LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -- It may only be September, but it's the start of the Halloween season for many businesses in our area.
That includes haunted houses and hayrides. One of Lancaster County's biggest haunted attractions opens tomorrow night and others in the area the next few weekends.
Kim's Krypt Haunted Mill and Field of Screams attract people from all over Pennsylvania and even people from out of state to get a fright. Officials say Central Pennsylvania is actually a haunt destination so you'll begin to hear about a lot of places opening in the next couple weeks.
"Fires, flames, loud noises, mutated guys just running rampid out here," said Jim Schopf, co-owner of Field of Screams.
Field of Screams will bring more than 50,000 scare lovers from near and far into Lancaster County for a fright.
"They come from Maryland, delaware, New York, New Jersey, Ohio," said Schopf.
And all of those visitors means a boost for the local economy, according to Schopf – the attraction hires locally and partners with food venues and hotels.
"Hundreds of rooms every year. Some of the restaurants stay open later," he said.
Haunted attractions all across Central Pennsylvania bring in scary good benefits for the area, like in York County at Kim's Krypt Haunted Mill where local food vendors make a profit during the haunted season.
"They get to set up their food trucks here, and they just stay, and it's a really good time," said Kim Yates, owner.
While haunted houses and hayrides may not be for everyone, for some, like Yates, it's the best part of living in Central Pennsylvania.
"A lot of people they might come to ours one night and go to somebody else on a Saturday night and just a make a weekend of the different attractions in the area, and that's what it's all about, you know?" she said.
Field of Screams opens tomorrow night, and Kim's Krypt Haunted Mill opens in two weekends.