Lee, N.H. Haunt Projects $30,000 Visitors and $800,000 Charitable Gift

The Haunted Overload in Lee, New Hampshire, projects a total attendance of 30,000 visitors for the current season. Owner Eric Lowther stated this figure reflects the expected turnout for the Halloween weekend events. The attraction operates on a 5.5-acre wooded section of a local farm.

Lowther runs the operation as a volunteer-driven enterprise. The production employs eighty actors who work without pay. This model allows the business to direct funds toward a specific charitable cause. The organization has donated over $800,000 to the Pope Memorial Humane Society in Dover over the years. Lowther noted that the volunteers participate for the passion of the holiday rather than for a paycheck.

The physical infrastructure of the show requires substantial material inputs. The trail features between 250 and 350 hand-carved, lit jack-o'-lanterns. Because the pumpkins decay within one to two weeks, the team must carve them three times per season. Lighting the entire collection takes approximately one hour. The production also trucks in thousands of pounds of corn stalks for the set.

Major structural elements define the visitor experience. The site includes a 50-foot pumpkin structure that took three years to build. A 35-foot skull and a 15-foot spooky tree carving also stand along the path. A giant vampire dollhouse and a castle complete the landscape. Lowther described the production as an artistic endeavor rather than a standard scare attraction, citing his art school background.

The operating season spans from March to October 1. The staff, who hold other jobs, work on the site during weekends and Mondays. Lowther described this preparation period as grueling. The current timing represents the end of the high-stress construction phase. The team is now focused on the final performances of the season.

Actor training involves seminars led by the stage manager and veterans. New participants learn techniques for creating fear. Some actors come from theater backgrounds and perform effectively immediately. Lowther observed that improvised scares often outperform planned ones. He stated that every crowd reacts differently and that a specific scare tactic may fail one night and succeed the next.

The show offers different intensity levels for visitors. The main trail provides a high-fear experience with fog and subwoofers. Daytime and lite shows accommodate guests who want to see the display with less fright. The outdoor setting allows for natural elements like moonlight and weather to influence the atmosphere.