by Dot Cannon

Elvira strode onto the Scare LA main stage.

“You two call yourselves historians?” she demanded.  “Ridiculous!  I’ve been bending over backwards for years (for Knott’s Berry Farm), and sometimes forward.”

The audience whooped and applauded.

Day 1 of the fourth edition of Southern California’s Halloween convention had just kicked off, on Saturday at the Pasadena Convention Center.

The day’s programming started with a panel on “Knott’s Scary Farm From the Fog: Past, Present and Future”.  Knott’s Berry Farm historian Eric Linxwiler (l) and author Ted Dougherty (r) had told the audience that Knott’s haunt tradition dated back to 1973.  The first “haunt”, they said, was a three-night festival.  Knott’s marketing department had one month to coordinate it.

Some of those 1973 “haunts” included tissue-paper ghosts and one rotting pumpkin.  But Linxwiler and Dougherty said the “Satan’s Sawmill” mine ride featured humans whose job was to scare–and the rest was, well, history.

“People waited in line for hours for human scares,” Linxwiler said.

(Dougherty’s book Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt: A Picture History is currently sold-out on Amazon.  Linxwiler is the co-author of the history book Knott’s Preserved, which sold out its original 2010 edition.)

After the look at some history, though, the time had come–for a preview of “Halloween Future”.

“September 22nd to October 31st, I’m going to be back, for Elvira’s Danse Macabre,” Elvira announced.

But this new maze wasn’t the only future treat.

John Asperin (l) and John Cook (r), from Knott’s art department, came onstage next.   They’re the creators of the “Infected” zombie-apocalypse game at Knott’s.

Asperin and Cook told the audience they’d be adding the next installment, Black Ops Infected, to Knott’s Halloween 2016 offerings.

“One of the most refreshing things we have, with Infected, is, since day one, every year it carries over the storyline from the year before,” Asperin said.

But the game has had a major upgrade–which allowed them to eliminate the ticketing system.

“What we decided to do is build an entire city backstage, so you guys are going to be running down the streets and into the buildings,” Cook said.

ScareLA, which started in 2013, features multiple workshops, panels, shows, escape rooms, film screenings and mini-haunts throughout its weekend of “Halloween in August”.

There are a number of features that have been favorites in the past, along with some brand-new innovations.

For Day One of the 2016 edition, we especially liked Wicked Lit’s immersive scare experience, The Initiation.  This was a production based on campfire stories and urban legends–for which staff members ushered the audience into a “haunted campsite”!

Another highlight of Day 1 was ScareLA’s first-ever original haunt!

“Tonight, you have chosen to do battle with the Iron Witch, in her legion of the willing,” intoned our host, ushering in the latest group of “victims”.

We won’t do any spoilers here.  But expect some surprises, some “red” visuals–and a lot of fun.

Another new addition to this year’s ScareLA?  The animals.

In the “Basement of Horrors”, the Southern California Herpetology Association and Rescue had cages of reptiles.  Some of them were available for photo-ops–and even petting.

Some cuddlier options were also available, courtesy of animal rescue Kitty Bungalow.

“Find your familiar!” suggested a sign near the cages in the main lobby.  Two of the kittens wound up being adopted on the first day!

And, of course, ScareLA’s exhibit floor is always a blast–and often, a scream.

A favorite ScareLA troupe also experienced  several “firsts” this year.

Decayed Brigade, a performance team of “Southern California’s Best Sliders” wowed the crowd, as usual, with their high-speed performance skills.

But they were also teaching tomorrow’s top sliders how it’s done.

AND, during their final performance at the end of Scare LA Day 1, they set a new record.

Their performer “Double G” was able to jump over eleven of his teammates–besting the previous world record of ten.

Scare LA, your first day was monstrously good!  We’re looking forward to zipping back tomorrow for more.

Scare LA 2016’s Day 2 happens Sunday, August 7th, 11 am to 7 pm at the Pasadena Convention Center.