POCATELLO — According to whispers of a forgotten legend from the 1970s, a serial killer clown and his sideshow crew traversed western states terrorizing and killing small town folk.

Burning down the farms of their prey, they sequestered their victims to a remote farm in the area where they buried them under the pig barns. The bodies were never recovered but the legend states that you can still hear the cries of the dead under the screeching wails of the pigs.

Now, “Flamey” the clown and his sideshow miscreants have returned to the funhouse, inviting locals to experience the thrills and chills of their haunted attraction.

This is the eighth year that Nikki Jorgensen of Snake River Doodles has put on a haunted spectacle for the residents of Pocatello and Chubbuck, with five generations of haunters within her family passing down what has become a Halloween tradition.

“It was just a time that all the family came together and had such a great time, the cousins and everyone would come together that time of the year,” Jorgensen said. “My grandma would be dressed up scaring people right along with all of us. We grew up a really traditional Mormon family, but we love Halloween.”

For over 40 years, a haunted guide has escorted terrified patrons through these spook-filled attractions, some of which were hosted in the families’ backyards on Halloween, but this year will be the first time guests can go through a self-guided experience.

“We also have an escape room feature where they have to obtain a key along the way to get through some areas,” Jorgensen said. “It will be probably double the length that it was last year.”

In years past it usually took 5-10 minutes to complete the haunted house but this year it will take around 10-20 minutes to complete with all the new concepts being implemented.

The haunted attractions will have two fear levels for entrants, one all-ages affair called ‘Spook Alley’ that is just the first section of the haunted house as well as a ‘Not for the faint of heart’ scare level that is the complete experience.

Horror aficionados won’t have to wait long for a ghastly encounter with “Flamey” and his carnival crew as they will begin stalking the fairgrounds at 7 p.m. on Friday night.

Instead of a “trick,” SRD and the organizers are divulging a “treat” by offering buy-one-get-one-free tickets for Friday’s opening night to get the costumed crew adjusted to first night’s frights. Tickets are $10 for anyone age 12 and up, $5 for ages 3-11 and kids 2 and under get in free. For those interested in only participating in the Spook Alley section, the price is $3.

“I really love to bring my cast together especially as some people have been working for us five or six years and we love to all come together,” Jorgensen said. “We call it our haunt family. My grandkids are just little and they come and also participate, we have a spook alley (section) that they love to be a part of.”

There is plenty of fun to be had by this freak show of fear the entire Halloween season, SRDs Haunted Fairground is sure to scare up a few good screams and laughs as customers of all ages test their bravery at this creepy clown filled carnival.

SRDs Haunted Fairgrounds runs every weekend in the month of October from 7 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturdays at the Bannock County Event Center Building D at the fairgrounds located at 10588 Fairground Dr. in Pocatello.

To pre-purchase tickets you can visit their website at: pocatelloevents.ticketspice.com/srdshaunt.