Are you ready for a scary story?

One of the most infamous tales in Pickerington’s history tells of a local man exploiting Chinese railroad workers in the late 1800s. Rumor has it the man took advantage of cultural barriers and bilked workers out of money during poker games at their camp, located off of what is now Center Street. Eventually the workers realized the man cheated and murdered him with an ax. They then buried him under the Pickerington Heating and Cooling building.

This chilling tale is one of a handful that will be revisited during the annual Haunted Village on Columbus Street in Olde Pickerington Village from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28.

This is the fourth year for the Halloween-themed event, headed by the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department with assistance from the Olde Pickerington Village Business Association.

For the first time this year, the Haunted Village also will be co-sponsored by Rock Factory Art and Music Studios, a relatively new business in Pickerington that teaches music and art to kids.

“It worked out well to get the Rock Factory on board because one of their personnel also works at the Scare Factory, which specializes in scare tactics on a national level. It’s definitely a good fit,” says Don Ross, recreation coordinator for the parks and recreation department.

That’s not to say the entire two hours will be full of gore and fright. There will be something for everyone, including haunted ghost tours for older patrons and hayrides and craft areas for the kids. The Haunted Village will also feature storytelling, booths, food, music and trick-or-treating throughout participating Olde Pickerington businesses.

“The trick-or-treating is obviously one of the biggest draws. The merchants have lines out into the streets and they’re dressed up, too, handing out candy. It’s really neat to see everyone getting involved,” Ross says.

The Haunted Village is purposefully scheduled a day before Pickerington’s beggar’s night, so that kids in the area can get as many treats as possible. But the candy isn’t the only reason 3,000 to 4,000 people show up to the event each year.

Adults are drawn to the haunted ghost tours that take place at sites where strange, ethereal events have occurred in Pickerington history. Costumed re-enactors tell their “stories” at each site, all of which are close to the main activity center.

“We have about 10 scripts, with participants in costume on the sites these stories supposedly happened. We feature a few scripts each year so we know that most everyone will see and hear something different from the last couple of years,” Ross says. “All of the stories are geared toward something that happened in Pickerington’s past. The local history brings people in and interests them. We don’t do the blood and gore and we don’t do something that’s not based on a real story. There is an intrigue in learning about these ghost stories from your hometown.”

The haunted tours are considered too intense for younger crowds, who are usually too busy with the candy and hay rides, anyway. Ross says the gamut of activities catering to all ages is why the event has been successful thus far. He expects the turnout to be no different this year.

“This is an event that combines entertainment and education and people like that sort of thing,” Ross says. “It has a heavy focus on local stories and people like that, too. And, of course, there’s candy, which is why the kids like it.”

All events are free for the evening except for the food vendors. In the event of rain, the Haunted Village will be canceled. For more information, call the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department at 614-833-2211.

Alicia Kelso is a contributing editor for Pickerington Magazine.

INFO:
New features for this year’s Haunted Village include a Haunted Garden and Rock Factory Unplugged. The Haunted Garden, presented by the Rock Factory, is a walk-through experience featuring a myriad of ghosts, gravestones, monsters and other scary and humorous Halloween icons. The Rock Factory Unplugged is a performance stage for anyone costumed as a famous entertainer to sing or play (acoustically) a song made famous by that entertainer/group.


When You Go
The 4th Annual Haunted Village
WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28
WHERE: East Columbus Street in Olde Pickerington Village
COST: Free, except for food vendors
FOR MORE INFO: Call 614-833-2211
SPONSORED BY: Pickerington Parks and Recreation, Olde Pickerington Village Business Association and the Rock Factory, with contributing sponsor the Pickerington Lions Club