Tia Krause, 18, of Medford gets into character as a clown poltergeist at the Nightmare Chamber Haunted House in Medford on Friday, Oct. 13.

Halfway through their favorite month — October — a pair of local haunters have been luring long lines to Front and Third streets for the ultimate Halloween “twofer.”

Dubbed “Frights on Front,” the downtown Medford haunt location gives patrons a chance to experience two haunted attractions on the same city block.

The long-running Nightmare Chamber, which began in 2009 inside an old paper factory alongside the railroad tracks, is themed “Paranormal” this year. Visitors encounter a menagerie of restless spirits and poltergeists who are trapped in the chamber frantically trying to escape by possessing the bodies of the living who wander through.

A second haunt at basement level, Nightmares on the Rogue Haunted Mines sends haunt-goers through a mine shaft filled with horrors worse than dynamite and cold drafts after the mine elevator takes them to forbidden depths.

Two well-known local haunters, Robin Downward and Devin Price, partnered up to offer the dual haunt experience after “test driving” the idea in 2022 was a hit, said Downward.

On Friday night, Oct. 13, lines extended more than a city block at the haunts despite long wait times. Actors entertained those who waited with tales of what was in store.

On the Nightmare Chamber side of things, Downward and his crew introduced “Spectre” glasses this year. The spectacles add a prism-style effect, or aura, around actors and props to toy with the viewer’s senses. A seasoned haunter, Downward said even he was impressed by the added effect of the glasses.

“With ‘Spectre’ or prism glasses, visuals are enhanced by showing the actors in a new way. The special optics give actors a ghostly glow, along with enhancing the lighting effects inside the haunt,” said Downward.

“I’ve been to a ton of haunted houses over the years, and it takes a lot to make me go ‘Wow!’ When I went through, not only were the actors completely involved in what they were doing, the glasses took everything to a whole new level. … It truly is an experience like I’ve never had before. Putting all of the elements together, it made me think that if Rob Zombie and H.P. Lovecraft had a baby, it would be this haunted house.”

Adjacent, and slightly below the Zombie-Lovecraft spawning, Price’s mineshaft haunt instills fear of being underground facing the threat of potential disaster. Continuing his theme of a haunted mining operation, Price lures patrons down into unlucky “shaft No. 13” moments after warning them to keep out.

In his third year with the mine-themed haunt, Price said sharing a location with Nightmare Chamber had been beneficial for both attractions.

“I think it’s rare you’ll see a community where you’ll find two haunts that are independently owned working together for a joint marketing campaign. Robin and I have a good relationship, so we kind of came together and felt like, if people like haunted attractions, then they’re not going to just go to one, especially with our haunts being cheaper than bigger cities would charge,” Price said.

“We really studied how sometimes, with shopping centers or bar districts, you’ll see a restaurant will be more successful when it’s surrounded by other restaurants as opposed to being by itself. … It was pretty crazy for our second weekend to have such a big turnout. It definitely helped that it was Friday the 13th, but I think people love having the option of two haunts at the same location.”

Nightmare Chamber actors Tia Krause and Kevin Curphey said the two-in-one location and the ongoing improvements were fun to be part of. Krause, who portrays “Dog the Clown,” started with Downward’s haunt five years ago and said she’d be afraid to go through as a patron.

“The funny thing is I’m actually kind of squeamish and I get scared of things pretty easy, but being inside it makes it much easier, and it’s really fun to be behind the scenes and see how much goes in to putting everything together,” Krause said.

“I think the glasses (for Nightmare Chamber) are awesome. I wasn’t sold on them in the beginning, but seeing Robin’s reaction to them was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ It gave a whole different perspective.”

Curphey, who portrays “the damned spirit of Ignatius of Loyola,” said he looked forward to tormenting large crowds this year — and hearing their screams.

“It’s my third year doing this. I love the camaraderie and interaction with other actors, and I love the fact we’re all working together,” Curphey said.

“I’m not a big horror movie person, and I’ve never been a fan of haunted houses, but working in one is absolutely amazing. I recommend this to anybody who is going through a down period in their life. … But it’s also pretty amazing to come experience the haunts, if that’s what you prefer.”

In addition to the Haunted Mines, Price runs the Carnival of Chaos — formerly Circus of Screams — in Eagle Point and will offer a family-friendly haunt at the Rogue Valley Mall beginning Oct. 20.

Price ranks his haunted mines tour as PG-13. Neither haunt located at “Frights on Front” are recommended for ages 10 or younger. In addition, the haunts are not recommended if you are prone to seizures or have problems with flashing lights and loud sounds.

Both Downward and Price are already plotting for upcoming years, planning for more bang for patrons’ haunt bucks.

“It’s like a haunted mall,” Downward said. “All your favorites in one place, but each with its own identity.”

The haunts run from 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28, and from 7-10 p.m. Oct. 22-Nov. 4, at 10 E. Third St., on the corner of Front and Third streets in Medford. Regular tickets are $18. Fast passes are $25; a combo ticket to attend both the Nightmare Chamber and the Nightmares on the Rogue haunts can be purchased for $45. Fast passes allow visitors to skip wait times with a scheduled appointment.

For tickets and information, see nightmarechamber.com or nightmaresontherogue.com.

A slew of other haunts are happening between Grants Pass and Medford, some family friendly, some not so much. See individual haunt websites or event pages for ticketing and scheduling information.

• Frights on Front features a pair of haunts, Nightmare Chamber and Rogue Haunted Mines. The haunts are $18 each and come with a fast-pass option to avoid long lines. Details, frightsonfront.com
• Spook-a-boo, is a family-friendly, dinosaur themed haunt at the Rogue Valley Mall. Haunt-goers walk through an ancient jungle wearing 3D glasses to encounter friendly prehistoric characters — and candy.
• Former location of Circus of Screams in Eagle Point, Carnival of Chaos features “Three Rings of Fear,” with three haunting experiences for one ticket price; the three areas include Dark Harvest, Build-a-clown and Dead Man’s Wharf. Details, carnivalofchaoshaunt.com
  
• The Gold Hill Museum is an all-ages haunted house and haunted graveyard experience. The event includes a fortune teller, bake sale and kids activities. Details, facebook.com/goldhillhauntedhouse
• Fort Vannoy Farms in Grants Pass features a haunted corn maze in contrast to a daytime pumpkin patch and non-haunted corn maze. Details, fortvannoyfarms.com/cornmazeandpumkinpatch
  
• Jacksonville’s Haunted Trolley tours, offered by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, will commemorate this year’s 100th anniversary of the Southern Pacific’s Train 13 crash and Jacksonville’s own DeAutremont brothers. Details, jacksonvilleoregon.org/discover/events-festivals/annual-events/haunted-trolley
• Pheasant Fields Farm “Night of the Awakening” will feature a zombie train experience complete with haunted corn maze, food trucks and other activities. Details, pheasantfieldsfarm.ticketspice.com/night-of-the-awakening-at-pheasant-fields-farm
• Just Scream Haunted House will open in the historic Medford Elks Lodge this year, at 202 N. Central Ave. Details, facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072126699385
• Frightmare Theatre Haunted House has been operated out of the “Old Six Movie Theatre” in Grants Pass since 2010. Details, frightmaretheatreh.wixsite.com/frightmaretheatre
  
• One Eleven Theatre Company will offer “Nightmare on Redwood” this year at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. Details, oneeleventheatrecompany.com/hauntedhouse