Lucky CIC members have decided not to hold a fifth Trail of Fears Haunted Forest. The organization is taking a one-year break in an effort to make the event bigger and better.
“After careful consideration, the membership voted to use this year as a planning and scouting year for a bigger and better event next year,” said Lucky CIC member Lee Anne Brewer. “We really need the public’s input for a new location and theme for next year’s comeback.”
For more than a month, the group has been trying to locate a building so the event could be held indoors. Trail of Fears has been held outdoors with a walking tour through a haunted forest.
Being outside leaves event organizers and volunteers at the mercy of the weather. Brewer says being outdoors is not good for fundraising.
“A lot of effort goes into offering a haunted trail,” she said. “When the weather gets bad, all that effort is wasted. We would like a venue where it doesn’t matter what the weather is like. Being indoors would be better for our equipment, volunteers and visitors.”
When no building was found as of Oct. 1, the group had a meeting to decide if the event should be canceled or if the club should go the scary route and throw something together in what short time remained.
“If you do something poorly once, it will haunt you for years,” Brewer said of the final decision. “We didn’t want to throw something together at the last minute. I know there are a lot of unhappy people out there, but they will be really happy next year.”