Just in time for Halloween, the chic Geyer family home in Lower Austria’s Traiskirchen is conquered by “evil clowns” and “undead”. The spectacle now attracts hundreds of visitors.
There are people who can’t do anything with Halloween. Then there are people who carve pumpkins. And then there is the Geyer family from Traiskirchen in the Baden district.
A week in advance they work on the decoration, which in total has already cost the equivalent of a small car. Movable clowns, video projections, sound and light effects and much more transform the entire building into the darkest place in town.
In the beginning there was the little party
It all started with a small Halloween party 20 years ago. “We had about ten guests in our apartment in Vienna at the time,” Sebastian Geyer (48) recalls. Gradually more and more friends came to celebrate. And at the latest when they moved to their new home in Traiskirchen, everything changed.
The party moved outside, the number of guests grew as did the creepy accessories. As the news spread quickly, it wasn’t just friends and acquaintances who came. “In 2018 we already had 500 visitors”, reports Geyer.
Vacation in the US has changed everything
A trip to the US around Halloween 2019 was essential for the further development of the “horror house” – due to a major renovation, no party was possible at the Geyers’ house this year anyway. The 48-year-old and his wife Sabine, who is the same age, came back from Florida not only with many new ideas, but also with a lot of decoration material that we cannot buy in this form at all.
Attraction for young and old
After a Corona-related break in 2020, it was that time again last year. The unbelievable result: 2500 people were counted over three days around Halloween in the garden of the Geyers. They accepted a wait of up to 45 minutes. The city has closed the street in the settlement for this and the family even has a business license. “We have to think about everything — from the emergency exit sign to the first responders on site,” Geyer says.
This year alone 5800 euros
And investing in new things continues happily. This year alone, 5800 euros flowed into the decoration. “Among other things, for three televisions, which are of course also used during the year,” says Geyer. Special reusable cups with the ‘horror house’ logo have also been made to prevent plastic waste. In addition, 90 kilos of candy were bought for the children, which are already pre-portioned. In addition, the fine-tuning runs at every turn. “This year, for the first time, there is one-way traffic through our garden,” says Geyer.
Not just scared
But the pair isn’t all about the horror. They also want to do good and collect donations for “Light ins Dunkel”. The year before, 2300 euros came together, which the couple rounded up to 3000 euros. This year, for the first time, there is also a lottery. The net proceeds also go directly to families in need.
More information: www.thehorrorhouse.at
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
