The Arc of Loudoun is the latest local organization to make the difficult decision to cancel its largest in-person fundraising event, Shocktober, in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Instead, the Leesburg-based nonprofit will offer virtual experiences like livestreamed celebrity-hosted events, online Shocktober Haunt classes, a “Why We Shock” fundraising campaign and more. While more details are on the way, the all-virtual Shocktober is sure to continue frightening NoVA residents and visitors alike from their computer screens.
“With these virtual options to experience Shocktober, we hope our community and Shock fans around the world will enjoy supporting our life-transforming work while planning their in-person 2021 visits to the haunted Carlheim Manor in Leesburg, Virginia,” CEO of The Arc of Loudoun Lisa Kimball said in a recent press release.
Typically, Shocktober provides critical revenue (over $3.5 million since 2010) needed to support Arc of Loudoun’s mission—to advocate for, educate, serve and support people with disabilities and their families—as it brings in thousands of individuals from Northern Virginia and beyond for nearly a month of haunted evenings at the Leesburg site. Plus, it gives local high school students the opportunity to volunteer, act and interact with Arc of Loudoun families.
In the past, the event has received national recognition, including being named the fifth most terrifying haunted house in the country by Travel + Leisure and a top haunted house in Virginia by Cosmopolitan.
Learn more about Northern Virginia’s upcoming attractions, virtual events and more by subscribing to our newsletters.
