Halloween is only five weeks away.

Tonight some local haunted attractions open for the festive season.

Skeleton’s Lair Haunted Woods and Hayride is located just outside Bowling Green at 48 Locketts Dream in Settle, Ky.

The Lair is in its eleventh season now, Skeleton’s Lair spokesperson Amy Burge said.

She said the staff hopes that customers will enjoy being scared and startled at their attraction.

She said this year’s theme is “Zombie Nation.” 

“We thought that this theme would be something that everyone will enjoy,” Burge said. 

Burge said the attraction has about 50 performers on staff for entertaining guests who travel through the hayride, haunted woods and 3-D portions of the Lair.

She said this is the first year that 3-D designs have been incorporated.

 “It’s something popular that we haven’t emphasized in the past,” Burge said.

Animatronics, fogs and pyrotechnics are also used as effects in the attractions, she said.

This weekend they will be hosting a special guest, Casey Hendershot.

Hendershot is an actor who played the character Michael Myers in Rob Zombie’s 2006 remake of “Halloween.” 

Burge said fans can purchase autographs from Hendershot for $10.

The Lair is open on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to midnight until Oct. 30.

But on Oct. 24 and Halloween night, it is open from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Tickets are $18 per person and $12 for children under 13, she said. 

The Lair also offers group rates for parties with at least 15 people, reducing each ticket by $2, Burge said.

She said some of the money will go to the American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky.

Jennifer Capps, executive director of the American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky, said the money will be put toward causes such as disaster relief, the armed forces and health and safety training. 

The Massacre Haunted House also opens this weekend.

It’s located at 1960 Three Springs Road.

This is the fourth year that the attraction has been open, said Travis Bilbrey, a senior from Bowling Green and the coordinator of the attraction.

He said about 20 performers, including several WKU students, will be  part of the attraction this year.

Tickets will be $15, but for opening weekend they will be $13, he said.

WKU students can also receive a $2 discount by showing their student ID at the gate.

And for those who don’t like  waiting in line, a Hopper Pass is available for $3.

The pass will move the ticket-holder to the front of the line, Bilbrey said.

Some of the money raised on certain nights will be given to the American Heart Association and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, he said. 

The Massacre is open from 7 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday through Halloween.