Rockford Screamfest was comprised of seven consecutive, uniquely themed areas, inside a huge 70,000 square foot indoor space. The floor plan was laid-out very well.  There was only one waiting line in front of the first attraction and as you exited each consecutive house, you immediately entered the next one, without having to wait in a separate line. 

Willowdale Farm Summary:

As the name implies, Willowdale Farm had a country farm theme. They had constructed a huge 15 foot tall barn, which was detailed quite well with old weathered boards and cobwebs.  Along the way, you encountered several twisting walkways, with corn stalks on either side of you.  In the middle of the attraction, you passed through a nicely detailed country graveyard that had grave markers and a picket fence, with crooked boards.  There was also a tool shed that you had to go through, where the walls and ceiling swayed back and forth, as if the structure was going to fall down on top of you.  

Realm of Darkness Summary:

This attraction was set up as a haunted manor, with a very nice, detailed facade.  In your trek through the Realm of Darkness, you had to wind your way through various rooms of the house, such as the study, bedroom, kitchen, and attic. This was one of the most detailed attractions at Rockford Screamfest.  In some of the rooms, the exit was not always obvious.  To advance on to other scenes, you had to walk through various hidden exits like a fireplace, refrigerator or bookcase.  

Unfortunately, there were fewer actors in this house than there were last year. Since one of the main strengths of this attraction had been the theatrical performance of the actors, the overall impact of some of these scenes had diminished, compared to last year's performance.  

Industrial Chaos Summary:

This house was set up with an industrial motif.  While working your way through Industrial Chaos, you had to weave back and forth through barriers consisting of industrial racks, barrels and wooden pallets.  To go along with the industrial theme, there were pipes running along the walls, a large conveyor belt, electrical breaker boxes, as well as some eerie lighting, fog and a great music soundtrack to get your blood pumping. 

Like the Realm of Darkness, this attraction also had a few "dead spots", due to the limited number of actors present.  This scene covered quite a large area, so a few extra 'ghouls' would have made a big difference in the quality of the show.   

Riverview Cemetery Summary:

This area was very detailed and enjoyable to go through.  It featured some classic cemetery-related props like headstones, real trees and a tall cemetery gate.  There was also a bridge that you had to cross, with glowing green water beneath it.  The effective use of spooky sound effects and eerie lighting really enhanced the overall 'feel' of this attraction.  Not only were there a lot of static props, but there were also a number of animatronics, as well as live actors, who seemed to jump out of nowhere to scare you.

"Pitch Black" Summary:

 This attraction is as the name states, Pitch Black.  It was a dark, twisting path with some great spooky sound effects playing in the background.  There were also a couple of actors, hidden under the cloak of darkness, ready to spring out at you as you walked by.  

Institute for the Criminally Insane Summary:

The Institute for the Criminally Insane was brand new this year and overall, one of my personal favorites.   Inside you experienced a doctor's office with an examination table and x-rays hanging on the wall, a Solitary Confinement area with separate locked cells, a room with padded walls and more.  The insane asylum theme ran consistently throughout most of the attraction.  The only thing that didn't necessarily follow the main theme was the drop-panel picture (a drop-panel picture is what appears to be a framed picture on the wall, but is really a panel that drops down, revealing an actor who scares you).  While it was good for a scare, this gag would have fit in better with the "Realm of Darkness" motif.  You don't see that many spooky-looking framed portraits in an insane asylum.  Anyway, most of the actors in this attraction had speaking parts, and they performed convincingly.  The realistic scenes and the actor's enthusiasm helped make you feel as if you had really stepped into an insane asylum. 

Nightmare in 3D Summary:

This house had various themes throughout, with some great 3D artwork.  One scene featured glowing striped snakes attached to the walls, while another had glowing hand prints.  The clown area was great, with side show freaks illustrated on the walls and evil clown actors approaching you.  The highlight of the show for most people seemed to be the spinning vortex tunnel.  This was the least intense of all Rockford Screamfest's attractions.

This year, Rockford Screamfest added some new themes, as well as adding detail to a number of pre-existing scenes.  You can tell that it took a lot of work to put this all together.  The actors in this event all did a great job.  They knew their roles and followed through quite well.  Overall, going through Rockford Screamfest was fun, but if more actors had been added to certain key areas, it would have made the experience even more enjoyable. For the time spent inside and the total entertainment value provided, this event is fun to go through and it is worth the admission price.

Click here to find out more about this event.