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TALLADEGA FRIGHTS

Bakersfield's newest and this year's most popular "haunt" is open

Monday-Saturday this week!

Mon-Thurs., 7-10

Halloween night - 7-midnight

Saturday - 7-midnight

Come see what all the FRIGHT is about!

TALLADEGA FRIGHTS ... if you dare!

Talladega Frights is located at Fruitvale/Norris Park, 6221 Norris Rd., Bakersfield.

Whether you like her or not, this makes the news!  And someone got a picture, too. 

Palin surprises local shoppers with visit (Wal-Mart)

Ok, back to watching the debate.

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The Northwest Voice wants you and your family to have fun & get fit this weekend at our inaugural Health & Family Fitness Fun Day taking place on Sunday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Liberty Park on the corner of Brimhall & Jewetta.

This FREE community event hosted by NOR and Terrio-Therapy Fitness you can:

• Experience football speed and agility camps performed by former Fresno State and Bakersfield Blitz Wide Receiver and current TERRIO EDGE Co-Manger Eric Mahanke
• Go through basketball technique seminars performed by former BHS Varsity Girls Basketball Coach and current TERRIO EDGE Co-Manager Cassaundra Boston
• Receive baseball hitting instructions performed by Travis DeBont, hitting instructor at the TERRIO EDGE
• Show the men in your life who's boss with the Women's Adventure Boot Camp!
• Meet Dr. Kyle Mortensen, a local dentist, who will be available to answer questions about your dental health, and he's giving away custom whitening trays (a $400 prize).
• Dance along to performances by the NOR Cheerleaders and Jazzercise
• Check out martial arts action by Order of the Dragon

And, of course, you'll have a chance to win LOTS OF FREE PRIZES including memberships to 24 Hour Fitness!

Come see our Northwest Voice team and spin our FREE prize wheel to win FREE Northwest Voice prizes!!

Don't miss the FREE Health & Family Fitness Fun Day!!!

Growing up here, we had only one haunted house at a time. There used to be Scream in the Dark, then as I started having kids, I remember that Pioneer Village had an event with a costume contest. But as far as "haunts" that charged money to scare the $&%^ out of you, we usually had just one at a time, so we were sort of limited in choices.

NOT THIS YEAR!  Last night I went to opening night of Talladega Frights (at the Fruitvale/Norris Park), and I have to say that it is the best haunted "house" (not really a house at all) I've ever been through.  Not only is it scary, but it's LONG, winding, complicated.  I swear it took me 20 minutes to get through it!  Now THAT is bang for your buck!

There are elements to this "haunt" that are not for everyone. I saw a teenager (maybe 14-15) crying, having backed out of it and refusing to go through. At one point, everyone wants to back out, but you have to keep going forward.  It's really disturbing in places and not for all ages. Unlike the other places, though, these actors will not touch you -- so if you're looking for that, you won't find it at Talladega Frights.  I personally appreciated that they didn't touch me.

I think a bit of competition will make the other place step it up a notch. I also noticed that when I got out to my car, the other haunted house place had hired someone to put $1 off coupons on all of our cars!  I think they're "scared" of the competition. They should be! This place rocked!

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Become a Northwest Voice web site user and be entered to win a pair of tickets to opening night at Talladega Frights!!

Rules:

1. Must be a new Web site user enrolled before Oct. 2.
2. Must be ready to be very, very frightened.  I'm not kidding about this.

Be aware: Talladega Frights is only for ages 13 and over due to the graphic and sometimes horrifying nature of the show.

Are you ready ...  ?

Read the humble beginnings of Talladega Frights and see what is in store for its victims.

See the offical Talladega Frights web site here.

*Drawing will be held and winners selected from all new Web site users registered from Sept. 24-Oct.1.

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For our October 8th issue, The Northwest Voice is seeking someone to contribute a comprehensive list of fun, freebies, discounts and activities in Bakersfield for our active senior citizen community. 

Requirements: 300-450 words

Deadline: September 30th, 9:00 p.m.

To enter:  Submit online at: www.northwestvoice.com

Questions, email: dmartin@northwestvoice.com

The Northwest Voice senior citizen issue will be on newsstands Oct. 8, or you can subscribe for free by clicking here. 

The Northwest Voice is a free citizen journalism magazine serving the Northwest area of Bakersfield, California but is delivered all over the United States.  All of the articles and photos inside are contributed by people living or working in Northwest Bakersfield, but because of the diverse and creative content, the magazine is often enjoyed by people living outside the niche area.

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Do you like getting scared? Do you like visiting haunted houses near Halloween?  Do you want to go for FREE?  Well, check THIS out:

Something terrifying is lurking in the park at night.  Are you ready to find out what it is?

Welcome to Talladega Frights,
Kern County’s Most Frightening Attraction

Talladega Frights is over 12,000 square feet of terror located in Northwest Bakersfield’s Fruitvale-Norris Park. This haunted house attraction started out of a house located on Talladega Court (hence the name), and its overwhelming success has prompted them to quadruple the attraction in size and move to a larger location so they can accommodate the over 15,000 visitors expected this year.

Last year’s haunt consisted of 4 theme areas and 25 volunteer actors. Attendance last year was about 3,000 people during only three nights they were open! Their success is due in large part to the quality of the show put on. While the haunt is meant for those over 13 years of age, it is designed to be a fun, safe, scary, yet family oriented attraction that appeals to people of all ages.

This year's haunt consists of double the theme areas and 60 volunteer actors and will take 15-20 minutes (at least!) to walk through.

