As the nation continues to struggle in one of the worst economies in history Americans will require a bit more to actually feel fear this Halloween season. In response, Hauntworld Magazine (www.hauntworld.com), the Halloween and haunt industry’s leading trade publication, has announced listings of the most terrifying locations in America, including: the Top 31 Haunted Attractions (one for each day in October), the Top 10 Amusement Park Halloween events and more. These attractions are being recognized for their attention to detail, high-quality special effects, and overall “scare factor”.

The haunted houses and attractions on these lists aren’t your average neighborhood decorations. Each haunted attraction costs up to $1 million to construct, uses professionally trained actors, Hollywood make-up artists and the latest technology in order to transport people into an insane, realistic and horrific environment that rivals any horror movie set. The result is an industry that has grown to generate over $1 BILLION each season, redefining the way people celebrate Halloween.

“Americans have an intrinsic urge to conquer fear and the haunted attractions on these lists are as close as many can get to literally coming face-to-face with true terror,” said Larry Kirchner, Editor-in-Chief of Hauntworld Magazine. “Scary movies and roller coasters are great for a cheap thrill but what these attractions provide their visitors is a sense of exhilaration and an adrenaline rush that can only be felt from live action. These locations are examples of those places in the country you’ll be telling your friends you
survived, not visited.”

Top Professional Haunted Attractions: 2009

The Top 13 Haunted Attractions:
• 1. 13th Gate Haunted House – Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
• 2. Netherworld Haunted House – Atlanta, Georgia
• 3. The Beast – Kansas City, Missouri
• 4. The Darkness Haunted House – St. Louis, Missouri
• 5. House of Torment – Austin, Texas
• 6. Dent Schoolhouse – Cincinnati, Ohio
• 7. Bates Motel – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 8. Haunted Schoolhouse – Akron, Ohio
• 9. Bayville Screampark – Long Island, New York
• 10. House of Shock – New Orleans, Louisiana
• 11. Dead Acres – Columbus, Ohio
• 12. Headless Horseman – Ulster Park, New York
• 13. Graystone Manor – Killen, Alabama

And to visit a haunted attraction for each day of October, the list continues
to include:

• 1. Cutting Edge Haunted House, Dallas, Texas
• 2. Erebus Haunted House, Pontiac, Michigan
• 3. Edge of Hell, Kansas City, Missouri
• 4. Scarehouse, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 5. Creepyworld, St. Louis, Missouri
• 6. Haunted Overload, Lee, NH
• 7. Atrox Factory, Leeds, Alabama
• 8. Fright World, Buffalo, New York
• 9. Dreamreapers, Melrose Park, Illinois
• 10. Haunted Hotel, San Diego, California
• 11. Fright Kingdom, Nashua, NH
• 12. Asylum Haunted House, Denver, Colorado
• 13. Spookywoods, High Point, North Carolina
• 14. Pirates of Emerson, Fremont, California
• 15. The Asylum, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 16. Field of Screams, Mountville, PA
• 17. Bennett’s Curse, Baltimore, Maryland
• 18. Land of Illusion, Middletown, Ohio

Top 10 Amusement Park Halloween Events: 2009
• 1. Universal Studios Horror Nights, Orlando, FL
• 2. Knott’s Scary Farm, Los Angeles, CA
• 3. Tampa Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL
• 4. Universal Studios Horror Nights, Hollywood, CA
• 5. Kennywood Amusement Park, Pittsburgh, PA
• 6. Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, PA
• 7. King’s Island Haunt, Cincinnati, OH
• 8. Cedar Point Haunt, Sandusky, OH
• 9. Six Flags Fright Fest, NJ
• 10. Old Tucson Studios Nightfall, Tucson, AZ

Best Screamparks/Haunted Hayrides: 2009
• 1. Headless Horseman, Ulster Park, New York
• 2. Bates Motel, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
• 3. Shocktoberfest, Reading, Pennsylvania
• 4. Field of Screams, Mountville, PA
• 5. Creepyworld, St. Louis, MO
• 6. Spookywoods, High Point, North Carolina
• 7. Bayville Screampark, Long Island, New York
• 8. Jason’s Woods, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• 9. Halloween Park, Strinestown, Pennsylvania
• 10. 7 Floors of Hell, Cleveland, Ohio

Top 5 Places to get Scared in America: 2009
• 1. Salem, Massachusetts
• 2. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
• 3. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California
• 4. The Mortuary Haunted House, New Orleans, Louisiana
• 5. Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

Sonic Youth will perform July 12 at 8 pm at Sloss Furnaces.

The experimental rock band, formed in New York City by Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, was extremely influential in the post-punk movement of the 1980s. Sonic Youth combined fearless innovation with a do-it-yourself aesthetic, producing about six albums for indie labels.

Early ’90s recordings for Geffen, such as “Goo,” “Dirty,” and “Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star” brought the band to national attention. Sonic Youth has continued to chart its own course since then, with avant-garde tracks, instrumentals and forays into noise jam.

The group has a new disc, “The Eternal,” set for release June 9 on the Matador label. Hear the lead track, “Sacred Trickster.”

All tickets available online now at Ticketmaster.