# HAUNTED BARN Party ideas anyone?



## Super_Freak (Sep 6, 2009)

Happy October, Everyone! 

So excited October is finally here, but at the same time slightly panicked at the realization that I have only 26 days to plan and put together our party  After much deliberation, we have finally come up with a theme: Haunted Barn and Pumpkin Patch (but hopefully with a much better name before we send invites).

We have always held our parties in the house and on the deck. But this year we took a walkthrough of our (mostly empty) shop behind our house (roughly 60' x 40') and realized it was an ideal place for a party. There is man-door which leads to 3 rows of storage shelves that we could convert into a maze-like walk-thru which would lead into the open area of the shop that would be the main party room with food and games, etc. From the open area there is a staircase which leads up to a loft area that we finished last year to create a lounge/movie room with a ping pong table for out kids to have friends over. So this area would be ideal for keeping the young people (toddlers to teens) nearby but with their own space.

Now that we have the location figured out, we are scrambling for ideas on how to make our 5 year old shop appear to be a delapidated and haunted barn. While we have some pretty good props and ideas for the maze at the entrance to the shop - we could really use some suggestions that any of you _wonderfully creative_ people may have for decorating and games and activities. We plan to create a scarecrow/hay bale/jackolantern scene near the entrance to the shop and have a bonfire (weather permitting) for warmth and s'mores, but that's all we've got so far...Thanks for any input


----------



## Spookhouse 2012 (Jun 12, 2012)

See if you can get spirits barn when they start selling the displays off. The Harvester and hanging pumpkin head would also be good from Spirit, $100 and $30 each. Hope this helps


----------



## RunL1keH3LL (Oct 2, 2012)

I envision a place with not a lot of light, very dark perhaps with a red opaqueness to any light you include. Lots and lots of spider webs. Corpses hanging from nooses, perhaps with a spotlight on them...and plenty of fog inside and outside the barn. Perhaps overflowing from the second level would look spectacular.


----------



## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

Broken branches placed in large pots with spotlights illuminating branch shadows onto the walls. Could do the same thing with a skeleton. This will give you the perfect indirect lighting.

Haybales would make perfect grouped seating areas. Walmart has twin size flat sheets for super cheap that you could drap the bales with.

Large sheets of cardboard, brown paint and a woodgraining tool makes great "wood" paneling or boards. You could board up the windows, or areas you want to keep people away from.

Cheesecloth is one of my favorite decorating accessories. Makes perfect rotting curtains or tablecloths. You can get I think it was 3'x6' sheets of it in the craft dept. at Walmart for $5. I've dyed it green, cut it up and hung it from the ceiling to make moss and of course the classic cheesecloth ghosts.


----------



## Super_Freak (Sep 6, 2009)

What wonderful ideas!



Spookhouse 2012 said:


> See if you can get spirits barn when they start selling the displays off. The Harvester and hanging pumpkin head would also be good from Spirit, $100 and $30 each. Hope this helps


These props are amazing! I especially like the werewolf and the windmill. I will keep an eye on the spirit website for end of season sales and maybe get lucky There. This also reminded me that I think I've got an old (garden-style) windmill somewhere behind the shop that I might be able to incorporate. Thanks so much for your help! 



RunL1keH3LL said:


> I envision a place with not a lot of light, very dark perhaps with a red opaqueness to any light you include. Lots and lots of spider webs. Corpses hanging from nooses, perhaps with a spotlight on them...and plenty of fog inside and outside the barn. Perhaps overflowing from the second level would look spectacular.


OOh! Love the idea of red lighting for a super creepy effect. I've got lots of spiders and webbing that I will definitely use inside. The hanging corpses is perfect too! Though I think I will make it just one (I don't want to freak the kiddies out TOO much lol) hanging from the rafters directly over the seating area, and do the spotlight like you said. I had never thought of using fog inside, but it is a 'barn' after all and it is old and delapidated and nature is overtaking it so it just makes sense, right? And if the budget allows - I may just have to buy one more fog machine...Thanks!



Jackielantern said:


> Broken branches placed in large pots with spotlights illuminating branch shadows onto the walls. Could do the same thing with a skeleton. This will give you the perfect indirect lighting.
> 
> Haybales would make perfect grouped seating areas. Walmart has twin size flat sheets for super cheap that you could drap the bales with.
> 
> ...


Yes - perfect! There will definitely be branches! And maybe use strobe lights along with my storm boxes to illuminate on the walls and create a stormy effect.
I would never have thought of that! I was planning on hay bales outside by the fire, but I should plan on some inside for seating and just to 'barn' the place up. I am well-stocked with creepy cloth and have been saving cardboard boxes all year for halloween. Now I just need to turn them into old shutters and barn doors to beef up the entry to the shop (right now it is just a new white door with green lap siding - not very scary at all). I might add some of the green creepy cloth I have as moss to the entry when I get it done. Great ideas. Thank you


----------



## Spookhouse 2012 (Jun 12, 2012)

Anytime no problem, and those werewolves are cool. The Howler is $100 with the coupon, The Spitter is $160 with the coupon, and the limb ripper is $160 with the coupon. The wolf baby is also very cool.


----------



## Spookhouse 2012 (Jun 12, 2012)

Also if they sell you the windmill, please tell me how much you paid so I know how much to save for when I get it


----------



## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

Be carefull with the fog indoors. The fumes are horrible to breath in, it burns and makes you cough. We had too shut ours off after a half an hour. Although you have a MUCH bigger area.


----------

