The 3rd Annual Wentz Brothers’ Festival of Fears Continues to Become Bigger & Better
The Wentz Brothers invite one and all to their third annual Festival of Fears haunted attraction in Fort Walton Beach. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than the last, opening in a new facility at the Santa Rosa Mall. The new location boasts over 80,000 square feet, leaving the Wentz Brothers, Alex and Andrew, with plenty of room to continue growing the Festival of Fears into “the Gulf Coast’s premier haunted attraction.”
The 2023 haunt season will introduce guests to a number of new characters, offerings and attractions you won’t want to miss. The Festival of Fears will host three all-new, original haunted houses alongside new and improved horror-themed midway games, two haunted,
15-minute escape rooms, a spooky gift shop, food trucks and an expanded bar serving a variety of drinks from alcohol to event-exclusive Fear Potions. The Wentz Brothers also plan to host a number of new events held throughout the season such as the inaugural Drop Dead Disco costume party, two Family Day events, and a special surprise for Friday the 13th.
Keeping with the Festival of Fears’ tradition of changing haunted house themes each season, 2023 will boast three unique, haunted house concepts and styles. The first, Beasts of the Bayou, will transport guests into a backwoods marsh never explored by man, but home to a bevy of hideous and hungry monsters. Next, Nightmare Menagerie will have guests venture into an abandoned, roadside zoo that has now become home to a new breed of evil. And finally, guests will step under the big top to see the newest additions to the Collector’s horrifying horde in Into The Festival Of Fears: The Secret Show. Additionally, guests can test their nerves and their wits in two new, haunted, 15-minute escape rooms — Lazarus Toys: No Escape and Experiments In Evil: Razorback’s Revenge.
The Festival of Fears is located in the old JC Penney’s building at Santa Rosa Mall and is open select nights from September 15th to November 4th. Haunting hours start at 6 p.m. sharp with a special pre-show to kick things off — so don’t be late. Guests who book their tickets for any night in September will receive $5 off general admission or $10 off express entry or VIP passes using the promo code: SEPTEMBER at checkout. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at www.wbfestivaloffears.com.
Featured Speakers Advertisedfor Honoring Our Heroes Banquet
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce will host “Honoring Our Heroes: 9/11 America’s Response,” a tribute event dedicated to the U.S. Military’s Task Force Dagger, at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. This year’s event aims to spotlight the heroism of Air Force Special Operations Command Special Tactics Airmen and aircrews who were the first Airmen to step foot into Afghanistan less than a month after the terrorist attacks. Also hear from the first female gunship navigator to open fire in combat operations. Lieutenant General Marshall “Brad” Webb, USAF (retired); Col. Allison Black, and Col. Kurt Buller, USAF (Retired), are set to speak. The event will conclude with a toast including the US Army Green Berets of Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595, who were the spotlight of last year’s event, returning as part of the Chamber’s tribute to America’s Heroes.
Tickets are $75.00 per person and include dinner, beer, and wine. Corporate tables are also available, but limited in quantity. Tickets can be purchased at FWBchamber.org or by calling 850-244-8191.
“Celebrating and honoring the bravery of Task Force Dagger is not only vital for paying homage to our military heroes, but it also serves as a poignant reminder of the values we hold dear in our community and as a nation. The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to host this event because it underscores the unity, resilience, and indomitable spirit that make America great. We believe it’s an essential opportunity for our community to come together, reflect, and express our deepest gratitude for the sacrifices made on our behalf,” said Maureen Bierman, 2023 Chairman of the Board, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s not just an event, but a historical reunion, bringing together 13 members of Task Force Dagger who played an instrumental role in the aftermath of 9/11. The evening’s toast, inspired by the legacy of the Doolittle Raiders, promises to be a momentous experience that will indelibly imprint on all those present. It is an occasion to celebrate not just military valor but also the spirit of unity and resilience that defines our community and our nation” said Ted Corcoran, President/CEO, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.
