Every year starting around September, everyone prepares for kooks and spooks. No one, however, is more prepared than Kirby Family Farm in Williston, who start preparing for Halloween as early as March. It’s not trick-or-treating they’re preparing for, however. The farm’s event, Scary Train, run by owner Daryl Kirby, has been growing exponentially over the past few years, and this year, it features five main haunted attractions, as well as two bonus haunts and a live show.
The farm was granted 501c3 non-profit status back in 2014 and since then, per the farm’s website, has “offered high quality educational, historical, recreational, agricultural, and community enrichment programs through our hands-on historical museum and agricultural experiences.”
The website went on to explain that the farm catered to help children in need.
“Through several connections including hospitals, school prevention programs, guidance counselors, guardian ad litem, law enforcement, foster organizations, social workers, family members, and others the farm is host to children from all over needing help to overcome life’s challenges [sic].”
Last year, the farm assisted over 10,000 children and families at no cost and show no signs of stopping
“We started Scary Train as another fundraiser,” said Kirby. “85 to 90 percent of our revenue comes from our charity events.”
Those events include Christmas Train, Rock-N-Roll Easter Train, Six Gun Territory and more, all of which have also gained traction. As Kirby said, “[The events] caught traction and grew popular and helped subsidize the financial need of outreach programs.”
Kirby was not always on-board with the idea of a Halloween event, however.
“We work with a lot of kids that have come home to real-life scary [sic], so I was always cautious about it, you know. But when we saw the opportunity with some good people that got involved in our first year, we went for it, and it’s probably one of the best decisions we ever made.”
For crafty students looking for a fun and unique way to share their artwork and skills with the world, Kirby Farm grants individuals the chance to become vendors. According to the farm’s website, “We are inviting individuals, small businesses, clubs, students, artists, crafters, hobbyists, and others to apply for a booth.” While the moment is fleeting for a chance to embrace the spooky season as a vendor, the farm is currently accepting vendor applications for other events, such as the upcoming Christmas Train and Six Gun Territory.
For those who want to join in on the frightful festivities, the farm is accepting volunteers to assist at the event in a range of roles, including ticket takers, staff members and scare actors. Volunteering at Kirby Farm allows you to help children in need while also gaining experience and credit hours needed for job and college resumes.
“As far as college students, it is the best fun,” said Kirby. “I feel like, ‘Yeah, of course Mr. Kirby is going to say that’ but I don’t think I’ve met someone who has volunteered out here that didn’t think it was a blast. And, on top of it, it’s graduation hours. It makes applications look better. I don’t know what you can do that would be more fun than scaring grown men into peeing themselves. And it happens!”
Scare actors at the event include haunt managers Miah Keel and Katlynn Sims, who are both veteran actors at Scary Train.
“We host a lot of meetings throughout the summer,” said Keel. “Usually starting around March, we have our volunteer meetings, and then, from there, you’ll get a volunteer form, you’ll get the whole history of the farm, why we started – why we went scary, even.”
Keel went on to emphasize that anyone can participate.
“From there, you’ll move on to just finding out what roles you’re good at. If you’re shy, we’ll put you somewhere that’s not in the line of everybody, and you’ll expand from there. It’s based on comfort level, and, if you’re in theatre, we’ll throw you somewhere where you get to act, not just behind some pop-down window or stuff like that.”
Sims, a roamer at the event, is one of the first faces seen when guests start piling in and has worked hard to get to where she is today.
“I feel that most people start out in a haunt or in the costumes, and then they progress to other spots,” said Sims. “I started out in a haunt, and now I roam the whole farm, so now I’m always in the public eye.”
For those who fear that haunting will be too daunting in the midst of the fall semester, not to fear! Hours are flexible and cater to you, with any and all help being appreciated.
“It is never too late,” said Kirby. “We have [volunteers] sometimes come the last night because they just found out about us. But you know what? That’s an introduction into next year.”
The event is open to the public every Friday and Saturday night from Sept. 30 to Oct. 28, as well as bonus days on Sunday, Oct. 29 and Monday, Oct. 30. Gates open at 7 p.m., and haunts open at 7:30 p.m. The event runs through 10 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at ScaryTrain.com for $20 or at the gate for $25. Guests can choose a fast pass add-on for an additional $10.
“It’s not me,” said Kirby. “I come up with the crazy ideas, but those crazy ideas come to life because of all the people around. Once a Kirby kid, always a Kirby kid, no matter where you go, and no matter where life takes you.”
