LAKEPORT, Calif. – While it’s felt like 2020 has had more tricks than treats, and has been plenty scary on its own, Haunted Lake County is returning for another year, undaunted by the challenges of COVID-19 and with plans for a bigger drive-thru event.
Wayne Yahnke, cofounder and treasurer of Haunted Lake County, said they are excited to put on a COVID-safe Halloween this year at the Lake County Fairgrounds, located at 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
He said the drive-thru approach to scaring local residents received approval from Lake County Public Health.
It had its first run this past weekend and is ramping up for the finale, on Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, Halloween night.
The event will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. both nights. From 5 to 6 p.m. is a less-scary hour for children. Adults are encouraged to come back for the show for mature audiences from 6 to 10 p.m.
On Halloween night, Yahnke said the Kiwanis Club has approval to deliver candy safely through the windows of vehicles using a PVC pipe.
Yahnke said the show this year includes the entire fairgrounds, with visitors to take a quarter-mile drive through the grounds. They’ll enter the carnival area at gate four and then be directed through the event, ultimately leaving through the main gate.
Last year, the event was threatened by public safety power shutoffs. But Yahnke said community members helped by providing generators and the show went off without a hitch.
“The power went off and nobody knew it,” he said. “We pulled off a haunted house last year with no power.”
Yahnke said it takes weeks to prepare and involves the work of up to 30 volunteers, ranging in age from 12 to 60.
“We normally start construction the weekend after Labor Day,” he said, but this year the schedule was delayed by at least a week due to Public Health approvals and other issues.
As part of getting approval from Public Health, Yahnke said they had to write up a four-page COVID-19 plan.
Once the six weeks of construction was under way, it was crunch time. “We’ve really had to reach hard to make this happen,” Yahnke said.
He said they’ve never done an event this large, and had to be even more creative than normal. One of the questions for them was how to scare people in their cars.
“We’ve come up with some pretty good stuff,” Yahnke said.
This year’s theme revolves around the fairgrounds, from the carnival to boat races to livestock, Yahnke said.
They’ve gotten support from Hillside Honda, JKL Construction, Kelseyville Lumber, Dave Furia and Furia Motorsports in getting cars, and Forrest Kuecker who transported the cars.
“The list goes on and on,” Yahnke said of the people and businesses that have stepped up to help.
This year, he said Haunted Lake County is asking for a minimum donation of $20 per car.
Haunted Lake County raised $6,000 last year that was donated to Operation Tango Mike, he said.
Yahnke said their beneficiary this year is the Lake County Fair Foundation, the nonprofit organization that supports the fairgrounds.
He said they are excited to be able to put on Halloween in some form and give families a way to avoid going out trick or treating.
They’re trying to promote the holiday as much as possible while keeping elements of safety, Yahnke said.
For more information, visit Haunted Lake County’s website and Facebook page.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Haunted Lake County plans COVID-safe and scary Halloween
- Elizabeth Larson
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