Vaulhaunted is returning again this Halloween season, with a new event and new theme: the Zombie Run and a Harry Potter theme! The Performing Arts Club (PAC) and International Thespian Society (ITS) will be teaming up with the Harry Potter Club to create Irvington’s annual haunted house, Valhaunted. This year, it is inspired by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Organizers hope to utilize some of the more frightening aspects of the franchise, so expect death eaters and dementors. On one of the weekends Valhaunted is open, there will also be a Zombie Run, a collaboration between Mission Spartan and Irvington’s Center for Creative Arts (CCA). It will feature an obstacle course used in Saturday Spartan runs with the addition of plenty of zombies. Volunteers, some of who will also be working at Valhaunted, will chase visitors throughout the course, adding excitement and creating a challenge.

Valhaunted will be a collaborative effort that extends outside of Harry Potter Club, ITS, PAC, CCA, and Mission Spartan. Stagecraft, a seventh period class that builds all the sets for Irvington’s musicals and plays, will be making the costumes for this event. Instructed by set designer Beth Ziegler  and costume designer Liz Whitaker, students are learning how to make clothes straight out of the Wizarding World. Previous members of the Valhaunted team are also returning to help.
Senior Angela Chan, co president of Harry Potter Club, is looking forward to this year’s Valhaunted. “It’s a theme that is already easy to publicize and targets a specific audience,” said Chan. “Because Harry Potter is such a big thing, I think it can attract people outside our school, and incentivize people in our school who aren’t already interested in Valhuanted.”

The event will be suitable for all ages. While Valhaunted will be just as delightfully frightening as it has been in past years, there will also be “Good Fairy” evenings. During these evenings, a “good fairy” will walk with younger children and help reduce fear, maintaining a kid-friendly level of scary.

ITS member senior Simran Sen, who was part of last year’s Valhaunted team, is excited for the multiple upcoming collaborations between clubs. “The amount of students able to volunteer their time and effort and skills in any aspect of the process, from tech, to costumes, to performing, will make it a truly fun experience,” said Sen.

Bring your broomstick and running shoes, and don’t let yourself be hit by a ‘confundus’ charm. These innovative takes on the classic Vallhaunted and Spartan Race events are sure to be amazing!