There is an Evil Spirit lurking in the historic and creepy Johnston Haunted Barn. During this year’s 37^th Annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 18-19, “it is our duty as The Respectable Undead to capture it and render it harmless,” said the Honorable Host of Horror Auri Naggar. “This won't be easy, but we are confident that the Living Guests accompanying us on our tours will help us to succeed, or die trying,” he cryptically said with a crooked grin and missing teeth.

The Johnston Haunted Barn, presented by The Coastside Young Actors Workshop and The Spanishtown Historical Society at the Pumpkin Festival, is a historic structure, built in 1877, and filled with century-old artifacts from rural life in Half Moon Bay. It is organized into shops from professions of the early 1900's, including The Carpenter, The Blacksmith, The Farmer, The Merchant, and The Inventor. Every year, creative members of the Coastside Young Actors Workshop wow visitors with their theatrical skills, fabulous costumes and spooky special effects.

Over the years, the Johnston Barn has become infested with spiders, rodents, and other assorted vermin. It has also become infested with Ghosts and Zombies! The Haunting of the Johnston Barn has been considered to be mostly benign, apart from some occasional mischief. This year, however, the presence of a malevolent Evil Spirit has been detected in the barn, creating more fear among the Living and the Dead.

The Haunted Johnston Barn features live (undead) actors from The Coastside Young Actors Workshop alongside audio-animatronic figures, projected and transparent ghosts, intense lighting, sound, and fog effects, and unexpectedly dropping and shwooping objects caused by unseen forces. The real treat is the young actors themselves, students from grade school through high school trained in the art of improvisation, staying in character, and playing for an audience. The theme of each room is based on a script, but the performers are able to interact and play with the visitors’ reactions, making each tour a unique experience.

The Coastside Young Actors Workshop has been presenting themed haunted houses at the Half Pumpkin Festival since 1990, in various locations. Past themes have included a Haunted School, Haunted Medical Clinic, Haunted Toy Store, Haunted Mini-Mall, Haunted Gym, Haunted Laboratory, and others. This is the fourth year for the Johnston Barn. 

The Johnston Barn is located behind the Historic Jail, at 505 Johnston Street, just one block away from the festivities on Main Street, in Half Moon Bay. The Haunted Barn will be open during the Pumpkin Festival, from 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday, October 18-19. It is considered appropriate for families, however, children under 5 may find the experience too intense. Admission is $5 per person, and proceeds go to benefit the non-profit children's theater group, The Coastside Young Actors Workshop. For more information contact Auri Naggar, Director, Coastside Young Actors Workshop, (650) 726-1304 or visit www.coastsideyoungactors.com.