With the autumn crisp in the air and the paranormal show and ghost hunt now over, it is time for the highly anticipated Russell Springs Haunted House to open its doors.

Downtown Revitalization Committee President Aron Houdini, a local magician and escape artist, has worked alongside several other volunteers to make the haunted house, on High St. in Russell Springs, a reality.

The house opened on Monday to a large crowd and stayed busy throughout its first few days of operation, Houdini said.

The house runs nightly, beginning at 7 p.m. and ending at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday while it is open until midnight Friday and Saturday.

Admission is $5 Monday through Wednesday and $7 Thursday through Saturday, according to Houdini.

On Thursday, Oct. 14th, entry to the haunted house will be $1, allowing most anyone the chance to go through.

The opening of the haunted house comes on the heels of the Russell Springs Downtown Revitalization Committee presenting the SyFy Channel's Rock N' Roll Ghost Hunter, Keith Age, last Friday at the Star Theater.

Age, along with other ghost hunters and Houdini, demonstrated over $20,000 in paranormal equipment and hi-tech paranormal gadgets showing evidence of ghosts during the special show.

After the Star Theater show, the Ghost Hunters along with members of the public went on an actual ghost hunt at the McGaha house in northern Russell County. The house was featured on A&E's Paranormal State early last year.

More than 40 people went on the two ghost hunts at the house and a nearby graveyard, Houdini said.

Those on the ghost hunt were able to use some of the paranormal gadgets from the Star Theater show.

Back at the haunted house on High St., Houdini said nearly 80 10X8 foot walls have been moved into the building to make dozens of internal walls, making the spooky trek through the haunted house total 903 feet.

This year's haunted house is also competing in several national competitions through www.hauntedhouse.com for best in show, scariest haunted house and most unique scene.

This year's house features several unique rooms such as a holding cell where customers could end up down the wrong hall and subsequently locked inside of the cell with whatever is inside, he said.

"While our actors cannot touch anyone, they are instructed to scare whomever into a state of shock," Houdini said. Visitors to the haunted house will have the opportunity to lie in a real casket and have their picture taken as a keepsake as well as have the chance to buy raffle tickets on merchandise autographed by the actors who portrayed the horror icons Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Pinhead and Leatherface.

People under the age of 16 need an adult to go in the house with them and all military personnel are allowed inside free of charge with their military ID.

The Russell Springs Fall Festival is slated for Oct. 29 and 30 on Main St. An actual list of events and times is forthcoming from the city of Russell Springs.

Houdini said due to the extremes of this year's haunted house, the city's insurance provider has told city officials that certain safe words may be used to get groups or individuals out of the house if they become too frightened.

All profit raised during at the haunted house, ghost hunt and fall festival will go toward the Christmas parade and the festivals the downtown revitalization committee puts on.

Houdini said the money from this year's haunted house is going toward the purchase of a city Christmas tree with a special lighting before the Christmas parade later this year.

The Russell Springs Downtown Revitalization Committee is a non-profit entity that aims to revitalize the downtown area and help bring businesses and events to Main St.