Photo provided Wells Township Haunted House will host its third annual Mid-Summer Metal Fest and Lights Out Tour on July 8.

BRILLIANT — Wells Township Haunted House will host its third annual Mid-Summer Metal Fest and Lights Out Tour on July 8.

The gates will open at 3 p.m., and the first band will start performing at 4 p.m.

Six heavy metal bands will take the stage at the event. Sunless Sky from Cleveland will headline the concert, and the lineup also includes Altared States from Wheeling, Design the Curse from Wheeling, Crash Army from Pittsburgh, Hericide from Morgantown, and 72 Legions from Cleveland.

The event will take place on the outdoor stage at the haunted house.

Owner and operator of Wells Township Haunted House Sean Norman said that about 2,000 people have attended the concert in previous years and he hopes that the festival continues to grow.

He also said that the stage has recently gotten a new state-of-the-art sound system.

“It’s a work in progress, but I think it has the potential to be a large festival,” Norman said.

The event is for all ages and those ages 21 and over can bring their own alcohol.

Norman said that a Mexican food truck and vendors will be at the event.

“It gets bigger every year. Down the road, we expect to see some national acts headline the event. I expect to see some bigger acts sooner rather than later” Norman said.

The Lights Out Tour will start at 7 p.m. Norman said that the Light Out Tour is completely different from the haunted house’s regular season tours. He said that guests will have to navigate the entire house in almost total darkness with only one glowstick per group to light the way.

Norman said that guests can create their own groups so that family and friends are not split up or touring with strangers. “If four people come to the haunted house together, those four people will be a group,” he explained.

Guests will be going through the haunted house with no tour guide.

Norman said several actors will be hiding throughout the haunted house waiting to scare guests.

“You won’t be able to see us, but we can see you because you’ll be the dummy holding the glow stick,” Norman said.

He said that when people enter the attraction, they should “expect the unexpected.”

Guests touring the haunted house must sign a waiver before entering.

All proceeds from the Metal Fest provide scholarships for the high school students that volunteer at the haunted house. Norman said that the scholarships are determined by the student’s grade point averages and attendance. “One year we gave away $6,500 in scholarships,” he said.

He also said that the haunted house is a nonprofit organization that partners with the local police department. Some local police officers will be serving as actors in the haunted house and will be providing security inside and outside of the house. All of these officers volunteer their time to work with the youth volunteers and guests with the goal of building positive relationships with local youth.

“It’s a really cool, unique program,” Norman said.

Tickets for the event cost $16 per person and include the concert and the haunted house tour. General admission tickets can be purchased on arrival. Those who wish to attend can also purchase advance tickets or VIP tickets for the haunted house. Advance tickets cost $22 per person and allow guests to enter a separate line for the haunted house, meaning less wait time. VIP tickets cost $27 per person and allow guests to completely skip the line for the haunted house. Those who purchase VIP tickets should arrive between 7-11 p.m.

Norman said that tickets for the haunted house will be for sale until 11 p.m. on the night of the concert.

He said the haunted house will stay open until everyone with tickets has been through.

“If it’s 11 p.m., and 200 people still have tickets for the haunted house, we’re going to stay open until all 200 people get to go through,” Norman said.

Wells Township Haunted House is located at 101 Market St. in Brilliant.

For more information about the Mid-Summer Metal Fest and Lights Out Tour or to purchase advance or VIP tickets, visit wellstownshiphauntedhouse.com.