Halloween haunted car washes on Long Island
The haunted car wash at Johnnie's Car Wash in Copiague. Credit: Kendall Rodriguez
Scream inside your car while creatures clean the outside this Halloween season at four haunted car washes on Long Island. Don’t forget to keep the doors locked and the windows up if you want to survive!
HALLOWEEN DRIVE-THRU EXTRAVAGANZA
A zombie apocalypse is about to hit Copiague as the Halloween Drive-Thru Extravaganza at Johnnie’s Car Wash returns for a fourth year.
“We have a whole new attraction this year with new props, new costumes and lots of zombies,” says owner Johnnie Miranti. “There is an upgraded light show, an increased number of actors outside and more animatronics on the inside.”
Additionally, there will be guest appearances by horror legends Pennywise, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Chucky on the queue line, where water, soda and candy will be sold. Each car will get a full exterior wash.
“This is a family bonding experience,” says Miranti. “We look to give people a happy scare. It’s more about building memories than anything else.” Proceeds for the first weekend will benefit the Boy Scouts of America and proceeds for the second weekend will benefit the Copiague schools.
COST $40 per car
MORE INFO 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 20-22, 27-29; Johnnie’s Car Wash on Oak, 521 Oak St., Copiague, 631-891-6111, johnniescarwashonoak.com
HARRY’S TUNNEL OF HORROR & WANTAGH HAUNTED CAR WASH
Once you enter the property at Harry’s Express Car Wash in Franklin Square or Wantagh Hand Car Wash, characters will be popping up at your window and knocking on your door before any suds hit your vehicle.
“The car wash tunnels will be completely decorated for Halloween with lights, smoke, strobe lights, spider webs and scary music playing,” says owner Harris Stone. “There will even be a gory car scene out front.”
Although the scares are similar at both places, the washes are completely different. Franklin Square offers a standard machine wash. However, Wantagh customers will get the Ceramic Craze that includes a hand wash on the outside of the car, undercarriage rinse, crystal top coat finish, triple foam wax, Rain-X spray, rim polish, lava bath and a ceramic shine that makes the car’s paint glow.
COST Wantagh: $45 per car, text SCARE to 30400 for a $5 off coupon; Franklin Square: $40 per car, text HORROR to 30400 for a $5 off coupon
MORE INFO 6 to 8 p.m., Oct. 28-31; Wantagh Hand Car Wash, 3434 Sunrise Highway, Wantagh; Harry’s Express Car Wash, 541 Franklin Ave., Franklin Square; Wantagh: 516-785-4129, handsonwash.com; Franklin Square: 516-233-1170, harryscarwash.com
TUNNEL OF TERROR, PART 3
Now in its fourth year, Five Corners Auto Salon in New Hyde Park is ready to amp up the scares for “Tunnel of Terror, Part 4.”
“Inside the tunnel, we will have holographic scenes projecting images of screaming ghosts and witches flying around accompanied by sound effects,” says owner David Rubinstein. “There’s also fog, strobe lights and a loud buzzer when you enter.”
Five Corners delivers a hand wash which will be done by 15 different characters including a chain saw goblin, creepy clowns and Jason Voorhees from "Friday the 13th."
“They’ll try to get into the car,” says Rubinstein. “With the SUVs, sometimes they’ll attempt to go through the back hatch.”
The horror continues in six different spooky scenes throughout the property.
“People look forward to this every year,” says Rubinstein. Proceeds from the event go to Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
COST $45 in advance ($50 on site), text SPOOK to 59925 to purchase tickets in advance
MORE INFO 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 31; 2080 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park, 516-328-6111, 5cornershandwash.com
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
