17 Oct 2025
Matt Adams goes in search of scares at Redbourn’s Herts Showground…
A chainsaw-wielding maniac from America’s Deep South scythes his weapon so close to our faces we can smell the engine oil, before vanishing back into the shadows of his family’s ramshackle home in search of further victims…
Colonists infected by an alien virus which drives them into a bloodthirsty frenzy stalk the corridors of a space ship on a journey to a distant planet, hungry for human flesh…
Spectral sisters garbed in antiquated wedding dresses glide through the autumn fields while an escapee from an institution for the criminally insane tries and fails to blend in amongst the crowds…
Just your average evening at Herts County Showground then.
In complete contrast to its annual displays of cattle and tractors, the Redbourn site is currently hosting the inaugural Halloween Haunt Fest, an immersive event bringing audiences face-to-face with their worst nightmares in four high intensity scare mazes aiming to take your nerves to the edge of breaking.
It didn’t take much convincing for eldest daughter Anwen to agree to be my plus-one at Thursday’s press night, showcasing the event to journalists and influencers from across the UK and beyond, and we were both looking forward to being completely scared out of our wits.
The build-up to our first maze, based on 1974 horror movie classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, had us on tenterhooks with anticipation, with the security guard warning us that we’d perhaps be better off trying one of the other mazes first, as this was undoubtedly the most intense out of all the experiences.
Our small group of 10 found ourselves entering a run-down redneck homestead in the depths of Texas’ woody backwaters, only to discover it was home to a family of in-bred cannibals intent on finding their next meals. At least that’s what I perceived was going on…
As it was there was a lot of screaming, shouting and sawing, with the actors employed for the maze doing their best to freak us out, but ultimately proving more over-the-top than scary. Shuffling between darkened rooms where brutal and bloody scenarios were being played out before our eyes, you had to pay close attention to work out what was going on, and those at the back often missed out on some of the scripted dialogue.
Anwen and I ended up going back for a second visit later in the evening, by which time the cast had bedded into their performances and were a lot less manic, but there were still some missed opportunities when it came to potential jump scares and what should have been a disturbing and twisted experience lacked the suspense and build-up of the original film, with even the iconic Leatherface missing some of the marauding menace which thrust him into the status of horror movie icon.
Next up was a visit to E.D.E.N, supposedly the gateway to ‘Earth 2’ via an interstellar journey spent in cryogenic suspension. But mankind’s fresh start on a new world is tainted by an emergency en route, which sees members of the ship’s crew transformed into brain-hungry zombies. Again, I’m speculating here, as this was a chaotic escape through a single room with a handful of infected colonists, and was over before you really knew what was going on.
The remaining two mazes – Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, based on the 2023 slasher sequel to the lovable children’s stories, and The Trials of Jane Wenham – The Hertfordshire Witch – were running late, so we took some time out from the scares to explore the rest of the site.
Alongside a decent array of food outlets was the Phantom Funfair, a live DJ tent, and a host of sinister street theatre including a skeletal fire-breather, a decrepit old lady, and another chainsaw-wielding maniac who took great delight in chasing members of the public around the site, much to the amusement of everyone watching.
The prices weren’t too steep, and Anwen persuaded me to accompany her on two of the rides, both of which wreaked havoc on my equilibrium and left me wanting to throw up afterwards. I really can’t deal with being thrown around like a sock in a washing machine…
Once my balance had been restored, we headed back to explore the other two mazes, the first promising to bring horror to the Hundred Acre Wood, and the other revealing the story of a local woman accused of witchcraft in 1712, and now seeking revenge…
Unfortunately, the staff member at the Jane Wenham maze had no idea when it would be kicking off, and after several false starts at the Pooh maze it seemed there was no sign it was opening any time soon.
So we reluctantly left after hanging around for an hour waiting for them to get underway, which means it is difficult to provide a comprehensive review covering the whole Haunt Fest experience. Communication about the delays was limited, and there were a lot of other people milling around wondering how long to wait before giving up on the queues and heading home.
With similar fright nights available at the likes of Thorpe Park and Alton Towers, there really needs to be a strong USP for people to come somewhere lacking the high-octane rides of a theme park, and it’s questionable whether Halloween Haunt Fest has what it takes based on what we experienced.
Who knows, the other two mazes might deliver the fear factor and live up to the hype surrounding this event, but we couldn’t hang around for hours on a cold October evening waiting to find out.
It’s also fair to say that this was really a preview ahead of the official opening, allowing the organisers time to fix any snags ahead of the proper launch, but surely you’d want to get it right when your audience was made up of members of the press and social media content creators, if only to guarantee some decent reviews?
And the cast members were obviously very enthusiastic, delivering performances which showed they were really buying into their roles, it’s just that the overall set-up didn’t really lend itself to delivering the “heart-pounding, high-intensity horror” promised in the publicity materials.
The sets were over-lit and overcrowded, with any potential feelings of claustrophobia overridden by the annoyance of banging into the scenery. Too much was happening at one moment, the sound balance was off so dialogue was frequently missed, and there needed to be more focus on developing a growing sense of menace before hitting you with the big pay-off.
As it was Anwen and I left the showground somewhat disappointed that the most terrifying part of the night was the funfair rides, but cautiously optimistic that this is an event which has the potential to develop and grow over time, so certainly wouldn’t rule out a return visit.
Halloween Haunt Fest is at Hertfordshire Showground in Dunstable Road from October 17-November 1, from 4.30-10.30pm, extended to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
For tickets see www.HalloweenHauntFest.co.uk