For the 2008 season, they have partnered with North of the River Recreation and Park District (NOR) and The Exchange Club of Bakersfield. They are expanding the haunt to a much larger location at Fruitvale-Norris Park in Northwest Bakersfield.

The haunt will be open 18 nights in the month of October and will likely be the best year yet.

An admission fee ($10) will be charged, with a portion of proceeds going toward programs of The Exchange Club of Bakersfield including the Kern Child Abuse Prevention Council/ Haven Counseling Center.

The Fear Begins October 2nd, and Northwest Voice has FREE tickets!

That's right!  I have (4) family packs of four tickets good for OPENING NIGHT!  16 tickets!

There are several ways to win these tickets:

1. Collect TEN (10) new NorthwestVoice.com web site users. Get 10 people to sign-up as a "User" on our Web site (co-workers, neighbors, church, family members, sports team parents), then have each of those 10 people send me an email naming YOU as their "sponsor."  The first person to do this will get a family pack of tickets (a $40 value!).   Or...
2. Collect TEN (10) new subscriptions to the free Northwest Voice magazine.  The new subscribers MUST subscribe online (because of time constraints), and MUST put the word "FRIGHT" in the field that asks for "Phone number."  You can collect the names at work, school, sports practices, church, or anywhere, and enter them online yourself!  Then, as the "sponsor," please send me an email with the names of the new subscribers that should be credited to you.  The first person to (10) gets the free tickets ($40 value!).  Or...
3. Come in second place in either of the above two categories!  It DOES pay to be second best!!!  

The tickets are for opening night, October 2, so don't wait!  Find your subscribers or Web site users TODAY!  The tickets go to the first and second person to meet the goal in each category. In the event you can't get all 10, send me the email, anyway, and you might win a consolation prize (wink).

Parents of teens:  They WILL want to go to this haunt**, so put THEM to work!  Have them contact their friends and teachers, grandparents -- ANYONE who has not yet joined the Web site or subscribed to the magazine.  Only new users or subscribers count toward your goal of 10.  Forward this post if you must!

**If you know a teen (over 13, please) interested in being a Talladega Frights cast member, please go to www.talladegafrights.com.

OK!  Here it is!  Your reminder!!

Pet/Shelter donation drive THIS Saturday 8-11 a.m. at San Lauren Park!

As you may be aware, there is a dog & cat over-population crisis in Kern County.

To help, The Northwest Voice is partnering with NOR, KGFM 101.5 radio, SPCA, San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital, Friends of the Kern County Animal Shelters, Kern County Animal Control, ALPHA Canine Shelter (and many more!) to raise funds and awareness in our first ever Pet/Shelter— Donation and Adoption Awareness Drive:

Please join us on August 16 (in the morning, before it's too hot!), and bring anything from this list:

• Blankets, sheets, towels (for the shelters)
• Dog/cat toys, leashes, pet beds, kennels
• Dry dog and cat food
• Paper towels
• Aluminum cans (for recycling!)
• Money! 

 KC ANIMAL CONTROL WILL BE PERFORMING $15 MICROCHIPPING!

There will be representatives from San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital on hand to answer questions, members of the SPCA and Kern County Animal Control, members of local dog clubs demonstrating their dog training and "Olympic" style activities, homemade dog treats, and a live remote from KGFM 101.5 radio! Please bring your coffee and take your dog for a walk -- for a good cause!

There will also be drawings for FREE spay and neuter vouchers, and a spinning wheel with TONS of prizes!

*Click on the flier above for more info.!

(If you'd like to help, please send me an email!  Everyone is welcome!)

As you may be aware, there is a dog & cat over-population crisis in Kern County.

To help, The Northwest Voice is partnering with NOR, KGFM 101.5 radio, SPCA, San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital, Kern County Animal Shelter, ALPHA Canine Shelter (and many more!) to raise funds and awareness in our first ever Pet/Shelter— Donation and Adoption Awareness Drive:

Please join us on August 16 (in the morning, before it's too hot!), and bring anything from this list:

• Blankets, sheets, towels (for the shelters)
• Dog/cat toys, leashes, pet beds, kennels
• Dry dog and cat food
• Paper towels
• Aluminum cans (for recycling!)
• Money! 

There will be representatives from San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital on hand to answer questions, members of the SPCA and Kern County Animal Shelters, members of local dog clubs demonstrating their dog training and "Olympic" style activities, homemade dog treats, and a live remote from KGFM 101.5 radio! Please bring your coffee and take your dog for a walk -- for a good cause!

There will also be drawings for FREE spay and neuter vouchers!

*Click on the flier above for more info.!

(If you'd like to help, please send me an email!  Everyone is welcome!)

As you may be aware, there is a dog & cat over-population crisis in Kern County.

To help, The Northwest Voice is partnering with NOR, San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital, and ALPHA Canine Shelter to raise funds and awareness in our first ever Pet — Donation and Adoption Awareness Drive:

Please join us on August 16 (in the morning, before it's too hot!), and bring anything from this list:

• Blankets, sheets, towels (for the shelters)
• Dog/cat toys
• Dry dog and cat food
• Paper towels
• Aluminum cans (for recycling!)
• Money!

There will be a vet on hand to answer questions, members of the SPCA, and adoptable dogs on site. Please bring your coffee and take your dog for a walk -- for a good cause!

There will also be drawings for FREE spay and neuter vouchers!

*Click on the flier above for more info.!