Your normal, everyday multi-purpose athletic facility is going to be under the spell of ghosts, goblins and ghouls on Friday. The good news is that it’s just going to be for a few hours.

The better news is that it’s going to be a lot of fun.

Servus Credit Union Place hosts its fifth annual Halloween Haunt on Friday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. It’s the largest annual event for the facility, seeing approximately 3,000 spooky souls partake in the festivities, delight in delicious treats and scare up some cool crafts too.

It’s a monster smash with the younger crowd, according to Nicole Pearson, the facility’s marketing and communications co-ordinator.

“We usually get about 1,300 to 1,500 kids that come out for it,” she stated. “This is really our big deal. It’s just a fun event; it’s a great one that the community really comes out for. We get to see all of the kids in their costumes and everything.”

Having been to every edition of the Haunt, she knows it’s a real blast for everyone, even though she and other staff members have to work the various stations.

“It’s a really good event for our staff. It is really fun. It’s a carnival theme this year so if you like clowns, you might not like them when you’re finished.”

The special activities that will be set up for the evening include a haunted house, a photo booth, a creepy, crawly petting zoo courtesy of Paradise Pets, a mad scientist lab (for the younger patrons), inflatable castles, plus games and activities – including some new ones – for all ages. Two large Frankenstein and skeleton dummies are missing the tops of their heads in a basketball game where players have to shoot the brain into the cavity in order to score points.

Since Edmonton’s Scarecrow Festival has been cancelled after its 20th and final year, Servus Place has been able to acquire its inflatable haunted house, something that Pearson advises parents to heed the warnings about.

“It’s pretty scary. It’s meant for older or brave kids. There’s an inflatable ghost that sticks out as guests go through, and different things like that.”

If big spooks aren’t to your child’s interests, then she says the mad scientist lab is probably a better bet. Watch out for the witches though, she warns.

“It was a mad scientist area but the witches have actually taken it over this year. The witches will be in there doing a little skit that’s good for the younger kids.”

The kids can also decorate cookies while the older kids can try their hands at carving pumpkins supplied by Sobeys.

The Landrex Water Play Centre, fitness centre, Kingsway Toyota Children’s Play Area and the leisure ice will remain open and available for use as usual during the event. One of the gymnasiums will also be available for normal athletic use.

Admission is free for parents (unless they will be accessing the pool or other amenities) but the regular drop-in rate or membership fee does apply to children.

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