the timing was so good with them, and the way they set up their Haunt was perfect. Going to the haunt, especially the neighborhood haunts that do this out of just the joy of doing it—it’s so important to support them and bring everything back to the community.”
The McClellans assured NEVN that 42nd Haunt is safe and family-friendly.
There are exits throughout the Haunt, and all paint and wood are finished with fire-resistant materials. Physical violence is not permitted anywhere in the haunted house.
42nd Haunt is also always open to volunteer actors, which is excellent for someone who might need community service hours or volunteer credits for drama classes.
Nine months of labor to assemble the haunted house and years of dedication and passion have made 42nd Haunt what it is today.
Mrs. McClellan said they put thousands of dollars are into the attraction. However, donations and the public’s generosity keep the haunted house running and allow them to improve it each year.
Opening dates, times, location and an option to RSVP are posted on the 42nd Haunt Website.
