Plantation Blood continues to scare CSRA

Plantation Blood located in Augusta is the city’s only haunted theme park this season. (photo by CM Wahl)

By CM Wahl | Staff writer

With Halloween around the corner, locals may find themselves seeking entertainment of the scary kind.

Plantation Blood, the CSRA’s only haunted theme park, is an option for those willing to brave the 30,000 square foot facility full of darkness, jump scares, and chilling actor portrayals. Located in South Augusta, the brick ranch includes four separate houses on one spine-tingling tour, with shows beginning at 8 p.m. all season long.

According to Mike Theberge, caretaker at Plantation Blood, every actor there is a volunteer and most work every day of the season. Anyone 16 or older can take a role, even for just one night, and the haunt is always hiring. Parents and younger children can also work together, teaming up to scare patrons in their own special way.

“It’s a different breed of people,” he said. “Some of them really get into what they’re doing.”

Theberge said they never know what an actor will do. Plantation Blood gives parameters of what can and cannot be done, then gives the actors freedom to make their characters their own. He walks through the houses several times a night, monitoring both actors and customers to ensure things run smoothly. Having helped design and build the sets, it’s important to him that everyone has a good time.

“It’s the best feeling in the world to see someone get scared from something you built,” he said.

Theberge said every worker pitches ideas for the attractions, so guests can always expect new features. The staff changes the lights, sounds, and even room locations to give repeat attendees a different experience every year. Somewhere around 8,000 people visit during each season and the energy rises closer to Halloween. Live bands, costume contests and outside vendors help add to the overall spirit.

Manager Paul White agrees. To him, the best part of Plantation Blood is the atmosphere and “seeing people’s reactions.” Whether in the front house, the asylum, the voodoo swamp, or the clown area, he said his staff takes a lot of time, effort and detail to make the entire experience unique and authentic.

“It’s all different,” he said “Nothing is the same throughout the whole deal.”

As soon as the season ends, the staff begins working through the winter, spring and summer on scares for the following fall. White took over operations of Plantation Blood last year, but recalls once being a volunteer clown. Now, he is proud to have his 7-year-old daughter in the Doll Room as a terrifying addition to the cluster of scares around her. He states there is no age minimum for customers, leaving it up to parents’ discretion on what their children can handle.

White stated that if patrons of any age ever struggle to get through the haunt, Plantation Blood has people who can walk them to the exits or escort them through the houses. This includes anyone who is too scared to continue, crying or panicking in any way.

“In all honesty,” he said, “we got a very good staff. They do very well with that.”

Both Theberge and White offer advice to future attendees to take their time walking through the haunt and keep their belongings stowed away. Every season, the lost and found has numerous cell phones, earrings, glasses, keys, and bizarrely, a collection of left shoes.

They said there’s no need to rush, as tickets are sold until midnight and the haunt won’t close until the “last victim” goes through the queue line.

“It’s a good time,” commented Theberge. “Family-friendly. If you like to be scared, come here. We’re good at it.”

Contact CM Wahl at cwahl@augusta.edu.

This story is published in the Monday, Oct. 3, 2022 print edition of The Bell Ringer on page 5.