‘I spent an evening at Screamfest – it left me with a feverish adrenaline rush and a huge smile’
It’s not the usual way I’d choose to spend a Friday night – being chased around by cannibals with chainsaws or defending a farm from a deadly alien invasion, especially not in the Burton countryside. But Screamfest at the National Forest Adventure Farm this Halloween is a wonderfully nightmarish experience, and if you think you’d enjoy a night of constant adrenaline-fueled horror, it’s definitely worth a trip.
The event attracts more than 30,000 visitors every year to the venue located just over the South Derbyshire border, having evolved into a mini-festival type experience with food and drink stalls scattered around, fairground and live band blaring out rock music – all providing the perfect backdrop to what is a very chaotic night.
As soon as my friend and I arrived, we were met in the car park with a chilling wave from a killer clown, causing many a scream as unsuspecting arrivals made their way to the queue. The whole atmosphere is geared up brilliantly from the get-go and ramps up as you make your way into the site.
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We were introduced to “Big Momma” wielding a blood-stained knife, an evil nun with a sinister smile, a newlywed woman who’d just killed – and then ate – her husband, sadistic zombies and various other Hallowe’en staples. You’ll often find yourself bumping into them throughout the night. I was relieved when I was told I wasn’t husband material by the cannibal wife, only for a puppeteer clown to wander over and torment me as I tried to enjoy my strawberry waffle.
And this is just the forerunner to the six scare attractions which Ivor Robinson, who co-founded Screamfest along with his brother Tom, describes as “movie sets.” The pair have made trips to the USA to different scare conventions to keep the attractions up-to-date and poach ideas from their contemporaries across the pond.
Their new 2024 creation, Hellcatraz, is, according to Ivor, their “most intense scare yet”. I was immediately cast into a pitch black, tiny prison cell, isolated from everyone else as a harrowing voice warns you that surviving should be your main priority.
At this moment, I was seriously contemplating my life choices – before the door behind me flung open, and I was ordered to run, as I felt hands touching my hair and grabbing my arm. My mind couldn’t keep up with my body as I bypassed screaming prisoners and pits of fire before getting on my hands and knees and manoeuvring my way through a caged tunnel.
Hellcatraz is said to “transport visitors to a place far worse than hell” and is the first maze introduced by the farm where the actors are allowed to touch visitors. It’s over before you know it, such is its intensity, but I was left with a feverish adrenaline rush and a huge smile, itching to take on the next maze.
We made our way to Hillbilly Joe’s Zombee Zoo and, although more light-hearted and humorous, was no less bonkers – with a zombie pig and even a zombie Santa waiting to greet you. Also on the more amusing end of the scare spectrum is Freakout on Tour, where killer clowns have taken over an abandoned “fun house”.
The seemingly endless mirrors, strobe lights and smoke effects all conjure up a frantic atmosphere and, for the most part, you have absolutely no idea what’s happening. It’s nonetheless incredibly fun and I came out of this one laughing hysterically. If you’re into gore and blood, then Creed Farm is a must. After entering a pitch-black tunnel with only a rope for a guide, visitors walk through a cornfield entering various buildings along the way and bear witness to people begging to be saved from cannibals that inhabit the place. Oh, and I can’t forget all the dismembered body parts scattered around!
With the backdrop of fire and the profuse smell of petrol, this one is fierce. It all builds to a crescendo of being harassed and chased out by two men with chainsaws. Let’s just say a drinks break was required after that. The most narrative-driven and, in my opinion, the best maze is Insomnia. While waiting in line, you are introduced to young Tabatha and her nightmare surrounding “Cracker Jack”.
The maze feels like a journey through her mind, wandering the eerie streets of Victorian Britain, taking a trip to a mad dentist and weaving through a dark forest with figures waiting to jump out. It really captured the feeling of how random and terrifying a nightmare can be – especially as a child.
Last, but certainly not least, our final stop was at Area 52. Armed with paint balls we were the last line of resistance to murderous aliens attempting to invade the farm. They run out from behind various objects laid out like checkpoints as you are told to fire at will.
Rather unfortunately, I ran out of ammo before the final shootout thanks to my trigger finger getting a little too excited shooting the other aliens. Although after the night I’d had, who could blame me? Screamfest runs on October 17, 18 and 19, then each night from October 24 to November 2 (excluding Monday October 28). There is a £5 discount on entry prices for University of Derby students with the code STUDENTUNION5.