With summer coming to an end and Halloween around the corner, there is a certain appeal to campground-set slashers this time of year. From modern picks like last year’s Sadie Sink-led slasher Fear Street: 1978 and Peacock’s latest queer horror They/Them to cult-classics like Sleepaway Camp or 1981's The Burning, there’s a lot to choose from to quell this particular hankering. But none of these flicks live up to the original Friday the 13th, and now, fans of the essential slasher franchise can tour the real-life campground where the 1980 horror flick was filmed.
As most diehard Jason Voorhees fans already know, the original Friday the 13th was filmed at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, which is still an active Boy Scouts camp in Hardwick, New Jersey. Although the campgrounds are off-limits to the public, there are a few rare events offered by the camp that allow fans to visit the filming location. For the last few years, Crystal Lake Tours have come to the rescue: Friday the 13th fans have been offered the opportunity to tour the real-life Crystal Lake. A handful of events have been announced, per Bloody Disgusting, by Crystal Lake Tours as Halloween grows nearer.
Upcoming dates offered by Crystal Lake Tours include Friday, September 30 to Saturday, October 1; the weekend of October 21-23; and the weekend of October 28-30. As a special bonus, the first weekend, Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1, the team at Crystal Lake Tours will be opening up the generator shed to the public for the first time ever. Visitor will be able to enter the building and get a free 8”x10” photo print standing next to the generator, which was turned off in the film, leaving the campground shrouded in the darkness.
The 1980 classic follows a group of camp counselors who are stalked by a mysterious killer. Like many of the slashers that are now considered classics, Friday the 13th – directed by Sean S. Cunningham – started out as a pretty serious horror, but took on a more comedic tone as more and more sequels were added to the franchise. Now, one of the most iconic horror film killers, Jason Voorhees, technically wasn’t even in the original film in the franchise, with his mother (played by Betsy Palmer) being the one doing all the killing. Since the original film, Friday the 13th has branched out into 11 different sequels/remakes that together have made a mark on pop culture, inspiring several subsequent campy horror films and even references in other genres.
Those interested in visiting Camp Crystal Lake can purchase tickets on Crystal Lake Tours' website.