# Help! Ideas Needed



## PeeWeePinson (Feb 23, 2006)

My brain is in a funk. I want to have a haunted carnival theme this year, but outside the usual clowns, freaks, etc. does anyone have any ideas that are unusual or could fit the theme of a carnival. I've looked at past threads here but not finding anything.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Depends on what you had in mind for "freaks", sword swallower, flame throwers, piercings...?


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## Cassie7 (Sep 16, 2007)

At our yard haunt, we generally have 'fans' hanging around taking photos. Have you considered doing corn holes? Corn Holes are those plywood stands with a little scene painted on them with a hole cut out for them to put their face in for photo shoots. We're doing some corn holes for next year. I think that would fit great into a carnival theme.

And you can have kids spin a wheel to pick their trick or treat.

Where in TN are you? We're in Knoxville.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I've toyed with the idea of doing a freak show where all the freaks are obvious results of genetic mutation and surgical modification (think of the ringleader guy in the Alex Winter movie Freaked!, "FishBoy" from House of 1000 Corpses, and the chicken woman at the end of Tod Browning's Freaks). A really dark and evil carnival barker who is capturing and reshaping innocent victims into exhibits for his show.

How about a closed circus littered with the bodies of failed circus performers? A mutilated lion tamer, a flattened aerialist, a swordswallower with the point sticking out of his back, a knife juggler with a knife sticking out of his head, a strongman pinned under his barbell, etc. "Most Incompetent Show On Earth!" And of course, the "Performers Wanted, Inquire Within" sign posted...


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

you could have a head at the top of the pole where they hit the slider to ring the bell thing...or have a head as the slider


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

maybe a couple dead trapeze bodies just swinging away dripping blood


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

the dart throwing game with heads as the balloons, or basketball game with heads as the balls


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## GOT (Apr 17, 2007)

I did a fortune teller which was a big hit ( http://www.garageofterror.com/2007slide1.html ). Should fit in. How about a Spin the Wheel game with some grusome prizes/consequences. Actually, you could rig the wheel to always just miss something like "A knife in the back" and win "A Snickers bar" instead.


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## Abunai (Oct 28, 2007)

Probably too large-scale for a home haunt, but merry-go-rounds have always freaked me out. A merry-go-round with various freaks/ghosts/ghouls/goblins riding it would be cool.

At the very least, you've GOT to have that freaky, off-key, merry-go-round music playing at your haunt.


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## The Haunter (Apr 7, 2007)

Im also thinking of a carnival theme but a 1920's carnival like on the HBO series Carnival


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## PeeWeePinson (Feb 23, 2006)

Me Too Haunter! That series and "Something Wicked This Way Comes" are my inspiration. I would love also to do it in that time frame. Last year my haunt was set in 1864 and we did a civil war era haunted theme.


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## CerysCrow (Jan 22, 2007)

The Haunter said:


> Im also thinking of a carnival theme but a 1920's carnival like on the HBO series Carnival


I LOVED "Carnivàle." I was so disgusted that HBO canceled it after two seasons.

I'd eventually like to add a few carny elements to our haunt - as long as I can work it into our theme appropriately. (Most likely this will involve gypsies and a fortune teller.)


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## The Haunter (Apr 7, 2007)

I want to go comercial this year if it goes well i want a haunted "house" and a midway with games to play and prizes. I need to check out "Something Wicked This Way Comes" if it is about carnivals etc. My funniest idea to date is joined tombstones for Siames twins.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

The possibilities for midway games is endless (I LOVE the basketball toss with severed heads idea!!)... someday I still want to do a whack-a-mole game with zombies instead of moles and a cricket bat or shovel to whack them with.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

How about a few eveil versions of midway games?

Displays would be cool, working versions would be even better 


EDIT: heh heh, shoulda read page 2, huh?


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## PeeWeePinson (Feb 23, 2006)

Any ideas of evil midway games that are working?


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## lewlew (Mar 15, 2006)

The old knock the severed head off a pedestal with a baseball comes to mind. I like Lilly's idea of throwing darts at severed heads instead of balloons for prizes. How 'bout a shooting gallery populated by bluckies shooting at various body parts?

A ceiling fan motor would work pretty well for a lightweight merry-go-round or tilt-a-whirl. I saw that on a video somewhere. I think it was one of the Simpson's creators/animators that did a great carnival themed haunt. I'll see if I can dig up the video somewhere.


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## Empress Nightshade (Jul 25, 2004)

Something Wicked This Way Comes Trailer


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## DoubleX (Jan 13, 2008)

Have a ringmaster out front with a megaphone saying "come on in" and also, try to get one with sound effects he could blow into peoples ears.


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## BadTable Manor (Apr 16, 2008)

For my friend's 40th birthday, she wanted an Edwardian Sideshow themed party, inspired mostly by The Edwardian Ball held every year in San Francisco. The Edwardian part put a nice spin on the idea. 
She used Virgil's "Klown" cd, which I ADORE, and she had asked me to paint giant sideshow posters of "Spidora", "Tattooed Lady (1037 designs!)", and "Rubber Skin Man".
For games, we made a giant wheel called The Wheel of Torture. Your basic spinning wheel game, with various creepy categories.


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## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

Creepy carnival music is a must.
Check out the old movie Carnival of Souls for some inspirations.


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