Welcome to Fright High

Spooky barns, haunted houses and frightful high schools. These are things that are around all year but they become of particular interest when Halloween begins to roll around. Around my area people are beginning to ask what the Midwest has to offer this year. I have one place that is kid friendly and will shock the viewers into a scare they will remember. Fright High; located on route 41 into Abingdon, Illinois at 202 West Snyder Street, is going on their third year of screams and terrors. Now we all know that high school can be scary enough, but a haunted house run out of an old, closed-down high school is just brilliant.
Fright High opened up this year on the first weekend of October after months of preparation and design. I was lucky enough to get to interview two of the busy crew after their first weekend and find out their expectations and experiences for their first week and their third year.
Chris Miller, 28, is a resident of Galesburg, Illinois and a volunteer ghoul at Fright High and is whisked away into the excitement every weekend after tough shifts at his day job. When I asked him what he thought of the outcome for the first weekend of Fright High this year, he responded, “I think the numbers may have been down from last year but it didn’t help us with all of the Homecoming activities going on around us last weekend.” Don’t worry Chris, now that Homecoming is over there is no doubt your numbers will expand. I also asked Chris what his personal favorite part of Fright High was so far and his response was typical but of course full of good humor. “I’m going to be a little bias and say my favorite part is my area but all and all I say every part in Fright High is great and full of scares.” Thank you for the boasting Chris and I know I will be sure to check it out.
In a later interview I got to sit down with Rob McDorman, 36, one of Fright High’s creators and this year a volunteer coordinator and general manager. When asked what his hopes and expectations for the year was, he replied, “As always, my hopes are to entertain the public as well as our volunteers. I hope that Fright High really touches the community in a further positive way as it was for its past 2 years. ” A touching comment from one of the originators.When asked about his volunteers this year compared to the years before he also stated, “Each year our volunteer base has gotten better and better. This year, that statement holds the same. We had a good amount of new volunteers and a large amount of returning volunteers.” It looks like the community loves to scare as much as they love to be scared!
As well as adding a few new scare spots to their tour this year and changing around the design, they have some new rooms added to surely scare those big and strong types that wouldn’t jump with their friend’s around. Fright High is only $6.00 to attend and an attraction known as Doctor Strange is free for kids. Food and drinks are available for purchase at the entrance and I am assured that there is plenty of parking for everyone. Their hours and directions to the location can be found on their official website at www.frighthigh.com. Wear your own costumes, bring your boyfriends to hold onto and get ready for a thrilling fright at Abingdon, Illinois’s Fright High. Assured to be one of the scariest haunted schools in the area.