Students at Morton East High School are gearing up for this year’s Fright Fest at Six Flags!

According to the information available at https://amagicalmess.com/six-flags-fright-fest/, Fright Fest is the scariest time of the year at Six Flags. During Fright Fest, a 53-foot, 600-pound gorilla climbs the Sky Trek Tower, signaling the start of the event. This spectacle uses 1,600 yards of cheesecloth to create the illusion of spider webs around the park. To enhance the park’s eerie ambiance, 1,000 gallons of fog juice generate a mysterious rising fog effect throughout the area. A significant amount of effort goes into making everything appear authentic, with 30 master makeup artists using 2,500 ounces of makeup and fake blood to transform actors every night. To create the spine-chilling atmosphere of Fright Fest, 250 zombies and monsters lurk in the midways and haunted attractions.

In a recent study of Morton East students, it was found that 55% of students stated they will not be attending Fright Fest, while the remaining 45% said they will be attending.

After interviewing some students and teachers, here’s what they had to say about Fright Fest:

“Two years ago, when I went to Fright Fest with some friends and family, the craziest thing I encountered was passing by the chainsaw area. I saw a little kid on the ground being targeted by a guy with a chainsaw, who seemed to be aiming it at the little kid on the ground. It was amusing, but it must have been terrifying for the little kid,” said senior Viviana Franco.

Fright Fest is all about the acting and how real the actors want to make it seem; their job is to scare people into believing it’s real.

“Two years ago, I went to Fright Fest for a field trip with Cyberservice here at Morton East. I did not enjoy it at all. All the kids went on the roller coasters, and I had to stay behind at the exits because I was irrationally scared of roller coasters. Clowns and some other people were trying to provoke me. After I got home, I was shaking so much. It was cold, raining, and I was tired,” said senior Gracey Paucar.

Not everyone has the best experiences with Fright Fest; that’s why some prefer to avoid it altogether.

“This will be my first time going as an adult, but when I was a very young kid, I remember going, and a clown with a chainsaw followed me down a path. That experience started my decades-long fear of clowns. The above experience is what stuck with me for 20 years… I now hate clowns. But the rides were fun,” said English teacher Ms. Leana Young.

Despite not having the best experience, Ms. Young will continue attending Fright Fest to create new memories!

“In the haunted house, there was this lady who had blood, was dirty, messy hair, a big creepy smile, and had a long dress that gave me nightmares after coming home from Fright Fest,” said Junior Melanie Desantiago.

“While being on a trail in the haunted house, I encountered a black box, and in the box, it looked like a person, but he was twisted. When I least expected it, he jumped out and started chasing me. I was so scared and out of breath!” said senior Yamileth Gandarilla.

After such events, Fright Fest has become such a popular event to go around the months of September and October. The festival has seen an increase in visitors every year due to the amount of fun everyone has!