Spooky season is here. It’s time to celebrate it by entering the grounds of Toronto’s house on the hill, Casa Loma, which, this October, will be transformed into an immersive theatrical experience, Legends of Horror. 

This self-guided tour of the historic building and property is known as “promenade theatre”, in which guests walk through a two-kilometre trail, commencing in the lower gardens of Casa Loma. Throughout the one-hour + experience, the audience is immersed in a variety of theatrically designed sets in the gardens and chambers below the castle. The grounds are extremely well decorated, and the actors and their environment all adopt the dress, decor and aesthetic style of the classic horror novels, inspired by the shadowy and anxious atmosphere of film noir. Through the walk, they scare you, block your way or even sometimes follow you, but never touch. The actors’ elaborate masks and costumes and their performances in passionate group settings and solitary scenes all to provoke thought and personal interpretation of the experience. What’s even more exciting is an opportunity to go through the castle’s tunnels and darkest spaces that were never before open to the public. Halfway through, visitors are invited for drinks and food. There is no better way to warm up at the midway stop than with delicious cocktails made with Captain Morgan. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available. A crescendo of the production is the 3D projection on the exterior of the castle, which brings the characters of the storyline and the walls of the castle to life.

New this year is an immersive experience created in partnership with Secret City Adventures – overseers of the fan favourite, the Casa Loma Escape Series – called Zombie Apocalypse. Toronto’s newest and largest zombie-themed haunted house invites patrons to enter the world of fictional pharmaceutical giant, Biolux, and its new wonder drug: the Biolux Serum, a purported solution to aging and disease, which renders subjects into cannibalizing contagious zombies. 

Tickets are cheaper if bought online, and the price is lower before October 12th. So, hurry up! The spooky immersive experience is waiting for you at Casa Loma. Don’t forget to check out the special family hours when it is designed to be less scary for families with younger children, as it will be earlier in the evening when less dark, and there will be no live actors. For tickets and more information, visit legendsofhorror.ca.