The Ambush Haunted House
7450 Ambush Circle, Sparks, NV 89436
Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation
October 28-31
6:30-9pm Nightly
Open Until 10 p.m. on Halloween Night
Admission is free, but a suggested donation of $5 per family is encouraged to support the Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation. NNCCF will be onsite collecting donations, and the William N. Pennington Foundation will double all donations collected by the foundation.
Wednesday, October 28, is Kids' Night, with no scare actors. Full scare nights run October 29-31. A Chicken Pass is also available any night for visitors who want to enjoy the displays without the jump scares.
The Ambush Haunted House is a house that started like most Halloween decorated houses do: out of love for Halloween. Since 2007, after 19 years, it's grown into an annual family tradtion filled with incredible larger than life decorations, immersive scenes, and an actual haunted house experience, all with a bigger purpose behind it.
As the years passed, more and more families and visitors returned, excited for another year of Halloween magic. Among this group was, of course, me. If you checked out my fall guide, it's not hard to see that I'm absolutely obsessed with all things fall and Halloween. If there's a haunt in town that puts all their time, effort, money, creativity, sweat, and tears into what they do, you can bet that it's only a matter of time until I find it. Of course, I found the Ambush Haunted House years ago, a house with a reputation that helped me discover it in Reno through word of mouth.
As the Ambush Haunted House gained traction & more fans, local businesses started reaching out and asking how they could support it. Slowly but surely, sponsors trickled in, and it became apparent which direction the Ambush family would take with these opportunities.
Funny how life works out that way. You pursue a vision in your head, and it grows into opportunities you can take in so many ways. In their case, the Ambush family continued to work on their haunt, building it up over the years and changing the themes each year to keep things fresh and fun. Along the way, they also found ways to get the community involved in supporting those in need. This included hosting some food drive outside their haunt for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and, since 2023, raising funds for the Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation (NNCCF) to support local families facing childhood cancer, a cause they believe Shelly's late sister, Sarah, would have been passionate about, especially given the discovery of her refrigerator covered in magnets from charities she supported.
When you look at their haunts, it's not hard to see the heart and effort that go into them. Each year, they dedicate their Halloween and Christmas displays to Sarah, keeping her memory alive through something they love while continuing her spirit of giving.
I'm a keen supporter of those in the community who follow their dreams and passions, keep life fun and interesting, and use their success to give back to the community. I've even witnessed less fortunate businesses and people give back when they themselves were not in the most ideal position to do so. These are the people who give selflessly because they want to, and you often never hear about them. That's why I'm so incredibly honored to feature this generous family on my blog, and I want to thank them for all the work they do in the community, leading the way in greatness.
I also want to thank everyone else who actively works at bettering the community and the world. You know who you are. Something as little as consciously being kind to others, asking how their day is going, holding doors open for others, giving sincere compliments and cheering others on, volunteering for a good cause, helping out a random stranger, or simply showing someone you care can make a difference. It's not easy to measure these kinds of acts, but I see you and want to let you know that the world is a whole lot better because of you!
Now, back to the haunt. This year's PIRATE THEME is straight FIRE! It's my favorite theme and setup to date. I've been a fan of pirates forever and could not put into words how magical the displays are. Maybe pirate heaven could begin to paint that picture. I seriously wanted to ask if I could sleep over in the front yard with them, LOL.
In addition to the atmospheric and wicked cool displays, there was a sense of community, a buzz of excitement, and a collective effort to work toward a great cause. There was a cool photo booth by Quick Pixs by Aragon, a few organizations there to show their support, Huesos Churros, free candy, Home Depot build kits, & soda, and, of course, the Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation, welcoming everyone and thanking them for their continued support over the years.
I was so honored when Sally, one of the owners of the house, along with Andy, reached out asking if I could help spread the word. I have been a loyal visitor over the years and really couldn't believe they contacted me. Thank you so much, Sally and Andy, for allowing me to be part of your special mission.
Many years ago, their haunt started in their driveway, with a few rooms and the biggest little scares. The haunt has since expanded into their backyard and now comprises many more rooms. Be sure to look around as you make your way through to take in all the magic! It's loaded with so many details, Halloween icons, and scenes that will make your Halloween heart feel so alive.
Yes, the haunt comes with scares, but they also usually host a Kids' Night (Wednesday this year) without scare actors and allow visitors to request a Chicken Pass on other nights if they'd like to participate without the fright.
If you make it out, expect huge crowds. If you're short on time, make sure to arrive well before the haunt opens, especially on Halloween, since they allow a little time between groups for everyone to enjoy the full experience. If you're willing to wait, I think waiting in line is actually an experience in itself. I mean, staring at the Home Depot skeletons as tall as the house dressed up like cute pirates is something you don't see every day, LOL. Bring good company and a sidekick to go on a churro run, and you'll be golden.
I also want to give a shoutout to the bake stand, Bakery for Bravery, which baked exclusively for this event to support the NNCCF alongside the Ambush Haunted House. It makes me so happy to see young blood, specifically high schoolers, leading the way in acts of kindness. They were so full of life and baked some hauntingly good treats. Even if you're not looking to buy anything, just say hello and get a whiff of the scents coming from their pumpkin muffins. YUM!
Would you believe me if I told you that Halloween isn't celebrated in many countries around the world? Yeah, I know! I honestly don't know what life would be like without Halloween. I love seeing people go all out to keep the spirit of Halloween alive, and I support places like this in hopes that they'll return each year bigger and better than ever. But they can't do it without the support of the community.
So, when you make it out to experience this Halloween gem, know that you're supporting more than an incredible Halloween tradition. You're helping keep the magic of Halloween alive while supporting a cause that makes a real difference in the lives of local families facing childhood cancer.
I love Reno and the tight knit community we have. It's places like The Ambush Haunted House and the people behind them that make me so proud to be a Renoite. I just wanted to shine a little light on this amazing family, their incredible work, and the good they're doing in our community. Here's to keeping Halloween alive, supporting those who give back, and making sure a little kindness goes a long way.
OMG!!! Sally shared pics of the haunt from back in the day when it was just a baby. They are so precious!
NOTES
-Please be respectful of the neighbors, avoid blocking driveways, and clean up after yourselves.
-October nights in Northern Nevada can get uncomfortably chilly, so check the hourly forecast and dress accordingly.
-McDonald’s coupons are available at the donation table. Bring cash to make donating quick and easy.
-I purposely left out some of the pictures of haunt so as to not spoil the magic. You gotta make it out and see it with your own eyes. They packed so much magic in the space they have. Biggest Little Haunt for sure!
***Information subject to change. All opinions are my own.***
Photography
© Katherine Fung
All rights reserved.
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