With the Halloween spirit in the air, the music fraternities of Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (PMAS) decide to take on the annual Ridenbaugh haunted house.
Jonathan Madrid, president of PMAS, said the tradition of the haunted house has been going on at the University of Idaho since the 1980s. It originated as a partnership between the two fraternities.
“As music students, this is our practice building, and there’s been a lot of weird experiences here,” Madrid said.
Connor Bunderson | Argonaut
A muzzled chef presents a head for guests to feast on during Ridenbaugh haunted house.
There are rumors that music students committed suicide in Ridenbaugh Hall and their spirits haunt the building. Doors slam and open. Lights turn off or flicker. People hear voices late at night.
“If you hear piano playing in the middle of the night, that’s one of the ghosts,” Madrid said.
The night started out at the haunted house event with a children-friendly hour. But as it gets darker, the house became scarier for the adult guests.
“My favorite thing about the house is that it was quick but it was enough to scare you and get you ready for Halloween,” said sophomore Gabrielle Stone.
Stone went through the house when it was in its scarier version. When someone banged on a door as she walked by she jumped into the air, but she said she enjoyed it.
“We’ve had kids going through it that have cried, so we try to tone it down for them. But for the most part, the reactions have gone really well,” said Caitlin Wikel, the head of the haunted house committee.
The children-friendly hour was toned down in comparison to the students’ full efforts at scares. Later, there were several jump scares and other creepy components to the experience, Wikel said.
Students on the haunted house committee are assigned a room that they can decorate as they please. One room featured a little girl sitting in front of a TV while a door slammed, scaring visitors — this was a favorite among the committee, Wikel said.
All of the proceeds made went to the Moscow Food Bank. In previous years, they’ve donated about 100 cans of food and around $75.
But this year, visitors were constant throughout the night and Wikel said they’re hoping to donate more this year and for years to come.
Next year, Wikel said they may ask local businesses to sponsor them.
“We’re hoping this year is kind of the year it starts growing again,” Wikel said.
Even if someone doesn’t like haunted houses, volunteer Rachael Lewis said they should still visit the haunted house for the experience.
“You have to come at least once. It’s a tradition,” Lewis said.
Lizzy Diana can be reached at [email protected]