There is a place in Westminster where it feels like Halloween year-round. Drivers who are unfamiliar with 108th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard might think they’re looking at an abandoned farm on the side of the road, but residents of Westminster know this spot is home to something much more sinister.
Generations of Coloradans have made terrifying memories inside the wooden barn and set of structures on site where props from some of the most iconic Hollywood horror movies are on display. The Frightmare Compound has been a community tradition since 1983, and this Halloween, the renowned attraction is celebrating 40 years of fright.
Josh Holder, the current owner, has been running Frightmare for decades to carry out the legacy of his father, the mastermind behind the haunted attraction.
“Dad passed back in 1999, and the family kept it going,” Holder said. “It was too cool to let it die, and until this day, it’s still a family-run business.”
Holder’s father bought the property when it was just old swamp land, and slowly but surely turned it into the unsettling scene that makes up the haunted compound today.
“My dad was a straight entrepreneur and just fell in love with haunted houses,” Holder remembered. “He would set up mini haunted houses in his backyard for his parents and friends so my dad was in the haunted house game since he was 10 years old!”
In addition to a cast of characters lurking around the site to scare guests, each scene features eclectic items Holder’s family has collected over the years, including real vehicles, historic mining and farming equipment, and even a small airplane. Holder also gets some help from the experts in Tinseltown.
“We have guys in Hollywood that make custom props for us. These guys that are building for anything from "The Exorcist" to "Halloween," they got off a scene there and go make something for Frightmare,” Holder said. It’s not just Hollywood that Holder draws inspiration from. He and his family travel the world looking for the newest and most terrifying ways to captivate guests, and it requires some homework too.
“We study a lot of the science of fear. We try to hit all five of your senses. We want to make sure that you’re stepping on something weird while smelling something that you see, while something is touching you.”
Each year, new scenes are added to the attraction, and for the 40th anniversary celebration this Halloween, Holder has found a frightening way to pay homage to Grace Church in Arvada, the group Holder’s father initially worked with to start the haunted house.
Four decades later, that small group of church members has grown into a cast and crew of more than 100 people. Holder begins hiring in August or September, holding what he refers to as “monster auditions.”
“It’s like America’s Got Talent, but zombiestyle!” he exclaimed.
When you think of Halloween in Westminster, Frightmare likely comes to mind. The small business draws in big crowds of people looking for a good scare each season.
“I want to thank Westminster because these are the people that have been there with us through thick and thin,” Holder said. “It’s a great community here and I love the fact that it’s a staple in Westminster. It’s just cool to see these grandparents who are now bringing their grandchildren here 40 years later.”
Speaking of children, Frightmare recommends their attraction for those 12 years or older, but there are always exceptions.
“We have little kids younger than 12 that go through and have a great time, and we have grown men that scream and don’t make it through!”
Frightmare opens for the season in late September and is open through early November. For pricing and ticketing information visit: www.thefrightmarecompound.com.
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