Now in its 34th season, the Mountville attraction has become a destination drive for visitors across the Northeast corridor
Halloween fans in New Jersey and New York have no shortage of options close to home. Each fall, a steady number of them still make the drive to Mountville, Pennsylvania, for Field of Screams, a haunted attraction that has operated on the same Lancaster County farm since 1993.
From South Jersey, the trip takes under two hours by way of Philadelphia and Route 30. From North Jersey it is closer to two and a half hours, and from New York City about three. For many visitors, the distance is part of the appeal: a full night out on a working farm, far from the city.
Why people make the drive
Field of Screams packs four attractions onto one property. The Haunted Hayride carries guests by tractor through cornfields and a series of staged scenes. The Den of Darkness, home to this year’s new Midnight Masquerade scene, and the Frightmare Asylum run indoors. The Nocturnal Wasteland is an outdoor trail through the woods.
Nearly everything guests see is built on the property, from sets and animatronics to costumes and sound. The attraction draws more than 75,000 visitors a season and holds a 4.4-star average across roughly 5,000 Google reviews.
“We get visitors who have been to the big theme-park Halloween events, and they tell us this feels different,” said Jim Schopf, co-founder of Field of Screams. “You’re on a real farm, in real buildings, and everything you see was made by people who care about it.”
Thirty-four years on the same farm
The Field of Screams that brothers Gene and Jim Schopf founded in 1993 still operates on their family’s farm at 191 College Avenue in Mountville. As Halloween nears, the late-October weekends draw the biggest crowds of the season, and many out-of-state visitors plan their trip weeks ahead.
“People drive a long way to see us, and we never take that for granted,” Schopf said. “Every fall we’re out here on the same farm in Lancaster County, and this year is our 34th.”
Season details
The regular season runs on select nights through Saturday, November 7. The Extreme Blackout event follows on Friday, November 13, and the 14th annual Zombie Fun Run takes place on Saturday, November 14. The event runs rain or shine. Tickets and dates are available at fieldofscreams.com.
