Boney Island
HALLOWEEN YARD HAUNT – NO LONGER IN OPERATION
4602 Morse Avenue
Sherman Oaks, CA 91432
E-Mail: info@boneyisland.com
Website: www.boneyisland.com
DATES: Alas, no more!
HOURS: Dusk to 9:00pm
ADMISSION & PARKING: Always Free!
BONEY ISLAND HISTORY: This unique yard haunt has entertained San Fernando Valley trick-or-treaters for ten years until 2007, earning a reputations as the best family-oriented Halloween haunt in Los Angeles. The proprietor was Rick Polizzi, a producer of THE SIMPSONS.
BONEY ISLAND FEATURES: Billing itself as the “world’s only skeleton carnival,” this haunt was a Halloween version of a Coney Island-type entertainment attraction — populated entirely by skeletons! The special mechanical effects (mostly wires pulled by motors) were proudly low-tech, but that detracted from the enterainment value not one boney little bit. You could as the skeletons fished in the “Trick or Trout” booth! Thrill as they swung clubs at flapping flying mammals in the “Batting Cage”! Or gag at the “Rotten Candy” machine filled with spiders!
BONEY ISLAND BOTTOM LINE: There was very little that is actually spooky (nor did it try to be). The colors and carnival music were all calculated for to create fun, almost Tim Burton-esque atmosphere, making this the perfect place to bring young children who might be intimidated by more adult-type haunts. That’s not to say the appeal was solely to children — the outrageously goofy displays were guaranteed laugh-providers for adults, too.
OTHER BONEY ISLAND INFORMATION: If you have trouble accessing Boney Island’s Official Website, check out their page on the Hallowed Haunting Grounds website: http://www.hauntinggrounds.org/polizzi/rpeh.htm.
BONEY ISLAND UPDATE FOR 2008: Although 2007 marked the 10th and last year of Boney Island in its original form, some of the props were purchased by a new owner and set up at 14333 Califa Street in Van Nuys. Although it is nice to see some some portion of the fabulous yard haunt live on, the new location is a pale shadow of the old – more a skeleton party than a skeleton carnival. If you live in the area, it may be worth walking by for a look, but we would not recommend making a special trip.
BONEY ISLAND VIDEO: Enjoy our video visit to 10th and final year of Boney Island, including an interview with Rick Polizzi. Also included is the second installment of our four-part “Halloween Haunt Odyssey 2005,” which features some Boney Island along with several other amateur haunts.
Find Boney Island Updates & Reviews here, or check out the updates below.
