At Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House on Saturday, Mayor Alan Carr (right) dressed as his alter ego Alan "the Mayor of Mad Science" Carr, sneaks up on an unsuspecting town councilor, Sherry Shepherd, who is disguised as Scary Sherry "the Cosmic Queen."
Dressed as "Digger Purcell, the Friendly Undertaker," Bucoda Town Councilor Steve Purcell on Saturday takes some ominous measurements. Purcell and his fellow council members took on spooky alter egos as part of the town's effort to promote Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House, held at the Town Gym every weekend in October.
Bucoda Mayor Alan Carr on Saturday prepares for Boo-coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House, held at the Town Gym every weekend in October.
Three attendees at Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House on Saturday run from a slithering monster, one of many ghouls that frightened the dozens of people who turned out for weekend event.
Bucoda Town Councilor Steve Purcell, dressed as "Digger Purcell, the Friendly Undertaker," on Saturday sneaks through a hallway, to a secret door, and prepares to frighten unsuspecting attendees at Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House.
Two attendees at Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House on Saturday run screaming from a green-masked monster, one of many creatures that frightened the dozens of people who turned out for weekend event in Bucoda.
A volunteer does a quick mask change on Saturday as he prepares for a second round of frightening attendees at Boo-Coda's "Scary-Nights" Haunted House, held at the Bucoda Town Gym.
Vivian Romero, 6, Chehalis, participates in Bucoda's annual Zombie Crawl Scavenger Hunt, held Saturday on the lawn in front of the fire station.
Boo-coda’s “Scary-Nights” Haunted House on Saturday couldn’t scare ‘em fast enough.
With a line out the door, the haunted house’s dozen or so volunteers scrambled from one room to the next, changing masks as they prepared to jump out from dark corners and chase passersby with chainsaws.
For town leaders, the crowds were a welcome site.
Financially challenged — like many small towns — Bucoda is attempting to jump start its economy with a combined business-tourism effort.
Last month, the town council temporarily renamed Bucoda, “Boo-coda”
The temporary new identity, they say, is the first step in attracting tourists to its haunted houses and in branding Bucoda as Washington’s official ghost town.
In a proclamation signed earlier this month by Mayor Alan Carr, the town council declared that Boo-coda will be used, “wherever possible, within any promotional item.”
It will be used, in particular, at the haunted house, which is open every weekend this month. The haunted house also will be open every day in the week leading up to Halloween.
The Haunted House is put on in partnership with “Scary-Nights,” a private company that has scared people throughout the state for more than nine years.
Bucoda has advertised throughout the region and created various deals and incentives.
On Saturday, the results of those efforts were apparent.
Groups socialized outside the entrance to the haunted house, held in the Town Gymnasium, and from dark until closing, groups walked through the 10-minute tour of horrors, which winds through the gym and into a corn maze outside.
The volunteers weren’t the only ones to get into character.
Town councilors, each of whom assumed a special, scary identity, embraced their roles with gusto, including: Councilor Sandy Robertson as Sandy the “Witch of Wickedness”; Mayor Pro Tem Alan Vanell as "Got Brains?" Vanell; Councilor Sherry Shepherd as Scary Sherry "the Cosmic Queen”; Councilor Steve Purcell as “Digger Purcell, the Friendly Undertaker”; Councilor Charlie Brinkmeyer as Charlie "the Invisible Man" Brinkmeyer; and Mayor Alan Carr as Alan "the Mayor of Mad Science" Carr.
Councilor Steve Purcell on Saturday said he is pleased with the success of the event so far.
“We’ve really been building this thing up,” he said. “I’ve seen some people from around town, and we’re supposed to be getting some from the Lacey and maybe Kent areas tonight.”
According to Purcell, he and his fellow councilors are enjoying playing their alter egos.
“I love it,” he said. “I picked this character from the old “Life of Riley” radio program. Radio’s theater of the mind let’s you use your imagination to create the character.”
Purcell borrowed his outfit, a black suit from 1912, from a friend.
“I’m told it used to be an undertaker’s,” he said, “and it fit me great.”
Scary-Nights Haunted House
Where: Town Gym
When: Every Friday and Saturday in October, 6-11 p.m.
Halloween week, 6-10 p.m.
Cost: $12
“Non-Scary” Haunted House
Where: Community Center (downstairs)
When: Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26, 6-9 p.m.
Cost: $3 or three cans of food
Suitable for ages 12 and under
