WASHINGTON 鈥� The Valentine鈥檚 weekend tour at Paxton Manor seems to have all the ingredients of a romantic date night in Leesburg, Virginia.
For starters, the Victorian house is getting “dressed up” for Valentine鈥檚 Day. Its lights will be turned way down low, leaving cuddling couples with a single rose to light the way.
And let鈥檚 not forget the people dressed up as creepy dolls and clowns jumping out at you.
鈥淲hen you think about it, it鈥檚 extremely romantic,鈥� says Katie Loudermilk, an actor who鈥檚 part of the tour.
鈥淵ou cuddle together, you scream together,” Loudermilk says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an awesome opportunity to have a romantic evening.鈥�
The folks at Paxton Manor 鈥� the same ones who produce the Shocktober haunted house for Halloween 鈥� really are trying to put the extreme in 鈥渆xtremely romantic.鈥� They’re bringing back its Valentine’s weekend creepfest, My Bloody Valentine, for a聽second year.
Friday through Sunday, a night tour of the historic mansion will lead lovebirds and thrill seekers through a creepy maze of love.聽This year鈥檚 tour carries a “welcome to the dollhouse” theme 鈥� 42 volunteers dressed as dolls and clowns, plus those cute little stuffed animals you see around Valentine鈥檚 Day will 鈥渃ome to life.鈥�
鈥淚t’s very much a haunted house,鈥� Loudermilk says. 鈥淭he startles and gross visual scenes 鈥� it definitely has a Valentine鈥檚 theme to it.鈥�
Hugs and screams are part of what keep Joe and Emily Germano, of Leesburg, together.
Joe Germano, 46, says they鈥檝e been to at least two dozen haunted houses since they were married in 2001. Emily Germano, 43, says it took some getting used to.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely the supportive wife,鈥� she says.
The couple made a trip to Paxton Manor for last year鈥檚 Bloody Valentine and they’re looking forward to going to this聽year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very intimate setting,鈥� Joe Germano says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to be somewhere in the dark and close to each other. Maybe something a little off beat and different from what you鈥檙e used to doing for Valentine鈥檚 Day.鈥�
Built in the 19th century, Paxton Manor claims to be 鈥渢he only real haunted house in Northern Virginia.鈥� It鈥檚 frequented by ghost hunters who claim it鈥檚 a 鈥渧ery, very, very active house in the paranormal realm,鈥� according to Loudermilk.
The manor鈥檚 namesake, Rachel Paxton, turned the home over to Leesburg when she died 鈥� under the caveat that it be used to help children. Today it鈥檚 the site of Paxton Campus, an institution that serves children with special needs. My Bloody Valentine is a fundraiser for the campus.
鈥淚t raises a lot of money for something I鈥檓 so passionate about,鈥� said Loudermilk, a behavior analyst and testing coordinator at Paxton.
Jennifer Lassiter, executive director, said the inaugural event raised $15,000 and fetched 500 people over the course of two days. Organizers are hoping to raise even more funds by expanding the tour to three days.
