Scenes from Denver's infamous haunted houses
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DENVER — Charlie Melander is no stranger to haunted houses. Denver’s 13th Floor haunted house was a family tradition for Mealander, who grew up in Colorado.
When they turned 18 and started their job search, the first stop was an audition for haunt performers.
“I’ve always wanted to try working for a haunted house, so I thought, ‘why not?’” said Melander, 24. “Now I get to be a part of this awesome community and I just really love it.”
Up north at Erie’s at Terror in the Corn, Stephanie Townsend had a “why not” moment of her own. She says her years spent pursuing a science degree led to a need for a creative outlet — cue haunted house acting.
“I saw the audition online, and I figured I would give it a try,” said Townsend. “I came in and they made me scream really loud. I started as an actor shortly after that and have been here ever since.”
Mealander and Townsend are just two of hundreds of actors who come out of their crypts, coffins and caves every spooky season to support dozens of haunted attractions in Colorado. The state has more than 30 active attractions this year, some of which — like Terror in the Corn and 13th Floor — draw tens of thousands annual visitors.
13th Floor has become a national franchise of haunted houses with 16 locations, employing hundreds of people every Halloween season.
“It all started right here in Denver in the early 2000s, this is where we have our headquarters,” said Bryan Kopp, Senior General Manager of 13th Floor. “Denver has become the place where Halloween is celebrated — and for me, scaring people never gets old.”
Kopp said the desire to entertain has been with him since he was a child, a sentiment echoed by Michael Edwards, operations director of Terror in the Corn. He made his haunted house debut at the age of seven.
“I set up a haunt in my childhood home and tried to scare my neighbors,” Edwards said. “Getting to run a haunt like this, it’s a dream come true — one that has been 30 years in the making.”
Every year, dozens of local actors help bring the haunts to life. Both Kopp and Edwards agree that in order to be a good performer, you have to be willing to look silly, step out of your comfort zone and fully commit to a new character.
“We are fortunate to have a lot of great performers working in our haunt,” said Edwards. “We are always encouraging.”
According to the National Retail Federation, this year’s Halloween season is expected to rake in roughly $13 billion (Christmas, my comparison, brought in $1.2 trillion globally in 2024).
“There have been a lot of new haunts popping up over the last few years, which is a sign that the industry is thriving,” said Jim Werner, president of the Haunted Attraction Association, which is currently the only official association in the haunt industry and based in Michigan. “We see backyard productions, we see million-dollar productions, no matter what the scale we see a steady increase in haunted attractions year over year.”
Both Terror in the Corn and 13th Floor qualify as an “Iconic Haunted Attraction” per the HAA’s rating scale. The highest possible ranking, “iconic” status means, among other qualifiers, the haunt has been operational for more than 10 years and attracts 10,000+ audience members each year.
“Our members really prioritize putting on a good show,” Werner said. “I like to say that the HAA helps uphold the standard for haunted attractions.”
Jesse Thomas, who brings his talents to the Terror in the Corn queue line, met his wife through the haunt industry. He says that while some may view haunted houses as a mecca of their worst nightmares, the haunted corn maze reminds Thomas of some of his happiest memories.
“The community is just amazing out here, it’s what makes the experience so great,” Thomas said.
Haunted attractions in Colorado have been thriving since the early 2000s, however the state houses several well-known haunted buildings that don’t require costumes or special effects — take the Molly Brown House, home to Titanic survivor Margaret Brown (stop by for a potential sighting of her ghost). Also in the Colorado creepy canon is The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, where Stephen King himself stayed and reportedly was inspired to write The Shining.
For Kopp at 13th Floor, the experience of scaring never gets old and he hopes that even those who aren’t huge fans of haunted houses give the experience a chance, in the name of art.
“This is immersive theater, this is art,” Kopp said. “We need haunted attractions for the same reasons we need any other art.”
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. To read more about why you can trust the journalism of Rocky Mountain PBS, please visit our editorial standards and practices page.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. To read more about why you can trust the journalism of Rocky Mountain PBS, please visit our editorial standards and practices page.