Boo! Cedar Rapids haunted house plans 17-day Halloween schedule

A haunted attraction that held its first event in downtown Cedar Rapids in July will reopen in October for a 17-day Halloween performance.

The Circle of Ash, 412 7th Ave. SE, will open all five Fridays and all five Saturdays in October. Later in the month, the attraction will add Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday dates.

“We want to be open enough that our fans can make it, and hopefully those that haven't seen anything like this will come too,” said Ian Austin, Circle of Ash technical director.

Tickets will cost  $11 for a single general admission entry or $30 for VIP entry.

The Circle of Ash began at at different location near Xavier High School in 2000 as Frightmare Forest, and continued operating there until 2009.

The operation was moved this year to 412 Seventh Ave. SE, with two weekend performances during the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival.

“Our summer show allowed us to work out some kinks, as you would have with any new haunted attraction,” Austin said. “We are building off of that, and going places that we never thought we would,” he said.

During Circle of Ash performances, guests meet chracters and experience a story line that scares and entertains. The cast and crew are entirely volunteers.

The Circle of Ash Marketing Director Mark Fuller also announced that the attraction  is seeking sponsorships from busineses and organizations through a new program. The program allows sponsors an opportunity to get their message  across to Circle of Ash visitors at a variety of sponsorship funding levels.