The circus is coming to Ione. A very creepy circus.
Preston Castle will be the locale of a very unique haunted house experience for those looking to have a frighteningly good time this Halloween season. For those brave enough to venture in, the Haunt at Preston Castle is bringing the sinister world of a 1920s haunted traveling circus to the castle. In this circus the malevolent Ringmaster is looking for recruits from the haunted halls of the Preston School of Industry to join his macabre parade.
The organizers are going all out for this haunted experience. There’s a cast of more than 100 volunteers, who have all taken acting classes for their roles that will be located on all three floors of the castle and on the grounds. There will also be holograms and animatronics and one room that will be set up to mimic a three-ring circus, said Preston Castle Foundation administrative Assistant Sybil Griffith.
Griffith said guests should expect an experience that is less about jump scares and more about the frights that might linger a bit longer. For that reason, the Haunt at Preston Castle is not recommended for children younger than 12 years of age, though it is left to parents’ discretion.
“I just tell them that once you see something you can’t unsee it,’ Griffith said.
The tales of paranormal visitors roaming the halls of the castle only serve to heighten the Halloween experience, Griffith said.
“Sometimes you might feel a touch and when you turn around there is no one there,” Griffith said. “I’ve experienced it myself. It adds an eeriness that will have you wondering if it was part of the show or not.”
In 1890, the 230-acre parcel of land atop a lonely mountain in Ione where the Preston Castle stands was purchased from the Ione Coal & Iron Company for $30 per acre with 100 acres donated. The land was purchased to house the Preston School of Industry, which was originally envisioned as a reform school for troubled boys. Over the decades, tragedies, violence and escape attempts left the facility with a reputation it couldn’t shake.
The Preston School of Industry remained open until 1960 when new facilities for the school were completed. The building remained vacant and fading into disrepair until September 10, 2001 when The Preston Castle Foundation received a fifty-year lease for the property. The Preston Castle has also been named a California State Historical Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Preston Castle Foundation received ownership of the Preston Castle and surrounding 12.91 acres on November 7, 2014.
For the Haunt at Preston Castle, visitors should expect the walk-through to last about 30 minutes. The event will run Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26. Gates open at 6:45 p.m., with the first walk-throughs starting at 7 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m. The second walk-throughs will start at 8:30 p.m. and end about 10 p.m.
This is the 14th year the Foundation has had a Halloween-themed event. It typically attracts about 1,500 visitors each night, Griffith said. The funds are used for the ongoing preservation of the castle.
Tickets are $35 for general admission and $50 for the VIP pass, which allows for a shorter line. Tickets should be purchased in advance. Food vendors and merchandise will also be on site. Guests can come in costume but the Foundation asks that no prop weapons come into the castle.
All parking is free for the Haunt but do not park in the surrounding residential neighborhoods. If you are parked in the lower parking lot, please wait at the shuttle station for a complimentary ride to the gate.
For tickets and more information visit prestoncastle.org/events/the-haunt.
