Crystal Thompson, Features Editor 

As we approach Halloween, it’s hard not to notice all the sights synonymous with the season. For the enthusiasts, this special night is preceded by hyper preparation for and anticipation of festivities that fill the last week of the October calendar, fairs and fall celebrations included. 

Among the excitement to go hay riding, apple picking, and trick or treating is the ever-familiar haunted house walkthrough. Fortunately, North Carolina, like most states, has quite the cache of haunted places to fulfill everyone’s need for fright. One of those houses has been put into a position to do something a little different this year. 

The Haunted Farm, located in Hendersonville, NC, has been satisfying thrill seekers’ Halloween pursuits for years. The 30-acre attraction is more than a road-front haunted house. It normally features live actors, theater-style shows, and spooky legends like the one that serves as the premise for its chilling existence. 

Attendees are highly aware of the Lively-Tate family feud that casts the eerie proverbial fog over the property. The story isn’t much different from any other legend, fitting the formula almost perfectly: two forlorn lovers separated by family feud agree to meet in secret to escape together, she waits for him, he never shows, she dies and is now confined to that location to haunt it until her lover returns. 

Since the farm opened in 2010, it is this continually circulated backstory that has kept people returning when the doors open every fall. Unfortunately, this year, the damage from Helena has forced the farm to close its doors for the 2024 season. 

“While our business and property has [sic] experienced significant damages, we are blessed that we are unharmed,” reads the message to fans on the homepage of their website. They are working on rebuilding in time to open for the 2025 season, but instead of asking for Hendersonville to assist them directly, they’re asking potential donors to send their monetary support to others who have been devastated by the storm. 

To put it in a better perspective, they are doing everything in their power to help the town of Hendersonville recover. “We are choosing now to use our resources to focus on helping our community survive and rebuild,” the page continues. The message they are sending shifts the focus from their farm to the larger community, an act of kindness that is both generous and uplifting. 

For 14 years, The Haunted Farm has teased fans with one-line sneak previews for the upcoming seasons. It’s meant to be for families, couples, children, and elderly people. It’s clear the farm takes pride in catering to a community that has supported them over the years. Now, they have decided to give back. 

Although they are placing their Halloween attractions on hold temporarily, they continue to boast being the “Best Haunted House in NC,” awarded by both North Carolina Haunts and North Carolina Haunted Houses. They have been featured on many well-known news programs and in magazines. Additionally, Pizza Hut, Clear Creek, and Pepsi are notable sponsors for this season. This is all to say that The Haunted Farm has a wide reach, and that reach is being used to help heal and support a community hit hard by Helena. The messages of encouragement on their social media sites and website aren’t meant just for the community, fans, and first-time attendees. Its purpose is to set an example for others to follow. 

The Haunted Farm will reopen in 2025.