FARMINGTON — Zombies, torture chambers and a skeleton-driven hearse are coming to Knowlton Corner Farm when it hosts a Haunted Barn from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 22 and 23.

Scary scenes with volunteers performing skits as fog swirls and ghosts hoot are in the works, farm owner Arleen Govoni said Thursday. There’ll be a mad doctor, haunted cornfields and pet cemetery for visitors to endure as they make their way through the maze of scenes, she said. 

Finish the haunted barn tour and Govoni will offer free hot cider, cocoa and cookies for the guests, she said.

This isn’t her first haunted barn. She’s done it before for a therapeutic riding program but stopped about five years ago. This year she resurrected the event to help the animals at the Franklin County Animal Shelter.

She recently visited the shelter and saw how it was “overrun” with animals. Many were surrendered by owners who were unable to continue with the expenses of owning animals.

“That bothered me more than anything — that people have to give up their animals. I decided it was time to help them out,” she said.

The shelter currently has 103 cats, and another 100 in foster care waiting to come to the shelter, and 20 dogs, said shelter board President Heidi Jordan.

Prices for a visit to the Haunted Barn at 341 Knowlton Corner Road are $6 for adults, $3 for ages 4 to 10, and children under three are free.

Several volunteers have helped set up the scenes and play the parts in the various skits throughout the haunted barn, she said.

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