Lincoln Mill is Hosting a Special Valentin’s Day Weekend Haunted House Pop-Up With Candlelight Only Tours
Love can be scary buy a twisted night at a haunted house is even scarier. Lincoln Mill Haunted House is reopening its doors on Main Street in Manayunk for a special two-night only pop-up event on Friday, February 14th, and Saturday, February 15th.
Viktor’s Valentine: A Dark Love Story is the only Valentine’s themed haunted house in the city of Philadelphia. With just a flickering candle, explore the dark, hidden chamber in this Valentine’s-themed horror experience. Follow the trail of hearts to uncover the tragic tale of Viktor and his Valentine, whose twisted love story ended in betrayal. Will you escape before the ghost of Viktor’s Valentine claims your heart? Be prepared to come up close and personal with the inhabitants of the mill – and keep close watch for the ghost of Viktor’s Valentine. Warning: Proceed with caution as this experience is meant to be scary. Over 40 scare-actors will bring the experience to life. Candlelight tours leave between 7:00pm and 9:15pm, with tickets only $35 per person. Souvenir t-shirts and VIP tickets are also available. Tickets are on sale now at lincolnmillhaunt.com.
“Valentine’s Day is about spending time with your significant other,” said Lincoln Mill Haunted House Co-Founder Jared Bilsak. “There’s something romantic about walking through a haunted house with your date in the dark! You are side by side and holding hands – with nothing but candes to light up the path. We wanted to offer an alternative for those looking to do something different for Valentine’s Day. Due to its popularity, we have expanding to two days this year.”
He added, “Our team has created a dark candlelit experience that wasn’t just about the traditional idea of love and romance. Instead, we wanted to combine the emotions of love and fear while walking through a haunted mill in the dark. The idea for Viktor’s Valentine was born.”
“The Legend of Lincoln Mill is an evolving story and we continue telling that story throughout the year. In the story of Viktor’s Valentine, Viktor’s death is revealed and we learn that he was killed by someone close to him back in the 1930s. Love and fear are the strongest human emotions and have become the key inspiration for this event. This event is like a scavenger hunt experience. A trail of Valentine’s day conversation hearts have been left throughout the maze and guests have to follow and read the clues on the hearts. Following these hearts will lead guests to the ghost of Viktor’s Valentine while encountering many of our scare-actors along the way.”
During the exclusive outing for Viktor’s Valentine, guests will venture through the hidden chamber equipped only with a candle and nothing more. With a Valentine’s Day twist, this blackout experience will heighten the senses as you encounter the mill’s inhabitants and the ghost of Viktor’s Valentine. Follow the hearts through the chamber to see what surprises are in store – and watch out for the ghosts that come back to haunt us.
The Legend of Viktor’s Valentine: In the 1930s, Viktor Kane had several accomplices that helped him carry out his evil acts. One of them loved Viktor, but developed a deep resentment towards him. She wanted the pain to stop so she came up with a plan to take down his operation. On February 14th, she left a trail of hearts inside the hidden chamber. At the end of the trail, she revealed herself; greeted Viktor with a kiss, and then stabbed him in the heart. She then took her own life, wanting to be fr ee of her guilt, her body, and to be with Viktor forever.
Viktor’s Valentine marks the ninth pop-up and off-season event for Lincoln Mill in Manayunk – which was always part of the plan when the building was repurposed after Hurricane Ida. After a wildly festive and successful second year for the Christmas-themed holiday haunt in December, St. Paddy’s Day Haunted in March, Halfway to Halloween Haunt and May the 4th themed Haunted in May, Viktor’s Valentine returns for a third year. Winter is such a dark and gloomy time of year and the co-founders wanted to offer something a unique and not done before in the region.
For the storyline, Lincoln Mill co-founders Jared Bilsak and Brian Corcodilos wanted to offer something different than the October and other experiences, and something more interactive.
“We thought that there would be something interesting about giving guests a candle (battery-powered) and have them venture through the darkness searching for clues,” said Bilsak. The clues are in the form of hearts that guide guests on their adventure. Guests are part of the actual story and no two times through the experience are ever the same.”
He continued, “This experience is intended to be scarier than the Fall experience. Yes, scarier than during Halloween and Spooky Season. Venturing through the darkness equipped only with a candle will significantly reduce visibility and make guests more vulnerable to our scare-actors. This creates more opportunities for our scare-actors to appear out of nowhere. Aside from the addition of hearts and other valentine’s theming, we have been busy upgrading some of the scenes throughout the attraction. Guests can expect a different experience than the Fall season. There is something interesting about combining the emotion of Love and Fear. What’s more romantic than holding your significant other as you venture through a haunted mill, equipped only with a candle, as ghostly characters emerge from the darkness?
For audience, Viktor’s Valentine is for anyone adventurous that likes haunted houses, horror, and/ immersive experiences. Although the story is themed around Valentine’s day, it is not limited to you and your date. If you don’t have a date or your date doesn’t like this kind of thing, this experience is still for you. You are welcome to attend with your galentines, friends and/or family.
Viktor’s Valentine tells the story of how the mill’s main villain becomes a victim at the end of his life. The scare-actors play a different role in this story and guide you to the ghost of Viktor’s Valentine.
