When Grey Blackwell started the Granville Haunt Farm nine years ago, he just wanted to give folks a fun – and entertainingly scary – experience around Halloween. Since that first season, the seasonal event has grown into the “anchor” for fall events in Granville County. Blackwell and The Haunt Farm were recognized recently as the North Carolina Attraction of the Year by the N.C. Travel Industry Association.
“When we started Granville Haunt Farm…we never anticipated the impact we would have on tourism in Granville County,” Blackwell said. He credits Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen and the county’s Tourism Development Authority for helping to elevate the Haunt Farm’s popularity.
“We’re grateful for their partnership in helping us bring memorable experiences to our visitors and humbled to receive this award.”
Necessity is the Mother of Invention, they say, and Blackwell pivoted his walk-through event to a drive-through during the COVID-19 pandemic. And he hasn’t looked back.
Vehicles fill the field-turned-parking-queue on the weekends, waiting their turn in line.
In just a few short years, the “Drive-Through Drive-In” attraction has gone from a beloved local event to an attraction that draws visitors from across North Carolina and beyond. The unique attraction generates about 20,000 customers a year and has led to the creation of a spinoff Christmas Farm Drive-Through that brings more than 9,000 visitors to the county.
In 2023, the Granville Tourism Development Authority’s marketing objective for the Haunt Farm was to direct even more people to its website. The campaign resulted in a total of 550,000 impressions, a 93 percent increase in traffic, 95 percent increase in users and a 116 percent increase in number of page views.
To learn more, contact Allen at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or 919.693.6125. See a complete listing of events at www.visitgranvillecnc.com .
Visit https://www.granvillehauntfarm.com/ and https://www.granvillechristmasfarm.com/ to read more about Blackwell’s events.