When you can't get people to go to your haunted house, you take the haunt on the road.

That's just what the creators of Weyburn's own 'Mayhem Manor' had to do these past two Halloweens in order to adapt to the times.

"Last year was our first non-in person haunt," explained Ernie Parisien. "Due to restrictions, we decided not to pursue opening any nights. So my wife and I decided to message a few members that help us build, stage and act at the Manor, and within half an hour there were 10 of us, and we decided to dress up as clowns and stake out the grounds of Saskatchewan Drive heading to [the old] Souris Valley grounds."

"We startled and scared a number of surprised travellers. Within a half hour of our first startle, people started sharing video and words of acknowledgment of our creation along Sask Drive. Over the next two hours we had over 100 vehicles drive through, in hopes of a good scare or startle. It went over very well!"

Parisien said the haunt build started in 2013 out of their single car garage. Then, in 2014, it moved to a two-car garage, where, at one point, they welcomed more than 700 guests in one night. He said it grew from 336 square feet to over 5,000 square feet in just a few short years.

"So fast forward to this year, in the beginning of September we secured a 15,000 plus sqare foot location and had made some really good plans for an in-person haunt fundraiser scare this year," he shared. "Ideas were rolling, and we were getting excited. But again, due to the possibility of government restrictions playing a hand in our haunt, we sadly once again decided not to host this year's event. So our small group did some brain storming and we started to look for a van or bus that could be donated for our use."

Photo courtesy of Ernie Parisien.

"Thanks to Pumpjacks, we found a bus that suited our needs perfectly! So I laid down the idea of a clown posse dressed all in white suits and crazy, evil-ish, scary masks hunting and haunting around town, just to keep the spirit of our Manor intact."

"We had 12 clowns and one driver. We drove to a few places that we knew certain people were deathly terrified of clowns, approximately seven specific homes, and then we made sure to hit up some hot spots around town and took advantage of these spots for some group photos for our memories."

One of those haunted was Discover Weyburn's own Glenn Rogers.

"I can tell you, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers were both very wary of approaching and answering the door," chuckled Parisien.

Another of the hunted and haunted was a neighbour of Ernie and Ammie Parisien, Sylvia Goebel.

"I was a Guinea pig and my children helped scare," she shared. "So I've always been one of their features scares, because they know that they can get me every single time. I knew that they were coming for me because they come for my popcorn balls every year, and because I'm an easy scare."

She said while she isn't into being scared, she loves Halloween, but they play off peoples' fears, and they know clowns are many peoples' biggest fear.

As for next year, Goebel said, "they probably have big plans up their sleeves, and every year they always do, and I hope that they'll get to continue on next year."

What it's all about, is memory-making, after all, and this year had no shortage of those.

"We stopped at a backyard haunt that was well built and planned out. Upon entering through the garage and into the backyard tunnels, a 'perfect timing' scenario arose as a group of approximately ten or twelve [tweens] happened to be in the haunt as well, and they had no idea we were in there! The screams and tears that came from them little Halloween goers will forever stay in our memories. That was such a great moment!"

Video footage courtesy of Amy Tochor.

Parisien noted that their 'clown posse drive-by' was no comparison to their in-person haunts.

"We thoroughly enjoy all events that we host, though, and take away great memories, as well as create great memories for all participants," he commented.

Fundraising wasn't possible this year, he noted, as the surprise factor would have been ruined, but the police were given a heads up that they'd be doing their haunting that night.

Listen here to Sylvia Goebel sharing some (PG-13) stories and sentiments about Mayhem Manor, and about Halloween:

Photo courtesy of Ernie Parisien.

Photo courtesy of Ernie Parisien.