The Insanity Haunted House in Peru has opened its doors for the Halloween season, promising chills and thrills across its sprawling 10,000-square-foot maze.

The award-winning attraction features over 40 actors and distinct themes in each room. Located at 3940 Route 251 inside the Peru Mall, the haunted house takes about 16 minutes to navigate. Each room offers unique aromas, lighting and sounds designed to immerse visitors in a fully detailed experience.

“It’s eye candy everywhere,” said owner Pete Pavia, who also is Rochelle’s police chief. “There’s something on every inch of every wall. It’s all designed to trick the mind. Each room is separate to give people a great time and a good scare. We want people to have fun.”

Pavia’s favorite visitors are those who get scared and then laugh.

“That’s what this is about – not terrifying people, but having fun and getting the heart rate up a little bit,” he said.

Insanity Haunted House has been voted Illinois’ top haunted house by HauntedIllinois.com for the past three years. Last year, it earned the Five Chainsaw Award from Horror Tours and was ranked among the state’s scariest by Illinois Top Five.

Pavia’s passion for haunted houses began in his childhood in Melrose Park, home to Amling’s Haunted House – the first walk-through attraction in the U.S., opened in 1950.

Haunted house-building became a family tradition, with Pavia’s mother keeping photos of him crafting spooky scenes in his bedroom. As an adult, Pavia started decorating his yard for Halloween, which grew into a garage haunted house for family and friends. He then bought remnants of a closed haunted house from Indiana via Craigslist and launched the original Insanity Haunted House in St. Charles, inside the former Charlestowne Mall. After the mall closed three years later, he searched for a new home and found the Peru Mall.

“There were no other haunted houses in the area. The mall and city welcomed us with open arms. It’s been fantastic,” Pavia said. “The first house was 4,000 square feet. Now it’s 10,000, with much more detail. I take pride in it. I do everything myself, except for help from my wife and a few friends. This is my eighth season here.”

In the early years, actors were scarce, so Pavia and friends played multiple roles, changing costumes throughout the house.

“People would be amazed at how many actors there were, [even] when there were only eight of us,” Pavia recalled.

Today, the crew can number up to 50, with professional makeup artists enhancing the experience.

As Halloween nears, crowds grow and actors refine their performances.

“I have customers who come every weekend. The show changes from week one to week five as actors learn their rooms and how to engage visitors,” Pavia said. “I want to entertain everyone. Anyone who comes here will be surprised.”

Insanity Haunted House recommends that visitors are 12 or older. A kids’ matinee runs from 3 to 5 p.m. on the last three Sundays in October, with no actors inside and families encouraged to bring flashlights. Many families return for the full experience later.

Outside of Halloween, the haunted house also hosts a one-night Christmas-themed show and an Easter egg hunt inside the attraction.

“After the season, I start tearing down parts of the house and rebuilding,” Pavia said. “It’s an all-year project. I’m here most weekends, changing things. Every year I try to introduce 25% to 30% new content. It’s a fresh experience every time.”

For hours and tickets, visit insanityhh.com.