Sudbury

This haunted maze in Greater Sudbury takes place inside a century-old schoolhouse

Every October, Robby Lavoie hosts the Fields of Fear scream park in Blezard Valley, featuring new attractions.

The Fields of Fear has become a destination for Halloween and horror fans alike

A tent with red lights and the word "funhouse"
This year, the 613 Electric Tattoo Co. Kooky Cirkus has expanded to include a 'freak show' and funhouse, blending traditional sideshow elements with quirky funhouse features. (Rajpreet Sahota/CBC)

Every October, Robby Lavoie organizes one of northeastern Ontario's biggest scream parks, and this year is no exception. 

The Fields of Fear, located on Main Street in Blezard Valley, features new attractions. The 613 Electric Tattoo Co. Kooky Cirkus has expanded to include a "freak show" and a funhouse, along with a display of oddities to enhance the experience.

The main attraction, The Hostel, is inside a century-old schoolhouse and offers guests an immersive maze experience.

"It's so nice to see something like this in the valley, it scared me quite a bit," said Lauren Knox, a park visitor. "I peed a little bit."

This is said to be Greater Sudbury's scariest scream park

1 month ago
Duration 1:25
Northern Ontario's Fields of Fear Scream Park runs until October 30, featuring new attractions like the expanded Kooky Cirkus and a revamped "Hostel."

Fields of Fear also hosts the Wicked Wares Outdoor Night Market. On Oct. 27, local car enthusiasts are invited to showcase their custom cars, trucks and motorcycles. Lavoie encourages attendees to dress up and go trick-or-treating from car to car during the Night Tires Cruise Night Trunk or Treat.

For Lavoie, the scream park has become a significant part of his life as he encourages residents to come together and celebrate the spooky season.

"We started in our backyard, a house on Albany Street. It was known for years… In the end, we had filled up two pickup trucks full of canned foods and that's where it started. I thought, well, we probably have a business here," he explained.

Lavoie began the venture nearly 20 years ago.

A lineup of people with a man in a costume looking at them
The Blezard Valley Fields of Fear Scream Park is said to be northern Ontario's premiere haunted scream park. (Rajpreet Sahota/CBC)

"I went to the Rainbow Centre and I pitched having a pop-up store for Halloween… They knew about my yard haunt and what we did in my backyard. And, they asked if we could bring it indoors and do it in the mall," he said.

Since then, the scream park has moved from the Rainbow Centre to Capreol and finally, Blezard Valley.

"We did the terror train for 13 successful seasons. And now, we're on our own grounds and we have about 30,000 square feet to play outside and a hundred-year-old school house to decorate."

A man in a scary costume
Robby Lavoie, the owner of Northern Screams, says their ability to innovate and heighten the scare factor enhances the overall experience for guests. (Rajpreet Sahota/CBC)

Lavoie finds motivation in the thrill of scaring visitors.

Rose Baxter, a Grade 10 student and volunteer, shares his passion.

"I have a love for the macabre and horror stuff… I find that I'm really good at being really quiet and scaring people once they turn a corner," she said.

The haunt operates from Friday to Sunday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., until Oct. 30. Tickets are available onsite on event nights or online through their website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rajpreet Sahota is a CBC reporter based in Sudbury. She covers a wide range of stories about northern Ontario. News tips can be sent to [email protected]