The More You NOLA: The House of Shock rises from the grave
Finishing its 23rd season of scaring patrons nearly to death, The House of Shock opens through Saturday (Oct. 31) at 7:30 p.m. Though the haunted house has undergone a facelift, the details that made The House of Shock a local Halloween tradition are still there, including the pyrotechnic-packed stage show and live musical acts. (Photo from The House of Shock)
Upon closing its doors last year, The House of Shock (319 Butterworth St., Jefferson, Louisiana) laid to rest 22 fright-filled seasons as a Halloween destination for New Orleanians. But thanks to community support, the notorious haunted house has been resurrected, conducting nightly scream symphonies as patrons experience terrifying new additions.
The concept began as a conversation among friends Ross Karpelman, Jay Gracianette and Steven Joseph in 1993. As they reminisced about what Halloween meant to them as kids and discussed the lack of exciting new options for locals, the group decided to create their own intensely frightening haunted house.
“We wanted to get back to when it was a time to celebrate and enjoy being scared,” says Karpelman.
The first incarnation started in a backyard and later expanded to a warehouse location near the Huey P. Long Bridge.
The announcement of the horror show"s demise led to a bittersweet Halloween night for longtime volunteers in 2014.
“Closing night last year was extremely emotional; we were all crying,” Karpelman says. “We left the door open for a miracle, and a longtime fan came through.”
Fans and crew members rejoiced after an anonymous investor provided the funding to revive the beloved haunted house.
A major overhaul of the space began in May. The attraction now boasts new features across 25,000 square feet, including the Bordello of Freaks and Laff in the Dark, a 3-D nightmare paying homage to the iconic old Pontchartrain Beach fun house. The revamped House of Shock Haunted House displays a new entrance inspired by the antebellum LeBeau mansion in Arabi, which burned down in 2013.
“I can"t understand why you"d go anywhere else. I couldn"t imagine a season without seeing these faces, and it"s more fun this year than ever,” says Karpelman.
Tickets are available online.
