Frightened screams to Ho ho ho! Factory of Terror unveils Christmas wonderland in Canton
CANTON − The Factory of Terror is known for producing frightening screams.
But Aaaaah! will soon be replaced with Ho ho ho! as one of Ohio's most revered haunted houses is transformed into a Christmas-themed, non-scary attraction.
The Ohio Christmas Factory — which opens Saturday — is a 50,000-square-foot, family-friendly winter wonderland. It features the North Pole Tavern, Christmas characters such as Greenie Meanie and Snow Queen, photo stations, holiday music, snow machines, a full-scale gingerbread house, 18-foot hot chocolate cup, light shows, more than 60 Christmas trees and an area for pretend snowball fights.
Kim Shapiro, bar manager at Ohio Christmas Factory, said the new holiday experience has a broader appeal than the Halloween scares.
"You can come to this just as easy as a date night as a family event," said Shapiro, who also assists with other aspects of the attraction. "Everyone's welcome.
"The demographics of people who like Christmas is much bigger than people who think this is just a haunted house," Shapiro said of Factory of Terror. "We're starting to be a seasonal attraction, not just a haunted house."
Flipping the script: From spooky to jolly
About 20% of the space at Factory of Terror is being flipped from spooky to jolly.
For example, the pirate-themed haunt is being converted to a Caribbean Christmas featuring palm trees and recorded holiday music with steel drums. A tunnel with light effects and a moving walkway becomes Tinsel Tunnel. The room of mirrors is now Merry Maze.
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But the vast majority of the Ohio Christmas Factory is untapped space formerly used for storage and other purposes.
Factory of Terror's creepy Christmas experience will be moved to the Haunted School House in Akron, said John Eslich, owner of Ohio Christmas Factory and Factory of Terror.
North Pole Tavern is new, and a site to behold. Vintage department store Christmas window displays harken to a bygone era. Cozy seating fronts a replica fireplace. A large bar serves specialty cocktails and draft Christmas ales. Tables are spread throughout, and Christmas decorations abound. Food is not served, however.
A few other bars also will be open, including Winters’ Wonderland Bar, and drinks can be carried throughout Ohio Christmas Factory, Eslich said.
"We just wanted this to feel like you were in an urban hotel or major metropolitan area at Christmastime," Shapiro said.
North Pole Tavern can be rented out for holiday parties and private events for groups of up to 150 people. There also will be an Ugly Sweater Party on Dec. 14 for ages 21 and older. More details and prices are available online at https://ohiochristmasfactory.com/par.
The tavern also will remain open after Ohio Christmas Factory tours stop for the evening on weekends, he said.
Ohio Christmas Factory is $1.5 million investment
Eslich has ambitiously spent $1.5 million on Ohio Christmas Factory. More money will be spent on changes and additions over the course of the next two years, he said.
Electrical upgrades, architectural work, new restrooms and fire safety measures were added to the repurposed warehouse area. Myriad Christmas props, decorations and other elements also were purchased or built on site.
Eslich said he's "going for a wow factor."
What's inside the Ohio Christmas Factory?
Ohio Christmas Factory features a Christmas Tree Stroll, Candy Cane Lane, Letters to Santa Claus, Winters' Wonderland Bar, Kids' Fun Zone, Frozen Forest and an indoor Christmas light show synched to Christmas carols.
Children's activities include face painting and balloon artists. Mrs. Claus' Bakery is where cookies can be purchased and decorated. More fun includes a holiday-themed Lego display and area to play with Legos. Other fun includes reindeer tag and spinning chairs.
Another stop will be Frosty’s Cafe Hot Chocolate Bar, where options include traditional hot cocoa or spiking it with peppermint vodka.
Santa's stables features mechanical singing reindeer. Highlights also include a 1,200-square-foot Gingerbread Mansion that was constructed on site.
Parents can participate in a "naughty or nice" game with their children using a QR code
"Everything is about making memories and memorializing your experience with friends and families," Eslich said.
The holiday experience begins once visitors park their vehicles. Holiday light displays line the area leading to a ticket window. A 15-minute light and effects show synchronized to music will greet guests at the entrance facade (between dusk and 11 p.m.).
A sprawling and vividly-colored holiday mural also has been created by artist Steve Ehret of Canton.
This is only phase one of the Christmas experience
Eslich is just getting started.
This is step one in a three-year process before the Christmas attraction is completed, he said.
New features will be added and designs and layouts will vary in the next few years, he said.
"It gives people more motivation to come out," Eslich said. "It's going to be a destination every year."
When is the Ohio Christmas Factory open?
Promoted as a holiday experience for all ages, the indoor, heated attraction is located at the Factory of Terror, 4125 Mahoning Road NE. Ohio Christmas Factory is open weekends through Dec. 23. Hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Friday; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Additional hours include Dec. 19-21.
How much are tickets?
General admission tickets cost $23.95 per person for online purchases (ages 13 and older); and $25 at the box office. Children's admission (ages 4 to 12) is $17.95 before 4 p.m. for online purchases and $20 at the box office. Children under age 3 do not require a ticket.
Tickets are reserved for a specific entry time. Meeting and taking photos with Santa is an additional cost; so is the virtual reality experience on Santa's sleigh. To purchase tickets, reserve an entry time and for more information, go to https://ohiochristmasfactory.com/.
Tours are self-guided, and there isn't a time limit.
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton's Factory of Terror opens new Ohio Christmas Factory attraction
