The town of Sweet is definitely living up to its name this month, but in the most twisted, Valentine’s-horror way possible! I recently stopped by the Anaheim GardenWalk to check out Sweet Love, the latest seasonal offering from Eulogy Collective.
If you’ve been following my coverage of Eulogy, you know this crew is constantly rotating their themes, and this time Kevin isn’t getting in the way of Christmas, now it’s a 1970s massacre.
Eulogy Collective shines at storytelling. The backstory sets a great stage: it’s the ten-year anniversary of the “Sweet County Ripper” murders (locally known as The Heartbreaker). We stepped into the shoes of college students returning to the quiet town of Sweet on a news assignment to uncover the truth.
The storytelling is easily the strongest aspect of the experience. It’s incredibly creative and does a fantastic job of pulling you into the mystery before you even step through the front door.
The haunt is a brisk, efficient walkthrough, but they manage to pack a lot of fun into that time! The set design is well done and the atmosphere feels appropriately eerie for a town stuck in a 1970 (ten years later) time warp.
The scare actors were high energy and really committed to their roles. “The Heartbreaker” himself is quite the sight in that skull mask with the cracked heart—definitely creepy enough to make you pick up the pace!
My favorite interaction of the night actually happened outside the haunt. If you’re walking around the mall area at GardenWalk, keep an eye out for Principal Hoover. She’s out there promoting the event and she is a total riot. Her improv skills are top-notch; she stayed perfectly in character while interacting with the crowd and setting the expectation for what’s waiting inside. She even gave me detention! (I’ll have my hall pass next time Miss Hoover.)
Eulogy Collective has once again proven that they know how to craft a compelling, immersive narrative in a compact space. This is a creative and fun addition to the SoCal haunt scene this February.
If you’re looking for a spooky date night in Anaheim, go see if you can survive The Heartbreaker—and try to stay on Principal Hoover’s good side!
Location: 400 Disney Way, Unit 168, Anaheim, CA (GardenWalk)
Tickets & Info: eulogycollective.com
Thank you Eulogy Collective for inviting me to experience your wonderful haunt.