A campground in Okotoks, Alberta is turning into a full-blown Halloween playground this week, and it's an easy run from Calgary for anyone who left their spooky plans a bit late.
Nightmare in the Campground, run by the family team behind Nightmare Creations Special Events, takes over the Okotoks Lions Campground at 99 Woodhaven Dr. The event started life as a modest driveway haunt back in 2018, but it's grown steadily — in 2024 the crew partnered with the Lions Campground, and the setup now spans four themed haunted houses, three escape rooms, a vendor night market and a food tent serving snacks and proper meals.
The escape rooms are where things get grim: you get 15 minutes to crack puzzles inspired by infamous American killers Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein and John Wayne Gacy. Definitely adult territory. The evening haunted houses are pitched as genuinely scary too, so organisers suggest parental discretion for the after-dark sessions.
Not travelling with teens who want the full fright? There's a daytime option aimed at kids 10 and under, with all the scares stripped out. Younger visitors can still walk through the haunts, watch family-friendly films, play games and leave with treat bags.
Timing matters if you're planning a visit. The event runs evenings from Tuesday through Saturday, with doors from 7:30 to 10 p.m. earlier in the week and a later 11 p.m. close on Thursday and Friday. Halloween itself gets two sessions — a family-friendly daytime slot from noon to 4 p.m. and an evening run from 7:30 p.m.
Pricing is refreshingly simple. General admission, which covers the haunted houses and market, is $25 per person. Adding one escape room brings it to $30, while $35 gets you access to all three rooms. Given how pricey big-city Halloween events can get, that's decent value for a multi-attraction night out.
For travellers, this is a nice excuse to get outside the city. Okotoks is a short drive south of Calgary, and pairing an evening of scares with the town's small-town vibe makes for an easy Halloween plan if you're in Alberta this week. Bring a warm layer — you'll be outside at a campground in late October, and the prairie cold doesn't care how haunted you are.
