The Castle Fun Center turns spooky

Chester — The dead come out to play every October, or so some say, and have taken over The Castle Fun Center at 107 Brookside Ave. (Route 17M) in Chester. After 14 seasons of providing family entertainment with miniature golf, batting cages, go-karts, a rock-climbing wall and an arcade, owners Brian Leentjes and Basil LeBlanc decided to mix something a little spookier into the cauldron. The Haunted Castle opened for the first time this fall to run from dusk until midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays through October. The Haunted Castle is more of a theatrical event than just three scary rooms. The Quest of Death features local actors building a storyline as patrons make their way through one of the mini-golf courses. Some of the meat hooks and other processing tools from the old Chester Hide & Skin is incorporated throughout the Slaughterhouse Maze. And a Haunted Graveyard is inhabited by live (or are they dead?) actors. The admission fee of $15 includes all three haunts, and a round in the batting cages, plus a chance to win a free go-kart ride. The haunts are not recommended for young children or those with a weak disposition. For more information, call 469-2116 or visit thehauntedcastle.net.