Marker 48 Brewing always seems to be up to something rad, and the Weeki Wachee brewery's celebration of this most spooky season are no exception.
For another year, Marker 48 has announced its plans to transform into a haunted house during the last two weekends in October and on Halloween. The new experience — billed as "terrifying," "gory" and "not for the faint-hearted" — is known as "Darker 48: The Upside Down," and guests gotta sign a waiver before going in (because, well, the actors can touch you, but you can't touch them).
Ominous prose included in the announcement offers a little insight into what to expect:
A storm blew through.
It brought darkness.
It turned the entire world upside down.
Strange and hideous creatures roamed.
After the storm, it stayed that way.
But there were stranger things…
Darker 48 opens to ages 18 and up for its first VIP night at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18, featuring a mix of general admission and VIP nights every Thursday, Friday and Saturday thereafter through Oct. 27. The experience becomes family friendly for all ages at 6 p.m. Oct. 31.
On general admission nights (aka Fridays and Saturdays), attendees buy their $10 entry at the door — with cash only. Tickets to VIP nights (aka Thursdays), however, must be purchased at online in advance; that $25 includes a commemorative pint glass and T-shirt, shorter wait times and a drink token.
While guests are getting freaked the heck out by Marker 48, though, at least they'll know their screams helped support four Hernando County nonprofits. Proceeds from the haunted house awesomely benefit the ARC Nature Coast, NAMI Hernando, United Way and Children's Advocacy Center.
Food trucks, live music and costume contests, which the brewery will spread out across its taproom and property, are among the other highlights. For updates and more details, follow the Darker 48 Facebook event page.
This article appears in Oct 11-18, 2018.