Attraction Review: Burton Screamfest
Popping up every October at the National Forest Adventure Farm just outside of Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire, Screamfest is a rustic, classic-style Halloween scream park hosting five themed scare mazes as well as interactive horror experiences, live music, rides, street entertainment and more. As with all of these events, there's only so many I can squeeze in every year so after a year away in 2023 I was very keen to get back to the farm to dive back into some old favourites but, most anticipatedly, to experience their brand new for 2024 maze: Hellcatraz.
We visited on a Thursday night, which I don't think I've done before and would absolutely be something I'd recommend. We had a fantastic time, the event was fully operational and we got to experience everything you'd get on a weekend visit but with a fraction of the crowds, meaning we could really take our time and soak it all in without feeling too pressured or overwhelmed to cram everything in.
The event is quite 'extreme' in the vibe it creates: there's heavy dubstep playing, beers flowing, a street team of unhinged actors interjecting filth and jumpscares into conversations you're having as you gather with friends and terrifying jack-o-lantern scarecrows looming over you as escaped inmates cage dance in the background. Cosy, autumnal vibes this ain't, but if you're looking for something with a bit of edge Screamfest absolutely has you covered.
The line-up was largely similar to my last visit to Screamfest back in 2022, so I'll link you to my thoughts on those here as my thoughts on these remain the same as not much, if anything, has changed in those attractions we've experienced before. Instead, I'm going to focus the bulk of my review on sharing my thoughts with you about the two new-for-me things we got to experience this time round.
As extraterrestrstrial beings escape from containment after 100 years, we must take up arms and join the operation to take out the threat and save the world. And by that I mean, get on a trailer hooked up with guns that's pulled along by a tractor and shoot the hell out of some 'aliens' with paintballs. And yes, it is as fun as it sounds. It's all very silly and camp - I loved the pre-show that took itself deadly seriously juxtaposed with the grand reveal of the tractor slowly lumbering around the corner.
We board, load up, and drive through several scenes with light 'apocalyptic' theming with barrels, corrugated iron and general debris for the 'aliens' to shield themselves with and let rip. The attraction is a £10 upcharge and I believe you get roughly 60 paintballs included with that, which you do get through very quickly if you're trigger happy and keen to void the world of the threat of alien scum like I am, but you can purchase refills live on board if you'd like to (believe me, you will want to).
As silly and tongue-in-cheek as the whole setup was, this was just so much fun. I was a bit sceptical of the whole thing initially - it sounded faffy to me and I was also concerned at the ethics surrounding the premise of shooting painful paintballs at what I presumed would be teenage scare actors on minimum wage. But my fears were quickly quelled as the pre-show and loading onto the actual mission vehicle (tractor trailer) took about five minutes and I found out after-the-fact that we were indeed not shooting at reluctant scare actors but actually at members of a local rugby team who a) volunteered for this and b) absolutely love every second of it. So great, fun all round and something I'd highly recommend for the small upcharge!
Listen, if there was ever an attraction set up for failure with me personally, it was always going to be Hellcatraz. I mean, how dare you stand where she stood? And by she, I of course mean my beloved Love Hurts, my all time favourite scare mazes and one I've had a pretty intense connection with since the first time I darkened its doorways, and one I was devastated to see leave the line-up of Screamfest following my last visit in 2022. So with that in mind, please understand the significance intended when I say that Hellcatraz is a very worthy replacement. It is, by all definitions, excellent.
In the early-to-mid 2010s, there was a shift in horror maze trends to the more extreme: of isolation, actors that could touch you, separate you, push you around and degrade you. In a post-Covid world, scare maze attraction design called for a bit of a rethink about getting up in people's grills: attitudes around hygiene and contact with others had been completely flipped on its head, and as such we saw that reflected in the types of haunts we saw in years to follow.
Coming out of Hellcatraz reminded me of coming out of those iconic Thorpe Park Fright Nights mazes like Experiment 10 or Cabin in the Woods at FRIGHT NIGHTS for the first time back in the 2010s. Not in look or theme or stylisation, but in how it made me feel. 'We are so BACK', as the kids say. It was weirdly nostalgic, I've not felt my heartbeat race or palms sweat like that in a very long time in one of these things, so kudos to Hellcatraz for illiciting that reaction from me because I am a dry old stone these days in that aspect.
And on top of that...the thing is gorgeous? It's Hellraiser meets The Cube in terms of theming - gorgeous rusty tones drenched in blood-red lighting - I would absolutely loved to be able to have a quiet walk-through just to take it all in fully without demons ordering me around and marching me towards the exit. Its very intense, it's a feast for the eyes and is just generally a lot of fun if that's what you like in a horror maze like I do. I just wish we could live in a world where it could co-exist with Love Hurts because I think then I might never leave the event...
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All in all we had a brilliant evening at Screamfest Burton. As mentioned, I do try not to overdo it with visiting too often - absence makes the heart grow fonder and between waiting a year to visit again alongside the addition of Hellcatraz it was the perfect time to go back to what has always been one of my favourite Halloween scream parks here in the UK.
Have you visited Screamfest before? What's your favourite maze? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to have a chat!
Talk later xoxo,
2 comments
I loved hellcatraz. Very extreme maze where I was isolated, shouted at and pushed against a wall. Creed farm was good this year with plenty of chainsaws. Shame Tom and Stace never visit with you.
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed, I loved every second! Sadly Tom & Stace couldn't join us for our visit to Screamfest however we've visited other haunts with them this season, reviews for which will be live soon :)
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