Maryland’s ‘Field of Screams’ opening delayed due to permit dispute

Editor’s Note — The story has been updated to feature a link to a report by WTOP which included details about the situation that are referenced in the body of the story and can be found in the included video.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. ( DC News Now ) – Field of Screams Maryland, which is held at the Olney Boys and Girls Club each year, has made a name for itself in the DMV and across the country, with the attraction being recognized by USA Today readers as one of the top haunted attractions in the country.

This year, things aren’t shaping up the way they normally would.

WTOP reported that the opening night, which was set for Friday, Sept. 27 was delayed to a dispute with the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services, which gave only a couple pieces of the attraction the OK to operate. It went on to say that the Olney Boys and Girls Club had been hit with fines.

Many neighbors who live near the Field of Screams site said they had no idea opening night was canceled.

“They always have fun there,” Matias Illines, referring to his children, whom he takes to the attraction every year. “I’ve picked them up a couple times, and they have a good time, always.”

Illines acknowledged that traffic brought into the area by the Field of Screams can be concerning, a criticism that many people have had of the it.

DC News Now reached out to the Olney Boys and Girls Club and the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services for comment but had not heard back from either as of late Friday.

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