Practiced on

During the entire fall season and not on a specific day

Country of Origin 

United States, Most likely in the Northeast

Variations

Obakeyashiki (Japanese Ghost Houses)

Key Points / Halloween Connection

- Meant specifically for the rural farm setting where a tractor or horse pulls the audience wagon through a haunted field and/or forest

-Especially popular in the Northeastern part of the country and Pennsylvania

Brief Bio

Haunted hayride origins are a fusion of ancient harvest traditions, where farm laborers rode on hay wagons, and the early 20th-century emergence of spooky attractions, such as England's first ghost house in 1915 and the American Great Depression-era haunted houses, which gave way to the modern tractor-pulled, theatrically enhanced haunted hayride of today. 

The concept of a "hayride" itself originates from farm work, where farmhands would ride on loaded hay wagons back to the barn, providing a brief period of rest during the busy haying season.

 

The theatrical "haunted" aspect of the ride likely drew inspiration from earlier forms of spooky entertainment, such as the Parisian Grand Guignol theater's gruesome acts and traveling "spook shows". 

The modern haunted hayride evolved from these traditions, becoming a popular Halloween activity on farms and at attractions across North America, especially in the northeastern U.S with such noted Hayrides as Pennsylvania's Reaper's Revenge.

 

Today's haunted hayrides use tractors to pull wagons through rural settings, incorporating actors, special effects, and themed scenes to create a terrifying and entertaining experience for thrill-seekers.