After nearly three decades of jump scares and fog machines in Powell, FrightWorks is about to go dark at its longtime home. The haunted attraction will close at its current location after the building it occupies was sold, with a no-actor walkthrough set for Friday, July 10, a final full show on Saturday, July 11, and a hard move-out deadline of July 31. The team is scrambling to raise money to dismantle, move and store its sets while it searches for a new home, and what happens to the haunt after July is still up in the air.
Building sale forces sudden exit
Organizers say the property owner has sold the building and wants the space delivered tenant-free, so FrightWorks negotiated a short extension to stay through July 31, according to WVLT. In a post cited by the station, FrightWorks told fans, “What happens next is still uncertain. We are actively looking for a new home and exploring every opportunity to keep FrightWorks alive in some form.” They add that opening again this October is only possible if a suitable location, funding and approvals all fall into place very quickly.
Final weekend, tickets and moving fund
The FrightWorks website lists a “no-actor” walk-through from 6 to 9 p.m. on July 10 and a final full show from 7 to 11 p.m. on July 11, and notes that season passes will be honored on both nights, according to FrightWorks. The site also features a “Support FrightWorks Moving Fund” option to help cover the cost of dismantling, storage and rebuilding if a new spot is secured. Organizers are urging fans to grab tickets for the farewell weekend to help shoulder those relocation bills.
A regional Halloween staple in limbo
FrightWorks has been scaring East Tennessee since 1999 and has grown into both a Halloween tradition and a kind of hands-on workshop for volunteer builders and show crews, WVLT reports. That history makes the sudden displacement feel like more than a routine real-estate shuffle for the local haunt community. Recreating a warehouse-scale production takes a lot of square footage, permits and months of build time, all of which are tough to squeeze in before the October rush.
How to help or follow updates
FrightWorks is asking anyone with leads on suitable warehouse space, storage options or potential funding to get in touch, and to keep an eye on its social media channels and website for news. For now, the group says the most direct way to help is to attend the July 10 and 11 events or donate to the moving fund through the FrightWorks site, which also handles ticket sales. We will update this article if the group secures a new location or if the building owner issues a statement.
