By Abby Rathburn | Staff Writer
Fog fills the tents, strobe lights flash and clowns chase visitors through rooms inspired by “The Purge.” As students look forward to Halloween, Phi Gamma Delta welcomes them into its house of horror to deliver a fun, frightful experience.
On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, students are invited to join Phi Gamma Delta, also known as FIJI, for Fright Night, an annual haunted house event free for all to enjoy.
While the fraternity is primarily credited with the event, Lancaster, California, senior and FIJI President John Calandri said the event wouldn’t be possible without support from their campus partners.
“Student government has been super helpful in the past through SGAF,” Calandri said. “They’re able to fund up to half of the total project cost, which is amazing for our fraternity. It would be impossible for us to do the event without that type of financial support.”
Beyond Student Government, FIJI also relies on Baylor Activities Council and its members to bring Fright Night to life. From planning and budgeting to helping out at the event itself, BAC contributes at every stage.
“You have this idea in your head of what it’s going to be like, but until you actually build it, until you see all the rooms… [only] then you see how it actually comes to life, which is pretty cool,” Corpus Christi junior and Fright Chair Luke Moya said.
Even when the rooms are built, Calandri said the experience remains incomplete without students.
“One of the things that you’ll probably notice is it’s not as exciting during the daytime, and I think that’s really because it’s the people who make the event,” Calandri said.
Last year, over 2,000 people attended Fright Night over the three-day event. Calandri and his fellow Phi Gamma Deltas hope to surpass that number this year, as they continue to grow their interactive haunted house experience.
For those who attended night one, the eerie atmosphere and scares made the experience memorable.
“The jump scares were scary, but some parts were just really fun,” Houston junior Amariah Akita said.
Creating that experience takes months of planning, with FIJI members starting work a year in advance. Every part has to be planned precisely because even the smallest details can shape the student experience.
“My favorite part was a hanging skeleton with a sign that said ‘hug me,’” San Antonio junior Leah Camero said.
The white tent on Fountain Mall, along with the vendors and games outside, Calandri said, covers more than 10,000 square feet. Students enjoy seeing the event come to life after all the preparation.
“Opening day is my favorite because I get to see everyone have fun and see all our hard work actually help the student body,” Fort Worth senior and BAC program manager Sophia Santiago said.
Behind the scenes, FIJI members take on roles inside the haunted house to help create the scares that bring the expectations to life.
“My first time doing it was last year, and I was a scarer, and I didn’t think it would be that fun, but actually, it’s pretty fun,” Moya said. “You can see all your friends and try to see if you can scare them or not.”
Ultimately, the event serves a bigger purpose: benefiting the American Red Cross, which Moya said is a nonprofit close to his heart. He said living on Texas’ coast has made him aware of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, that the Red Cross helps communities recover from.
For those interested in donating, all profits from Fright Night shirts go to the American Red Cross. Students may also donate directly using the FIJJI CrowdSharing link.
