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Howl-O-Scream 2011 theme revealed as ‘The Dark Side of the Gardens’ at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Williamsburg

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Posted on by Ricky Brigante 2 Comments
A gothic garden gate draped in roses welcomes guests to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Howl-O-Scream, with a looming clock and menacing gargoyle statue marking the entrance. The sign “Zombies live here” sets the chilling scene for this iconic Halloween event.

For the first time in Howl-O-Scream event history, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Busch Gardens Williamsburg will offer the same theme for their Halloween events. It’s called “The Dark Side of the Gardens” and in the Tampa version, it’s infested with zombies.

Little else is known as to exactly what will be lurking within the Tampa gardens, but Busch Gardens has revealed a teaser image:

The spine-chilling entrance to The Dark Side of the Gardens at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Howl-O-Scream 2011, featuring a haunting statue enveloped by blooming roses, an ominous clock, and creepy signage about zombies and shadows—capturing the unforgettable atmosphere of this legendary Halloween event.

In contrast to Tampa’s zombies, the Williamsburg park will be filled with werewolves, scarecrows, and evil pumpkins.

Details surrounding specific haunted houses and scare zones have not yet been revealed but web sites for Tampa and Williamsburg are up, each offering a tease of what’s to come.

The Williamsburg site currently offers a quick startle, when a ghastly woman appears from the darkness within the garden:

A terrified guest screams beneath the ominous, horned stone face at the entrance to Busch Gardens' Howl-O-Scream 2011: The Dark Side of the Gardens, perfectly capturing the chilling, gothic atmosphere of this iconic Halloween event.

A similar-looking woman haunts the statue on the left side of the Tampa event site:

A mysterious, hooded statue looms among vivid red flowers in a shadowy corner of The Dark Side of the Gardens at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Howl-O-Scream 2011, setting an unsettling and immersive mood for thrill-seeking guests.

The Tampa site also reads, “The dark side of the garden is still this night but something waits in the shadows, just out of sight.”

So just who is this lady of the garden? We’ll see when Howl-O-Scream 2011 begins on September 23, continuing on select nights through October 29.

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