“Star Wars” fans and horror fans can come together for one night in Manyunk on May 3 as the Lincoln Mill Haunted House will again go far out for a special celebration.
One day before the celebrated Star Wars Day, Lincoln Mill at 4100 Main St. is presenting Darkness Rises, a “Star Wars”-inspired haunted house.
“Last year, we planned on doing our Halfway to Halloween event in early May and the first Saturday happened to fall on the 4th of May, also known as Star Wars Day,” said Lincoln Mill Haunted House co-founder Jared Bilsak. “As a ‘Star Wars’ fan, it seemed too good of an opportunity to put a twist on the Lincoln Mill story and to offer a ‘Star Wars’-inspired horror experience. This is the first-ever ‘Star Wars’-inspired haunted house. We had a great response and turnout and we are thrilled to be back with a new update to the idea for 2025 with Darkness Rising.
“The ‘Star Wars’ story and characters are strong and they have inspired me when writing the Lincoln Mill story. I always saw our main villain, Viktor Kane, as having many similarities to Darth Vader, one of the greatest villains of all time.”
Galactic travelers who enter will experience a fusion of sci-fi and horror in an event intended to be scary, with dozens of live scare-actors, production quality sets, animatronics and special effects.
As the Lincoln Mill story goes, a long time ago, in a town not so far away, there was a textile mill with a hidden chamber below, sealed for over a century. When the seal was broken an unnatural presence spread through the mill, unleashing spirits that had long been trapped.
The mill owner, Darth Kane, has risen and is searching for new souls to claim. All who dare to enter must navigate the hidden chamber, avoiding his vengeful workers and resist the suffocating pull of the dark side.
Tours leave between 7-9 p.m., with tickets $32 per person or $47 for VIP. Tickets are on sale at www.lincolnmillhaunt.com.
“In ‘Star Wars’, there is a constant clash between good and evil and the evil force is constantly striving to spread its influence,” Bilsak said. “At the Lincoln Mill, Viktor Kane and his allies were corrupted by an evil force in the 1930s, which led them to the dark side. The basement below the mill is haunted by their dark spirits that seek to spread their influence just like in ‘Star Wars’.”
During the exclusive outing, guests will venture through the hidden chamber that has been changed to ultraviolet light, giving the attraction a cosmic feel.
The soundtrack has also been changed featuring cinematic ‘Star Wars’ music but with a dark, horror twist.
The character makeup and costuming will also be unique for this event, featuring sith-inspired makeup and black sith robes. There will also be several other nods to “Star Wars” such as chain saw light sabers or “sabersaws” wielded by some of the characters.
“The Lincoln Mill story is continuing to evolve and we use our off-season events to tell different parts of this story. Our Darkness Rises event will be an entirely new experience when compared to our past events,” said Bilsak. “For fans of both ‘Star Wars’ and horror, this event is for you.”
Darkness Rises is part of a full year of season and off-season events for Lincoln Mill, which was always part of the plan when the building was repurposed after Hurricane Ida. This follows a wildly festive and successful Christmas-themed holiday haunt in December and Viktor’s Valentine in February.
Source: Berkshire mont