All good ghouls and goblins are gory-ing up for the Big Night, HALLOWEEN, lurking around the bend and creeping up ever so quickly.

Corrado’s Farm Hayride of Horrors in Hackettstown is all set for the creepiest time of the year. In speaking with Cherie Dipsey, “everyone’s favorite aunt,” she credits the involvement of the entire Corrado family for the great success of the Hayride of Horrors. A very close knit family, there are three generations prowling around the field every weekend in October, along with a few ioutsiders, all gussied up with fright in mind. BOO!

Preparations have been underway at Corrado’s Farm for their annual Hayride of Horrors for months. They ditched the witches, and added a voodoo village. As far as planning for Halloween 2020, they’re always thinking about what’s next. The family comes up with ideas now, implement them over the winter, and modify the attractions as they go to change the look. Each year they add something new to keep it horribly fresh and hauntingly inviting.

“At the start, it was so different,” Cherie recalled, “we didn’t have animatronics, and the technology has grown a lot. At one point, we added a cemetery and a toxic dump.” This year they have zombie paintball, pony rides, the haunted house, the haunted hayride, the corn maze (characters only, no animatronics), and more. There are actors hidden throughout the property to keep the spooky turned up to ten.

The hayride is 45 minutes long and guests are served cider and donuts by a guest ghoul. Along the ride, there are live actors and animatronics lurching around the fields. The haunted house is a 20 minute walk through an old barn populated by live actors and animatronics. Never disappointing, the spine-tingling, spooky spectacular will elicit screams and giggles.

It’s family friendly, although the haunted house is not recommended for children under ten. Generally four to five-year olds can enjoy everything else, but it’s up to the parents to know their children’s limits. Cherie confided, “Sometimes the kids even handle it better than their parents!”

When asked about the most hair-raising part of the spooktacular, it was unanimously agreed it’s their finale, which shall remain nameless, that’s the absolute scariest part. When asked if the visitors ever try to scare the “scarers,” Cherie laughed and said yes. “They find it to be a challenge to try and make the scary people jump.” Cherie said, “Everyone does a great job, there’s lots of good chemistry, and they all really enjoy what they’re doing.”

Joe, Jr. is the oldest son and resides in Totowa. The Corrado family has owned this farm for thirty years. “When we purchased it,” Joe recalled, “you could hardly get in. It was so overgrown. The barn was falling down. The house was a wreck.” But his dad, Joe, Sr., who grew up during the 1940s, loved farming, loved horseback riding, and loved the property. That rundown acreage beckoned, and the rest, as the say, is history.

The Corrado family has always celebrated Halloween with gusto and the Hayride of Horrors has become a labor of love. It was a few years after purchasing the farm, about twenty-six years ago, Joe, Jr. said they decided to “just do a hayride.” Just that simple. Now it’s grown into a larger-than-life family tradition with Joe, Sr., Joe Jr., his sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, and even his son, Joe, III. Sometimes Joe, Jr. dons a costume or narrates. Cherie has participated every year except the first. This year she’s a character in the haunted house and narrating on the hayride.

Cherie said, “Corrado’s Hayride of Horrors appeals to people that love Halloween, people that enjoy acting, and people who enjoy the magic out in the field. Folks have travelled from as far as New York, Pennsylvania, and the Plainfields. They have proposed while on the hayride. They’ve dressed up and celebrated their anniversaries here.”

During our conversation, Cherie, Brittany and Mike were getting in costume and applying makeup. Cherie urged, “You just gotta do blush and blood and then we’re done!” That simple pronouncement sounded almost like a life lesson, even as they were transforming into the walking undead!

From now until the end of October, Corrado’s Hayride of Horrors is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The doors open at 6:30, and all’s ready to roil at 7:00. As the month of October winds down, the start time moves up as darkness sets in. Guests are welcome to arrive a bit earlier to relax and perhaps enjoy a light picnic. Closing time is based on the evening. Sundays do wrap up a little earlier. Saturday is often a late night, going until 10:30 or even later if they’re really busy. Tickets for the various attractions are sold on premise all night. They can also be purchased online to avoid having to stand in line, an especially good plan on a busy eve. Visit the website for activities, times, and tickets.

Each year a few locals volunteer, especially if they’re interested in acting or make-up. Anybody looking to get involved with this annual tradition? Corrado’s has a standby list – inquire about it when you go. More information can be found online at www.hayrideofhorrors.com or search Hayride of Horrors on Facebook.

Hayride of Horrors & Haunted House, 671 Mt. Bethel Road, Hackettstown NJ 07840

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