October is finally here! The afternoon glow hits differently, the wind gets chillier and nights are longer — all the more reason to get in the mood to go to a horror house. Mexico City does not disappoint in this area. As a millennia-old capital, ancient spirits, ghouls and yearning souls lurk in the shadows. Perhaps the aura of these ancient spirits is most concentrated — and almost palpable — in the horror houses of the kermeses.
Amid the lively music, games and food of these traditional fairs, haunted houses bring a slightly eerie note to the general joy. If you’re looking to get a proper spook this season, here’s what to take into account when visiting these attractions.
What are kermeses in Mexico?
Kermeses are not regular “fairs.” As a popular festival, these events have been around since the 19th century in Mexico. Heiress of the northern-European tradition of the kercmisse, a fair after Sunday service, a kermés is usually held in the streets, and requires the efforts — and resources — of the entire neighborhood. Neighbors organize raffles, design lotería prizes and even build mechanical games with extravagant designs — some of which depict Jesus and Goku in the same setting, somehow.
Traditionally, there is live music, dancing and the selling of traditional Mexican food. And candy. Lots of candy. If you’re lucky, you can find tepache and mezcal stands, depending on the state you’re in. No kermés is complete without a “torito” stand: a mechanical bull that is meant to be tamed, despite its fierce — and often very dangerous — movements. People traditionally ride the machine, and whoever can last the longest without falling off, wins.
Although a kermés is “a matter of life to be shared and a joy to be remembered,” per MXC magazine, we Mexicans are no strangers to horrors — and actually kind of enjoy a nice spook. As much as kermeses are all about color, music and dance, no Mexican kermés is complete without a horror house.
Beware! Horror houses are no joke in Mexico
Kermeses are all fun and games until you cross the gates of its horror house. Growing up in Tepepan, south of Mexico City, my partner was terrified when his sister and cousins wanted to go to the one in the historic center of Xochimilco. Although even as children, they laughed and had a blast with zombies and serial killers popping out of nowhere, he certainly dreaded the experience.
Mexican horror houses can get dark. Really dark. You can find them as “casa del terror,” “casa embrujada” or “casa de sustos,” with run-down façades and that “Danger!” tape covering the empty windowpanes. The tour generally lasts no more than half an hour, during which actors lurk in the shadows and “attack” visitors with chainsaws and bloody knives.
Horror houses at kermeses rely on pop culture and folklore to spook the hell out of visitors. La Llorona is a common supernatural encounter, but you can also find Freddy Krueger and other famous serial killers along the way. Some people claim to have encountered Michael Jackson or former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, for some reason.
Making your worst nightmares come true
Mexican horror houses come in all shapes and sizes. From feeble, cardboard-box-like structures to Porfirian-era manors, they all serve the same purpose: making your worst nightmares come true. Some of them are guided tours, where INAH specialists tell the legends associated with the neighborhood or property in question. Others, however, just let visitors explore the place freely. Most people laugh and love the thrill of it all. Some of us just find it a little bit too much.
Especially because Mexicans know Mexicans. In more local, not-as-touristy haunted houses, it is not uncommon for actors to pick on those who get startled easily and make sure to spook them even more. Of course, no one is in real danger at any time. However, more sensitive children often cry and don’t enjoy the experience as much.
The horrors persist: horror houses at kermeses today
Horror houses at kermeses have evolved from their original forms. Today, people actually enjoy getting spooked at so-called Escape Rooms — or Enigma Rooms —, where visitors are expected to solve mysteries and puzzles to “get out alive.” From “Panic at the Metro” to haunted mental institutions, these new versions of horror houses take the experience to a whole new level.
Designed as puzzles to be solved, with different stories depending on the selected setting, Escape Rooms are meant to be “played” in teams. You can book a solo visit, but you will be assigned a group before the game begins. Although these experiences are not age-restrictive, as noted on their official website, “minors must be accompanied by at least one responsible adult” at all times.
Most of them are conveniently located in Colonia Roma, Condesa and Zona Rosa. These spooky experiences have proved so terrifying that their official site even warns potential visitors that they can leave at any time: “You just have to press a button to open the doors,” the warning reads. “Your exit will be immediate.”
However, the moment a participant presses the panic button, they are automatically disqualified and cannot re-enter. Most of them do not offer refunds, so watch out for that. If they wish to join the group, they will have to wait until the activity ends.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
