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Haunting the fall festivals
By MICHELLE JONES
© St. Petersburg Times, ZEPHYRHILLS -- Caleb Knight was so scared by Main Street's Haunted House in Zephyrhills he was still shaking after he came out of the building. "It was really scary," the 12-year-old said. "The thing that scared me the most was when the guy jumped out with the chain saw. I didn't expect that." However, he had no regrets about the visit. "I love scary things," he said. Both Zephyrhills and Dade City offered a weekend of Halloween activities for both children and adults. In Dade City, there was also a Haunted House, a Monster Mash with games and contests for children and during midday Saturday a Pumpkin Carving Contest and Scarecrow Festival took place near the Historic Courthouse downtown. A Front Porch Tour, sponsored by the Pioneer Museum, Dade City Main Street and the merchants association also was a part of the day's activities. People, for $8 a piece, were able to sample a slice of Southern hospitality as they visited 12 historic porches where refreshments were served. In Zephyrhills, merchants sponsored a Costume Contest and gave goodies to trick or treaters on Saturday. The Haunted House has been a Zephyrhills Halloween staple for 20 years. For three nights children paid $1 and adults $2 to take a frightening walk through an abandoned apartment building on Eighth Street. Visitors were taken through the house by costumed guides including Bryan Bowen and Dean Roberts. Bowen was dressed as a vampire while Roberts called himself the faceless man. Both were creepy in costumes and makeup. "It takes 27 people to run the show," said Jerry Miller, the president of Main Street Zephyrhills. "All are volunteers." Miller and Art Besinger created the house in three weeks. "We have an area we call the quicksand pit," said Besinger referring to the tunnel that connected two of the four apartment buildings. "It is really a mattress." Asked if anyone really got terrified, Miller replied that when the lights go out and black lights come on, it's frightening. "We tone it down for the little kids," Bowen said. Even the director of Main Street, Cynthia Craig, wouldn't go through the house. "I have never liked blood and gore," she said. Ron Vandemheen, another guide, said he likes to hide and jump out and scare the kids. More than 300 people visited the house Thursday and Friday nights. In Dade City, Juliet Greer won the award for having the scariest pumpkin in the Celebrity Pumpkin Carving Contest. Greer carved a baby pumpkin and dressed it in a bonnet, diaper and shoes. A pacifier was stuck in its mouth. Greer represented the Tampa Tribune. Not to be outdone, Chase Squires, representing the Times,won the award for funniest with his vomiting pumpkin. The most original went to Greg First, president of the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce. First carved a pumpkin and gave it a white mustache. He called it the Got Milk Pumpkin. However, the Best of Show Award went to Justin Frum of Dade City Fire and Rescue. "His carving was so good," said Pasco County Circuit Judge Linda Babb, one of three judges. Some of the carvers used store bought pumpkin carving kits while others used their own special knives from home. Four beauty contestant winners, wearing their tiaras while they carved, took special care not to break their nails or to mess up their hands with the pumpkin insides. "There are boxes for the pumpkin guts," said First, as he carved away. "It is surprising what you find inside a pumpkin." The contestants had an hour to carve and create. As they carved, they exchanged banter. "I know what's wrong, I don't have a tiara," Squires said. "We can get you one," said Charlotte Keiffer, president of the Dade City Chamber of Commerce, who was carving a patriotic pumpkin. Pat Mulieri, Pasco County commissioner, also carved a patriotic pumpkin. "I'll call her patriotic Patty," said Mulieri, whose pumpkin wore a red, white and blue hat and scarf. "She's wearing yellow flowers to show her femininity," Mulieri said. There was a total of 14 carvers. Across the street was a tent for the scarecrow stuffers. Davin Norman, 7, with a little help from his grandmother, Sylvia Priede, was stuffing hay into a shirt, pants and stocking head. "We have to figure out how to get the body attached to the top," Priede said. Davin decided his scarecrow should share his name. "This is fun," he said. Steve Taylor's scarecrow had arms -- hay stuffed stockings -- that hung down to the scarecrow's knees. -- Michelle Jones covers central Pasco community news. She can be reached at (813) 909-4612. Her e-mail address is jones@sptimes.com.
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