BOSTON — Local entertainment producer Carl Rugato aims to redefine Halloween with his debut of Wicked Haunt Fest from Sept. 29 to Nov. 3 in Charlestown’s Hood Park.
The festival will feature three “Hollywood-caliber haunted experiences, each with its own distinct storyline and theme,” Rugato said. The three haunted experiences will be “Harvest Awakening,” “Rise of Annkh,” and “Into the Astray.” There will also be an Oktoberfest-style beer garden and other seasonal family-friendly events.
Rugato said he was decorating a restaurant near Hood Park in November 2023 when he came up with the idea to rent the open space to “transform it into an entertainment venue” for Halloween and the winter holiday season.
Rugato has been known in Lynnfield and in the region for his haunted experience he sets up at his own house in town.
“I’ve always wanted to get into this field. I started scaring people in my front yard when I was in sixth grade,” he said. “Every college class I took, every job I took was to get more and more knowledge in different fields that I needed to make a successful venue like this work.”
Part of his inspiration for the festival came from his experiences playing the Rollercoaster Tycoon video game series growing up, he said.
“I understand, by going to other types of events and theme parks, what really needs to be done and actually what needs to be changed,” Rugato said. “I want to give a good experience all around. I’m not just trying to just get people in here. I want them to really enjoy their time.”
He has spent nearly 20-hour workdays for the past six months on this project, which has been “pretty straining and well worth it,” he said.
Rugato said he is most looking forward to wearing “clothes and just watching people’s reactions” as they enter the festival and exit each haunt.
“That’s pretty much what drives me. I love entertaining people,” he said.
He said he can’t pinpoint a specific aspect of the festival he is most excited about, but the Egypt-themed “Rise of Annkh” haunt experience will be the “coolest movie quality” part.
“You come on this property, you’re standing in my brain,” Rugato said. “Everything that I thought is physically real and here.”
He said people who have visited his home in Lynnfield can expect Wicked Haunt Fest to be “ten times” bigger.
“Thank you for everyone’s support over the years, and I’ve enjoyed speaking to every single person that’s come by my house throughout all these years,” Rugato said. “I mentioned to everybody that this was my dream. Now it’s finally happening, and I can’t wait for people to be able to come and enjoy it with me.”
The festival will be open weekdays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Free parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis for up to three hours in the Hood Park Garage. Ticket options include General Admission ($25-$30), General Admission & Haunt Access ($50-$60), or Spectral Speed Fast Passes ($70-$90), which allow guests to skip the line and head straight to the scare. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit tickets.bostonswickedhauntfest.com/bostons-wicked-haunt-fest or follow along on social media at @bostonwickedhauntfest on Instagram and TikTok.
