BOTTROP-KIRCHHELLEN — The Halloween Horror Festival at Movie Park Germany can spread more than just fear and darkness! Together with the U.S. organization Haunters Against Hate, Germany’s largest movie and theme park is organizing a joint Halloween Event Day for more equality and tolerance on October 1, 2022. The Halloween scare actors – who are often referred to as “haunters” within the community – will be at the center of the action and draw attention to important social issues. As part of this cooperation, various actions will be implemented throughout the day and evening at Movie Park. It is the first Haunters Against Hate event in a theme park and also the first event of this kind in Europe.

With this special event day, Movie Park Germany not only gives the Halloween Horror Festival an even more international character, but also brings some light into the darkness: The park supports a good cause and donates 1,500 euros to thematically matching organizations.

“We are excited to partner with Haunters Against Hate to host a Halloween Event Day and to promote a strong message that we also stand behind with our own company values,” says Thorsten Backhaus, Managing Director of Movie Park Germany. “The Halloween scene in the U.S. is huge and as a movie and theme park with an American influence, this collaboration couldn’t be more fitting. We’re already looking forward to the day and sharing ideas together.”

To set an example in the context of the Halloween Horror Festival, Movie Park Germany will show itself not only from its well-known scary and dark side on October 1. The Horrorwood Studios will experience a visual awakening of a special kind and shine in colorful matching symbolism: At dusk, some locations of the park and the entrance area will be illuminated in rainbow colors. The Event Center will be decorated as well to send a message of equality and tolerance. A big parade with the HAH founder and the park’s monster actors is planned to kick off the Halloween evening. Here, the monsters of all eight horror houses of Movie Park as well as the street performers will stride up and down Horrorwood Boulevard accompanied by matching music and visually pick up on various themes in the parade. A photo point will also be part of the program. The Photo Magic Shop will be used for this occasion and themed suitably for the event. During the day, guests can have their pictures taken with the “Biker4Kids” association and their motorcycles. In the evening, the monsters will take over the red carpet. There will also be various information booths.

A panel discussion will also be part of the program schedule. At 3:30 p.m., invited speakers will gather in the Warsteiner Saloon to talk about their own experiences and the current challenges within society regarding discrimination and bullying as well as the goal of working towards a community with more tolerance and equality. Influencer and content creator Meik Gudermann, who describes his social media platforms as a “safe place,” will join the panel and talk about his personal experiences with hate and discrimination. The association “Biker4Kids” and Manuel Prossotowicz, Halloween Project Manager of Movie Park Germany, will take a seat on stage as well. Part of the panel will of course also be the Founder and President of Haunters Against Hate, Paul Lanner, who has been active in the Halloween industry for over ten years and is traveling to Movie Park Germany from the USA.

The event day at Movie Park is also a highlight for the US organization and at the same time a premiere in Europe. The Haunters Against Hate initiative was born almost six years ago, when a tragedy occurred at the Orlando Pulse nightclub and ended in a massacre that killed 49 people and injured 53 others. The victims were all people from the LGBTQ+ scene. Many hateful comments that were made in the Halloween community then sparked the genesis of Haunters Against Hate. With Lanner’s help, a nonprofit organization was developed that has been giving haunters a voice to express themselves and the challenges they face in life and in the haunt community by making them feel accepted and welcomed. With the sales of merchandise, convention appearances, special HAH nights at haunted attractions, and the Haunters Against hate events, funds have been raised that have been donated to various LGBTQ+ organizations across the United States from Alaska to Virginia. In addition, Paul Lanner and his colleagues have launched a “Book of Haunters” in which Halloween monsters tell their own stories and experiences with hate, bullying and prejudice. For the second edition, a collab with Movie Park Germany was established for the first time.

“Ever since my Book of Haunters Volume 2, I have had a close relationship with several of the haunters from Movie Park Germany”, says Paul Lanner, Founder and President of Haunters Against Hate. “I am so thrilled to be able to finally come to the park to share the message of Haunters Against Hate: No matter where you are in the world, ‘hate is the scariest thing of all’.”

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