The early arrival of Halloween in Sand Bay made this Saturday a little spookier than a typical summer weekend. 

For the third year in a row, Sand Bay celebrated the holiday in August with trick-or-treating and tours through an elaborate haunted house, which this year featured an even larger cast of terrifying characters scream-inducing jump scares than years prior. 

A longtime Halloween fanatic, Sand Bay Association president Stacey Thomson said she started the annual Halloween celebration to bring more events to the community. 

Making use of her collection of decorations she started about 10 years ago, and with the help of Sand Bay Association vice-president Jackie McBane, she’s turned Halloweening into a sport. 

Last November, right after the holiday’s formal Oct. 31 date, Thomson began planning this year’s spooky experience. 

But the week prior is when the real prep begins, which involves setting up all the tents that make up the long, highly detailed haunted house. 

“We try to throw in new themes every year,” she said. 

This year, the new addition was a spooky alien room where Bree Griffin was dressed up, waiting for victims to enter. The house also included people dressed up as asylum patients, a corpse bride and groom, and plenty of masked characters perched ready to spook visitors.  

Thomson said there were around 20 people who worked to bring to life the haunted house’s many bone-chilling features for this year’s over 170 participants. 

Lindsay Moffat was among those who had dedicated their evening to scaring other people while her daughter was out trick-or-treating with a friend in ghost costumes they had made themselves. 

While in full costume as a scary nurse in the asylum room, she affirmed the event was a favourite in the community. 

“It’s something everyone looks forward to for sure.”