Lexington Fright Night gives Halloween scares

Fright Night is an event that hosts three haunted trails at Jacobson Park every October in Lexington, Kentucky. The three haunted trails are 13 Doors, Entrapment, and the Dark Forest. Fright Night opened at 7:30 every Friday through Sunday at sunset.

This year there were thousands of visitors, both new and repeat. The hype surrounding the event grew with each passing night.

“[Fright Night was] a lot better than what I had been hearing,” new Fright Night visitor Zachary Molinari said. “I’m definitely going next year.”

Not only does the event include the three haunted trails, but there is also a big opening in the center where music is played and food is sold. There was also a large projector playing an old black and white movie.

Jacobson has an iconic red bridge that leads to the dog park. Photo by Kennedy Foreman.
Jacobson has an iconic red bridge that leads to the dog park. Photo by Kennedy Foreman.

“[There were] a lot of people in costumes,” Molinari said, “and a lot of animatronics.”

The make-up for the event was diverse. Some costumes had masks and simple outfits, while others were extensive and difficult to do.

“I was in a complete head silicone mask,” Fright Night employee Cassandra Robinson said. “You could not tell it was me.”

Employees enjoy going to the event themselves. Walking through and getting scared by people in costume is not just for those uninitiated.

“[Working there] made [Fright Night] that much more interesting,” Robinson said. “Part of the fun is knowing what is behind the scenes.”

The trails are built to be as scary for the attendee as possible. There are jump scares set up all throughout and a lot of actors in place to make sure nobody feels safe.

“[We] couldn’t fit more than one person at a time,” Molinari said. “[Fright Night is] a really fun experience if you like horror.”

Oct 31, 2017 was the final day of Fright Night. It now packs up for the year. In 2018, Fright Night will return to Jacobson Park for October scares.