BLACKFOOT — Thousands of cheering fans filled the grandstands of the Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds only weeks ago for acts like Heart and Three Dog Night, but many of those fans were unaware of the terror that would be lurking below just a few weeks later.

    What starts with a dark and bone chilling elevator ride up, ends with mad dash toward the exit for most participants who attend the “Grandstand of Terror” in Blackfoot.

“I peed my pants like four times, I’m not even lying,” said Dessie Dixon, after being chased out of the fairgrounds by a masked, chain saw wielding mechanic.

    For 10 years now, that’s been the goal for director Sharon Hoge and the members of the Blackfoot Community Players. She says it’s rewarding to oversee the spooky attraction each year knowing it’s for a good cause. All money raised by its nearly 70 actors goes to maintain the thespian groups historic Nuart Theatre in Blackfoot open and running.

    Drawing inspiration from Universal Studios after visiting years ago, Hoge says she and others plan nearly all year for this terrorizing event.

    And it shows. Just like out of a Hollywood movie, this feature has some can’t-miss attractions and special effects.

    Throughout nearly two dozen rooms and seemingly endless dark hallways, each one greatly differs from the next and all are well orchestrated.

    The planning and setup crew includes two engineers from the INL, which is why many of the frightening effects are of the highest spooktacular quality. A couple of the most exciting rooms include the drop coffin and the guillotine room. Where, after experiencing the initial scare of each room, you are dropped through the floor. First, through a casket, and next down a slide after an encounter with an undertaker and full size guillotine blade dangling above your head.

    “We went and did the haunted mansions of Albion last night, and this is probably every bit as good and I’d say even better than it was. Those slides are pretty sweet man,” said Pocatello native Scott Peterson, who visited the attraction with his partner, Dessie, on Friday evening.

    Attendance has gone up every year since it opened, with this year’s biggest night approaching 300 participants.

    Hoge says some nights even after they’ve closed the front gate they’ll have people waiting in the grandstands for about two hours to participate. She says they have always strived to keep prices down so everyone can come.

    All this terror does come with a few set of rules, albeit fairly straightforward ones: electronic devices like cell phones and flashlights are to be shut off entirely (cell phones even on silent vibrate can interrupt some of the electronic effects within the course), and the actors are not to be touched.

    Among those nearly 60 actors who volunteer their time to this event each year is Jake Pendlebury, who has volunteered for the last four years. He says he enjoys participating in the terrorizing event each year even though his schedule is rather rigorous.

    Hoge says the volunteers spend almost all of their free time participating in the event, but they all really seem to enjoy it.

    She says it allows some kids to express themselves like never before, even if they never thought of doing drama.

    “The nice thing about this is you can start doing drama without having to get a part, or putting yourself out there too far,” Hoge said.

    The course runs through Oct. 31 and starts every night except Sundays at 7:30 p.m. The ticket booth at the east entrance stops selling tickets at 9:30 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Groups of four to eight people enter the course at a time and it takes just over a half hour to complete, depending on how spooked each group ahead gets and how long it takes them to exit.

    Tickets are $7 each, or $10 for express passes, which will get participants into an express line to get into the course faster.

    For more information on the Grandstand of Terror, call (208) 557-3369 or visit the spook alley yourself for a one-of-a-kind experience.