Bay Area Family Keeps Halloween Tradition Alive With Drive-Thru Haunted House
PLEASANTON (KPIX) -- With COVID-19, Halloween will look very different this year. Trick-or-treating door-to-door is considered high risk and haunted houses are even riskier.
One Bay Area family found a way to carry on their family tradition.
Normally, people would be standing in line waiting to walk into the haunted house at the Alameda County Fairgrounds but the Fields family had to get creative this year to scare people while still maintaining social-distancing guidelines.
This is the 29th year the Fields family has operated the Pirates of Emerson haunted house but the first ever in a pandemic.
"We weren't going to let Halloween get canceled in the Bay Area this year," Brian Fields said.
A haunted house that started in their home has turned into a major attraction drawing thousands of people every year. With COVID-19, the Fields family had to think outside the box.
"We were either going to have to shut down this year or our creative family came up with an idea," Fields added.
The Fields family converted 10 acres into a drive-thru haunted house. People who spoke to KPIX said they enjoyed this new experience.
"I thought it was great," Elly Bishop said.
"It got me good a couple of times," Sabina Kahn added, "It was wonderful. We had a really good time but I'm glad it's over!"
Cars weaved in and out of the attractions at around two to three miles per hour. It offers all the thrills, chills and fright of a typical haunted house but avoids the dangers of coming into contact with crowds.
According to the Alameda County Health Department, many traditional Halloween celebrations carry a high risk of spreading the coronavirus. This haunted house allows many to have a taste of Halloween.
"This is so much fun for everything that's been going on this year, this is great because I love Halloween!" said Trinity Bishop from San Jose.