ARLINGTON, Texas – Haunted houses, cemeteries, pumpkin patches and even haunted bridges are the most typical places people go on Halloween. These places are a must-go for Halloween lovers so they can feel the ambiance of the secular holiday.
But what about a haunted car wash?
Kwik Kar Wash & Auto of Arlington, 5012 S. Cooper St., started its annual Carn-Evil Tunnel in its car wash with the idea to bringing the community together and providing a fun activity for families.
The idea for the event was conceived by one of Kwik Kar Wash’s district managers. Now in its third year, the event has proven popular with customers and workers.
Devi Supercinski, the assistant manager at Kwik Kar Wash & Auto of Arlington, has been working there for about two years and said she enjoys working at the event.
“I like honestly how we’ve all kind of come together as a team here to put on something great for the community,” Supercinski said.
All of her team members and co-workers participated in the event. For example, Delia Ransdell, a receptionist, said she enjoys scaring people.
“One lady peed herself,” Ransdell said. “It was because of me because I ran out and jumped at her car, like hit her car and she rolled down her window and was like, ‘I peed myself, I’m coming back’ and I was like, OK.”
But this is not the only accident that has happened during the event, Supercinski said. There have been kids who freaked out and they would end up leaving. Also, many people hit their car brakes in the tunnel, making an alarm go off and causing cars to stop throughout the tunnel until the issue is fixed.
The lights, the fog, the decorations outside and inside of the tunnel, plus the loud music and the scary costumes create the feeling of a spooky atmosphere.
Costumes are something essential for the event. Employees dress as everything from Harley Quinn to a robber, from Michael Mayers to Billy the Puppet. In addition, customers might be greeted by evil and not-so-evil clowns.
The employees get to choose what costumes they wear, and many of them change costumes during the month of the event while others decide to stay with the same one.
This is the case with Ginny Acosta, Kwik Kar Wash & Auto of Arlington cashier, who was wearing a black dress, with a black cape, a black corset, black and white striped socks and gloves, black boots and a mini clown hat headband in addition to her make up that give her the vibes of a scary clown.
“I made it myself,” Acosta said. “It wasn’t hard. I just kind of found the shoes online and then just matched everything kind of black and white, what I was going for. I prefer to keep mine the same. Honestly. It’s just more simple.”
Fernando Miranda is a customer who went through the CarnEvil Vol. II experience.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” he said. “I mean, it was fun. There were a couple of jump scares in there. Wasn’t expecting it.”
The haunted car wash held its last CarnEvil experience of the season on Saturday, costing $20 per vehicle. It ran every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
For Miranda the $20 he paid was worth it.
“I mean, you get a car wash, and you get a couple scares in there, a little laughs and you’re gonna get to see everybody out here having a good time,” Miranda said. “I would say it’s definitely worth it.”
The employees play their roles seriously and the customers enjoy it.
For Miranda, his favorite part was when one of the employees dressed up as a robber wanted to get in his car.
“There was one guy who was trying to break into our car and I thought that was really funny,” Miranda said. “He had a little crowbar that he was trying to pry our window open. That was pretty funny. I didn’t even notice him but I saw him following the car and I thought it was pretty cool.”
Anthony Mays and his four children also enjoyed the haunted car wash.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Mays said. Speaking of his kids, he added, “I mean, they freaked out, so that’s all it really matters.”
He said the $20 was also worth it for him because he got to have his car washed while being entertained.
“I like the actors,” he said. “I like how they really are into their parts, really actively trying to scare you.”
Supercinski said she doesn’t know whether the car wash will host another Carn-Evil event next year.
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