Oak Lawn Family Transforms Garage into Haunted Corn Maze

Billy Krickl and son Marty have filled their garage at 10520 S. Kildare Ave. with 80 bales of hay.

Every neighborhood needs a Mr. Krickl, especially during Halloween. Oak Lawn’s resident haunted garage guy has been pranking the neighborhood youngsters on Halloween since his high school-aged sons were in elementary school.

He’s lunged at kids from a cage dressed as Michael Myers and fill his garage with pirates and classic horror monsters. Last year, capitalizing on his fear of clowns, he transformed his garage into “Krickle’s Karnevil.”

In recent years Billy Krickl has enlisted his sons’ help in corrupting and scaring the neighborhood youth.

“As they get older, it’s harder to prank them,” Mr. Krickl said.

This year, the Krickls have filled their garage at 10520 S. Kildare Ave. with 80 bales of hay for “Krickl’s Kornvil.”

Trick-or-treaters have to pass through a haunted hay maze in the Krickl’s garage before being rewarded with fun-sized candy bar.

“Some of the neighborhood kids’ have already been through the maze,” said the head scaremeister

Nancy Krickl, Billy’s wife, said the boys come up with the theme and the family brainstorms ideas.

Mr. Krickl (we just like saying ‘Mr. Krickl’) hopes to pass the torch to sons Marty and Jack, a junior and freshman, respectively, at Richards High School, and eventually, young Andy and Henry.

He gave Patch a tour of the maze but we’re not going to spoil the shocks. After Halloween, they’ve promised the hay bales to a goat farmer.

“The hay has been in here a week,” Mr. Krickl said. “We’ve been lucky so far. No rodents.”

Stop by Krickl’s Kornevil, 10520 S. Kildare Ave., Oak Lawn, from 3 to 9 p.m. on Halloween (Saturday, Oct. 31). If you forget the address, just listen for the sound of children screaming in terror.