A Decade of Darkness: Fear on the Farm Turns Ten
Behind the screams with Lee Jordan, Jay Silverman, and the crew celebrating ten years of West Virginia's premier haunted attraction
Pictured left to right: Jay Silverman of Have Fun WV, Lee Jordan of Fear on the Farm, and Jole Aron of WV Vibes.
Some people spend October hanging cobwebs on their porch. Others spend the entire year building nightmares — and then spend December resurrecting a Christmas demon.
At Fear on the Farm in Winfield, West Virginia, creating the perfect scare is a year-round occupation. And in 2026, the beloved haunted attraction marks a milestone that few haunts ever reach: ten years of fear.
When Jay Silverman, host of the YouTube channel Have Fun WV, set out to film a video featuring four haunted houses in and around the Charleston area, he invited WV Vibes' own Jole Aron to tag along for the behind-the-scenes visit. Their destination: a sit-down with the man behind a decade of darkness, Lee Jordan.
What they found was an operation that's equal parts haunted house, working farm, and year-round monster factory.
Building Nightmares Takes Time
While most of us don't start thinking about Halloween until the leaves begin to change, the crew at Fear on the Farm is already hard at work during the winter.
"We usually start in January," Jordan told us during the visit.
That means months of planning, construction, maintenance, and preparation before the first unsuspecting visitor ever steps through the entrance.
The attraction features an impressive collection of animatronic creatures — including puppets controlled by live operators and mechanical monsters powered by compressed air. But technology is only part of the equation. As the team explained, nothing quite compares to having real people hiding in the darkness, waiting for exactly the right moment to make someone jump.
And there are plenty of them. On a typical operating night, Fear on the Farm brings out a cast of roughly 35 monsters — a mix of live scare actors and animatronic creatures lurking in the dark — along with another 10 to 12 staff members keeping the experience running. It takes a small army to deliver a single night of screams.
A Whole Farm Full of Fear
For its anniversary season, Fear on the Farm continues offering a variety of horror experiences designed to test even the bravest visitors.
Among the featured attractions is Bloody Mary's Harvest of Screams, where visitors venture into a sinister harvest filled with creatures lurking among the cornrows. Another featured experience is The Last Day Dark Coven, a witch-themed attraction built around dark rituals and cursed spirits.
For visitors looking for something different, the farm also offers Mysterious Mansion, a virtual-reality haunted experience. And then there's The Last Ride, a simulated coffin experience that takes the fear of being buried alive to another level.
The property also features midway entertainment and games, giving visitors something to enjoy between screams.
The People Behind the Monsters
What makes Fear on the Farm particularly interesting isn't simply the number of attractions — it's the amount of creativity and teamwork required to bring them to life.
The operation is led by Lee Jordan, whose enthusiasm for Halloween has helped turn a seasonal attraction into a decade-long undertaking. Behind the scenes, the team continues improving sets, developing effects, and preparing performers year after year.
The attraction even uses monthly "Monster School" sessions to help train its scare actors. It's an unusual kind of education, but when your job involves terrifying complete strangers, timing, performance, and teamwork are everything.
And after ten years, the crew has had plenty of practice.
21 Shows of Fear — And a Christmas Nightmare
Fear on the Farm isn't limiting its anniversary season to October. According to the organizers, the 2026 season features 21 shows, with the final weekend of fear taking place during the first weekend of November.
But once the Halloween monsters retreat into the darkness, the farm begins preparing for an entirely different kind of nightmare: Christmas with Krampus.
Following the Halloween season, the crew takes approximately 30 days to transform the attraction into a twisted holiday experience. Forget jolly elves and cheerful Christmas carols — Krampus, the legendary horned figure from European folklore, brings a darker side to the holiday season.
Christmas with Krampus is planned for Friday and Saturday during the second week of December, from 7 p.m. until midnight. And don't expect a little winter weather to scare away the monsters.
The organizers say they're prepared for rain, cold, sleet, and snow, although severe weather can occasionally force a closure. In fact, during last year's Krampus event, snowfall on the second night became so significant that the attraction had to close. The crew recalled the freezing conditions with laughter — including visitors and staff complaining about the cold while organizers reminded everyone that they had been warned to bring their winter gear.
For the team behind Fear on the Farm, the unpredictable weather is simply another part of the adventure. Visitors are encouraged to bundle up and prepare for a Christmas celebration unlike anything Santa Claus has planned.
A Sneak Peek — But Only a Taste
Want a hint of what's waiting out there in the dark? Jay Silverman captured a sneak peek of all four haunted houses for Have Fun WV — but he's only showing you the highlights. The full experience, the jump scares, and the surprises you don't see coming? Those you'll have to discover for yourself.
A Decade Worth Celebrating
There's something special about discovering how much work goes into a local attraction like Fear on the Farm. Visitors might spend an evening running from monsters, screaming through dark corridors, and laughing with friends afterward. But behind every scare are months of preparation and a team dedicated to making the experience memorable.
From January construction projects to October screams and December encounters with Krampus, Fear on the Farm has turned Halloween entertainment into an almost year-round passion.
As the attraction celebrates its tenth anniversary, it's clear that the people behind it aren't running out of frightening ideas anytime soon. And for those brave enough to visit, there's only one question:
Are you ready to be scared?
The Four Haunts Featured in Jay's Video
These are the four haunted houses Jay visited for his video. Prepare to get spooked — and then go experience them for yourself.
1. Capitol Horror — Charleston, WV
Downtown Charleston's newest nightmare, located on Capitol Street in the old Woolworth building. Open every Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight through Halloween.
capitolhorrorhauntedhouse.com
2. Fear on the Farm — Winfield, WV
The star of this story and a decade-long Halloween destination. 21 shows for the 2026 season, plus Christmas with Krampus in December.
fearonthefarmwv.com
3. Gritt's Farm — Buffalo, WV
A Putnam County fall staple featuring corn mazes, pumpkin fields, and seasonal frights for the whole family.
grittsfarm.com
4. Scareview Grave Schoul — St. Albans, WV
A haunted house set inside the old Fairview Grade School — a building that's rumored to be truly haunted. Run by the local fire department, it's a community tradition.
facebook.com/Scareview
Looking for even more frights? Check out our complete guide to 2026 Haunted Houses & Scare Trails in West Virginia and the Tri-State for a full list of scare attractions across the region.
Plan Your Visit
Fear on the Farm
8325 Winfield Road
Winfield, WV 25213
2026 Halloween Season: 21 shows, concluding the first weekend of November.
Christmas with Krampus: Planned for December 11–12, 2026, from 7 p.m. until midnight. Confirm dates before attending.
Admission: $25 per person, as quoted during our visit.
Website: fearonthefarmwv.com
Also be on the lookout for Joe Justice's upcoming documentary about Fear on the Farm's 10th anniversary — a deeper dive into the decade of dedication behind one of West Virginia's favorite haunts.
WV Vibes Magazine celebrates the people, places, and experiences that make West Virginia — and the surrounding tri-state region — unique.
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