Grey Blackwell was raised on a farm, and tirelessly worked the fields while helping with the family dairy business. From a young age, he learned the value of hard work. So after graduating from NC State in 1992 Grey headed south to grow his own career by moving to Atlanta and making a name for himself as a graphic artist for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. His career then brought him back to North Carolina and a stint in the graphics department of the Raleigh News & Observer. It was after being "downsized" that he started to think about again creating a life on the farm. But given his creative background, his plans were a bit unique. Today, Grey now owns and runs one of the most popular Halloween haunted attractions in the state.
"After leaving the N&O I’ve continued to freelance as a graphic designer. I keep busy, but it also frees me up to create the Haunt Farm," explains Grey. The idea of the Haunt Farm was met with a bit of skepticism at first. This skepticism only grew larger when he explained the concept of the Haunt Farm to his parents. It was highly reminiscent of the scene in Field of Dreams when Kevin Costner announces that he is going to plow under the corn. "It certainly caught them off guard," Grey says with a smile, "But once we sat down and walked through the plan, we started to realize "yea, we can do this.’" Still, it took some doing to get it up and running. Like Costner’s corn baseball field, with the Haunt if you build it they will come, but first you have to build it.
Work commenced during the summer of 2015 – this consisted of clearing brush, repairing old barns and sheds, and laying the groundwork for opening night. After a lot of sweat, sunburn, bug bites and poison ivy, Granville Haunt Farm opened that October. And like the scene out of Field of Dreams, the crowds showed up in full force. Haunt Farm was an immediate hit.
"We were pleasantly surprised by the turn out that first year," says Grey. "People seemed to really embrace the idea."
Attendance has grown steadily ever since, making it an October tradition for many families. Grey started with three attractions to the Haunt: Corn Maze, Haunted Trail and Zombie Paintball Hayride. As the Haunt grew, he added an Escape Room in an old tobacco barn on the property.
Last year, the pandemic forced quite a change in the gears of the Granville Haunt Farm. In an effort to adhere to the Governor’s executive order, the event hosted their first ever Drive-Through Haunted Trail. While staying safe inside their vehicles, customers were able to journey down a path filled with the sights and sounds of their favorite scary movies. The overwhelmingly positive response from this event paired with ongoing Covid concerns has led Grey to do it again–with some exciting new changes. Now, it will be called the "Drive-Through Drive-In", where eager participants will drive through a giant movie screen which comes to life on the other side. Engaging, thrilling, and exciting new scenes will be added along, followed by a new twist on some old favorites.
The decision to completely reorganize the Haunt last year did not come easily. Ongoing pandemic fears created a year of uncertainty. In fact, Grey wasn’t even sure he’d be able to open at all. But news of a drive-through haunted attraction in Japan caught Grey’s eye on social media, and the rest is history. After the state announced that the NC State Fair would be closed due to Covid-19, Grey decided to make the tough decision to change course. Unsurprisingly, the response to the drive-through idea was overwhelmingly positive both on social media and by the community.
Granville Haunt Farm will be open every Friday and Saturday in October, and on Sunday, Oct. 31st (Halloween). Tickets are based on the number of people in the vehicle, starting at $10 per person. Discounts kick in when more passengers are in the vehicle. Purchasing tickets in advance online is encouraged not only for a completely contactless experience but also to reserve your date and time to attend and avoid the long lines and traffic. For more information on this Uniquely Carolina treat visit www.granvillehauntfarm.com