Ana Barraza
FestivalAna Barraza1-1-1-1
Creatures of the Corn Barely Bewitching For SomeFamily Fun at the Harvest Festival is Far From FrighteningHaunted Happenings At Pierce
Fall was definitely in the air on a chilly Friday night at Pierce College, where the bright lights and banjo music coming from the corner of De Soto Avenue and Victory Boulevard were a sure sign that the third annual Halloween Harvest Festival had commenced.
Walking up to the ticket counter, there is a whole array of activities for kids and adults to take part in posted on the sign above, including a five-acre corn maze shaped in the form of an American Indian’s head. The labyrinth proves itself difficult even for a “maze master” who got lost trying to lead a group through. She also recalled a group who took two hours to find their way out.
One of the main attractions of the festival is the one-mile trek through the “Creatures of the Corn” haunted trail. As my friend and I hesitantly approached the entrance, we were a little relieved to find out that the “creatures” were on a 15-minute break. This bought us time to muster up some needed courage and to appease our sweet-tooth with a $3 bag full of cinnamon-and-sugar-dusted donut holes. After bravely returning to the haunted trail, we handed over our tickets to the young man working and he explained the rules, which were quite simply don’t touch the actors and they won’t touch you. Honestly, we weren’t really paying much attention to him, but more so to the couple of stragglers ahead of us, making their way in as the rest of their group faded into the darkness of the corn field. We would later catch up to and eventually pass this group even though they had a significant head-start.
Following many attempts to turn back, I was able to coax my friend into getting through the “creature”-filled trail as fast as possible. There was no turning back now, and we found ourselves screaming our heads off and even becoming the main attraction for two young male patrons behind us. Not convinced by the actors, they thought it would be more entertaining for them to scare us rather than the “creatures” scare them.
Finally out, I decided a more wholesome activity would calm our frazzled nerves. I asked where the petting zoo was.
“We have a goat with four horns,” said Dawn McAdams, an 18-year-old student from Taft High School. This is her second year working at the festival. McAdams, who works the carousel and the train, has noticed a lot of positive feedback from the guests so far.
“Last night was the first busy night at the festival,” said Jordan Kurtz, a Chatsworth High School student who works the bungee.
The festival opened on Sept. 28 and will continue on past Halloween until Nov. 4.
According to Larry Kraus, associate vice president of Pierce, it’s an event that’s part of the Agricultural Education Center, a program of experiential activities related to farming, agriculture and environmental issues.
“It’s a fundraising activity for the future of the Agricultural Center,” Kraus said of the event, which generates “somewhere around $150,000.”
Halloween Harvest Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 4. The “Factory of Nightmares” haunted house opens Friday.
“We came last year and we’re back again picking out our pumpkins. We might do the hay ride thing,” said Asuzena Loera, a visitor who plans on making the festival a family tradition.
For more information on festival hours, activity prices and to purchase tickets online visit www.halloweenharvestfestival.com.