If you ask any fan of thrill and horror about the best (and scariest) haunted house in Northern Virginia, Shocktober is sure to be on the list. Unfortunately, the historic home for this beloved occasion, the Carlheim Manor, can no longer hold the event, impelling The Arc of Loudoun, an advocacy organization dedicated to serving people with disabilities that receives much of its fundraising from this annual event, to create a new Shocktober party.
The owners of Paxton Campus have donated use of the property to The Arc of Loudoun since 2008, but they plan to bring multiple nonprofit organizations that serve children onto the campus, so Carlheim Manor no longer available for The Arc’s use, according to Lisa Kimball, The Arc’s CEO.
“We explored several alternate locations, but our Haunt Master determined that none were suitable — leaving The Arc with a projected $500,000 net loss for the year,” Kimball says. “Because the need for advocacy, education, therapy, and support for people with disabilities and their families in our region continues to grow exponentially, we needed to find a creative way to raise funds without our beloved Haunted House.”
Fortunately, the Ion International Training Center, a year-round, indoor ice rink and arena, is teaming up with The Arc to carry on the legacy with a Shocktober-themed Haunt Party. In addition to the party, the band They Might Be Giants will be joining for a live concert to help raise funds for the organization.
Presale tickets for Shocktober fans launch on August 6, and ticket sales for the general public begin on August 12. You can purchase your tickets here.
Feature image courtesy Shocktober
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