Spooky maze breaks records

Photo: O'Keefe Ranch

O'Keefe Ranch's Field of Screams broke attendance records this year.

Thousands of people across the Okanagan were looking for a spook this Halloween season, with record attendance numbers at the annual Field of Screams in Vernon.

More than 18,000 people walked into a nightmare at the Historic O'Keefe Ranch this October, for the Field of Scream's Dante's Inferno: The Descent.

The annual haunted maze is widely known as one of the creepiest Halloween experiences in the valley.

This year's event brought in almost $120,000 to the ranch, a whopping 68 per cent increase over last year's numbers.

“No one can predict the outcome of these kinds of events and then for it to be such a success, it was a relief and kind of emotional to be honest, but that may have been from lack of sleep,” said Kelly MacIntosh, marketing and events co-ordinator for O'Keefe Ranch. “We are all just so thrilled and motivated by the support and for the future of the Ranch.”

The 150-year-old ranch is funded by the City of Vernon and the British Columbia Arts Council, but the money raised through the Field of Screams helps maintain the ranch, its buildings, grounds and animals.

“Museums are in the 'forever business,' and it comes at a high price,” MacIntosh said.

The huge success of this year's Field of Screams did not come overnight. Volunteers put in a collective 5,000 hours into preparing and running the event and several local companies helped sponsor it.

“The outcome of this event shows how much the Ranch is valued in our community and we would like to see this momentum continue for future generations,” said Max Russmann, president of O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society.

The O'Keefe Ranch is now closed for the winter season, with the exception of the Victorian Christmas on Dec. 9 and 10, and will reopen in May 2018.