Fear Returns to the Fairgrounds: Pirates of Emerson to Open

“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” — Halloween 1978

Afraid of the dark? Scared of things that go bump in the night? Does the impending arrival of Halloween have you feeling like it’s time to get your fear fix? Fear-induced adrenaline junkies rejoice. Spine-tingling terror has once again taken up residence in Pleasanton with the return of the legendary Pirates of Emerson.

This is the fifth year the attraction has been at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, according to owner Brian Fields.

“The themes change each year so even if you have been out before, you have to come out again because it is different,” Fields told Patch.

The Pirates of Emerson had a humble start in the yard of Brian, Patty and Karl Fields 24 years ago.

The Fields lived on Emerson Street in Fremont and used to charge a small admission fee to frighten and delight visitors. The family also collected canned goods back then and donated the food to local food banks. After a seven-year stint on Emerson Street, the family moved the haunted abode to an empty field they leased from BART. Eventually the attraction ghosted up the I-680 to its new home at the fairgrounds to accommodate the huge crowds it garnered each season.

The Travel Channel listed the Pirates of Emerson as No. 2 for favorite haunted attractions in the United States based on Facebook votes. In 2006, Pirates was listed as No. 8 in the country on the AOL CityGuide’s 2006 picks for the Top 13 Haunted Houses in the nation and was featured on the Discovery Channel.

The popular Halloween attraction employs 73 people from all over the Bay Area and draws thrill-seekers from all over Northern California.

The Pirates of Emerson opens on October 3 and runs through October 31. This year features five incredibly scary attractions. Tickets can be purchased online and at Costco. Follow Pirates of Emerson on Facebook for announcements and discount offers.

The Alameda County fairgrounds are located at 4501 Pleasanton Avenue. Entry to Pirates of Emerson can be found off the fairgrounds entry located at Valley and Bernal avenues.

Photo courtesy of Pirates of Emerson.