Deadwood Ottawa: A Drive Through Halloween Experience
/KITC would like to welcome back, guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel. During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During the winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.
It goes without saying this is not your typical Halloween season. Our family still loves to have a good fright so I searched the internet for a scary experience.
I found the group who put on a drive-in and concerts at Wesley Clover Parks this past summer and fall were offering a Halloween themed attraction. Entitled, Deadwood Ottawa, the trailer on the internet was sufficiently spooky that we wanted to check it out.
Deadwood Ottawa is a drive through experience and takes place at Wesley Clover Parks. We arrived on-site and were greeted by staff who were always masked and followed safety protocols. All the masked staff added to the Halloween feeling.
When purchasing a ticket online it gives you access to a timed entry. This is a smart idea as it prevents huge traffic jams.
We waited about ten minutes before our ticket was scanned and entering the site. We immediately saw illuminated pumpkins and a smoking fire pit. It was beginning to feel a lot more like Halloween. Soon enough, we were approached by an array of zombies, ghouls and other creatures of the night.
I was impressed by the visual effects and the set design Deadwood were able to pull off. I do not want to give anything away but let’s just say we were sufficiently scared to have a good time.
Perhaps more than anything, the event gave back some normalcy in what has been an extremely abnormal time. It felt like we were engaging in a scary Halloween activity the same as any other year.
I also appreciated that we could enjoy the event from the security and comfort of our car. Upon entry, the attendant did say we could open the window a crack to hear the music, zombies, etc but we would have to wear a mask inside the car. Some of the ghouls do get quite close to your car so we opted to keep our windows closed and masks off.
Perhaps the only suggestion I would make to improve the experience would be better signage. We were coming along Corkstown Road and pulled into the Drive In lineup before realizing we were in the wrong lineup. It was about another kilometre along Corkstown Road before we got to the entrance of Deadwood. Once on-site, the signage was very well-marked and the support staff were very helpful.
Deadwood Ottawa will be running until October 31. The event has proved to be so popular that it is already sold out. You can add your name to a waitlist at www.deadwoodottawa.ca if tickets become available.
Please note, this is meant for ages 13 and older. I would strongly advise against bringing young kids.
The Drive-In Experience is also offering up Halloween-themed movies. Check their website for tickets and showtimes.
