Episode 24 - Rich Hunter

Every October, the West Alexander Fairgrounds transforms into one of Washington County’s favorite Halloween traditions—the West Alexander Scare Fair. Director Rich Hunter joins host Chase McClain on the WashCo Insider to share how an idea to fill a quiet time on the fairgrounds grew from a one-building haunt with a handful of actors into a full-scale attraction powered by dozens of volunteers. Rich takes us behind the scenes of building the haunt from scratch each year, explains the psychology behind a great scare, shares how young actors grow into leadership roles and offers a preview of what visitors can expect from the 2026 Scare Fair.

Behind the Scares at the West Alexander Scare Fair

Every October, something frightening happens at the West Alexander Fairgrounds.

The familiar fairgrounds in West Alexander, Pennsylvania, transform into the West Alexander Scare Fair, a full-scale haunted attraction that has become a Halloween tradition in Washington County. But long before the lights go down and the first screams echo through the buildings, a dedicated group of volunteers spends weeks creating an experience designed to surprise—and scare—visitors.

On Episode 24 of the WashCo Insider, host Chase McClain sits down with West Alexander Scare Fair Director Rich Hunter to discover how the attraction began, what it takes to build a haunted house from scratch and what visitors can expect during the 2026 Halloween season.

From a Small Haunted House to a Halloween Tradition

Hunter’s connection to the West Alexander Fairgrounds goes back much further than the Scare Fair.

Born and raised in West Alexander, Hunter still lives on his family farm and has served on the West Alexander Fair Board since the early 2000s. His family’s connection to the fair stretches across generations, including his grandfather, who served as president of the fair board for more than 50 years.

The idea for the Scare Fair came from a practical question: How could the fairgrounds create activity and revenue during a traditionally quiet part of the year?

After a friend suggested using the fairgrounds’ buildings for a haunted attraction, Hunter and a small committee received $3,000 to see if they could make the idea work.

That first Scare Fair consisted of one building, around 10 actors and just a few hundred visitors.

Fourteen seasons later, things look very different.

Hunter estimates the attraction has experienced approximately 10 to 12 percent growth each year since it opened. What began as a small experiment has grown into an established Halloween attraction drawing visitors to West Alexander each October.

A Completely New Haunted Attraction Every Year

One of the things that makes the West Alexander Scare Fair unusual is that virtually the entire attraction has to be rebuilt every year.

Unlike permanent haunted houses that can leave sets standing year-round, the West Alexander Fairgrounds hosts events throughout the spring and summer before welcoming the annual West Alexander Fair in September.

Once the fair ends, the clock starts ticking.

Cleanup happens on Sunday. Hunter and his team begin work on Monday. From there, they have only a few weeks to turn the fairgrounds into a haunted attraction.

The challenge also creates one of the Scare Fair’s greatest strengths: visitors don't experience exactly the same haunt year after year.

Rooms can move. Props can be repurposed. New scares can be introduced. Entire sections can change.

The result is a Halloween attraction that gives returning visitors something new to discover each October.

What Actually Scares People?

After watching thousands of people make their way through the Scare Fair, Hunter has learned an important lesson: everyone is afraid of something different.

Instead of building the attraction around one overarching theme, Scare Fair embraces a style reminiscent of haunted houses from the 1980s and 1990s. Visitors encounter a little bit of everything along the way.

There are actors, darkness, unexpected noises, tight spaces, animatronics and plenty of surprises.

But Hunter says one thing works on almost everyone—the fear of the unknown.

Creating anticipation without letting visitors know exactly what is coming next can make even a simple effect incredibly effective.

Sometimes one of the least expensive scares gets one of the biggest reactions. Hunter points to a motion-activated air cannon as an example. Put it somewhere dark where visitors are expecting something much larger, and a sudden blast of air can provide exactly the unexpected jolt needed to make them jump.

Scare Fair has also become particularly well known for its clowns, with an entire building dedicated to them in addition to appearances elsewhere throughout the attraction.

The Volunteers Behind the Scares

The Scare Fair wouldn't happen without its volunteers.

Approximately 60 to 80 volunteers help bring the attraction to life, with security representing the haunt's only paid staff.

Many of those volunteers are high school students who give up Friday and Saturday nights during the fall to become actors inside the attraction. Others have been part of the Scare Fair for more than a decade.

For Hunter, watching young volunteers develop is one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

Some arrive quiet and unsure of themselves before discovering a completely different personality once they step into character. Over time, actors can progress into running rooms, overseeing entire sections of the attraction and mentoring newer volunteers.

That community of volunteers has become as much a part of the West Alexander Scare Fair story as the scares themselves.

What's New at the 2026 West Alexander Scare Fair?

Because Scare Fair is rebuilt each year, much of the attraction will be new for 2026.

Hunter says visitors can expect new maze areas, including dark mazes, along with plenty of redesigned spaces and surprises.

And somewhere inside the Scare Fair, visitors may even encounter a particularly convincing Bigfoot.

Exactly where?

You'll have to find out for yourself.

Visit the West Alexander Scare Fair

The 2026 West Alexander Scare Fair opens Friday, October 9 and operates every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 to 10 p.m., concluding on Halloween night.

General admission is $18 for adults and $12 for children. Groups of 10 or more can receive discounted admission, and groups can reserve one of the attraction’s fire pits at no additional cost, subject to availability.

Visitors who survive their first trip through the haunt can also keep their ticket stub and return through the attraction again that same night for $5 per trip.

Two small escape rooms are also available for an additional $5 each.

For families looking for something a little less frightening, Scare Fair will also offer a special lights-on experience on Sunday, October 18. During the event, the haunt's doors will be open and the lights will be on, with no actors, active animatronics or jump scares. Children can explore the scenery and participate in a trunk-or-treat experience in the parking lot.

Scare Fair generally isn't recommended for children ages eight and younger, although Hunter emphasizes that parents know their children and their tolerance for scares best.

Hear the Full Story on the WashCo Insider

From a $3,000 experiment to a Halloween tradition powered by dozens of volunteers, the West Alexander Scare Fair is a story about much more than haunted houses.

Hear Rich Hunter share the story behind the scares, the people who make the attraction possible and what visitors can expect this October on Episode 24 of the WashCo Insider, presented by the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency.