Roodhouse Rez Haunted House and Hayride opens this weekend

By Editor | October 4, 2023 |

By Carmen Ensinger

The Roodhouse Rez Haunted House and Hayride opens this weekend, Oct. 6, but there was a moment there when it looked like there might not be an event this year.
Not because of the limited time the organizers were given to build the attraction this year, but because of certain portions of an agreement that they were expected to sign before they would be allowed to open. If the agreement wasn’t signed, they wouldn’t be allowed to open.
Roodhouse Park Board had a special meeting Saturday afternoon with the Riley’s (Ralph, Drew and Jim). Also in attendance were newly appointed mayor Charlie Huffines, Alderwoman Dawn Crum and Aldermen Kent McGee and Hal Pollard.
The Riley’s had issue with a couple of points of the agreement.
“We don’t like the one that says we can’t make it bigger or better,” Drew Riley said. “But the main one we don’t like is the one that says you can cancel it at any time.”
The clause that Riley is referring to says: “The City reserves the right to dissolve this agreement at any time for any reason. In particular if any part of the agreement is breached, the city reserves the right to dissolve the agreement and the Haunted Hayride and House.”
Alderman McGee explained that only by a vote of the board could the event be shut down and that no one person could just go out there and tell them they were shut down.
“But I still don’t see why we can’t make it any bigger or better,” Riley said. “I don’t understand the concept of that. I would think you could just give us a budget because we do need props and things. Why can’t we make it better for the people who come out to see it?”
Pollard said he thought it was because of the issue with the pavilions this year.
The pavilion that serves as the haunted house was still up just a month prior to the Roodhouse Police Department Fishing Derby which takes place the first weekend in June. However, the Riley’s said they have always taken it down soon after Halloween in previous years.
Something new this year will be added. Liability waivers will be required to be signed by all volunteers and participants.
“You can’t force anyone to sign them, but they don’t get on without them,” Crum said. “The city’s insurance will cover the city, but it doesn’t cover you guys who are volunteering to work. If they don’t sign, they can’t ride. When they come to buy a ticket, they must sign the waiver or they don’t get a ticket.”
Crum said they had their attorney, Jon Hurst, rework the original agreement. No one is certain just who drew up the original agreement.
Crum went through each point with the Riley’s asking if they agreed with it. When it came down to the last one, which had several subpoints which really had nothing to do with the hayride and more to do with the Riley’s duties as caretakers at the campgrounds, it was decided to just strike those points out of the agreement.
Without the Riley’s signing the agreement, the inspector would not sign off on allowing the event to take place. The Riley’s signed the agreement and the city will draw up the agreement with the subpoints taken out which they will then resign.
“I’m really glad we were able to work together to get this settled because I think this is a good thing for the community,” Crum said.
The Haunted House and Hayride opens this weekend, Oct. 6-7 from 7 to 11 p.m. with tickets only $5 per person. They are open every Friday and Saturday in October plus on Oct. 30 and 31. Oct. 28 from 4-7 p.m. is Friendly Monster Night and entry is a can of cat or dog food that will be donated to Mandy’s Whine and Bark.