Growing up in Markoff's Haunted Forest
The smell of smoke and colder, longer nights meant to our family that MHF season had begun.
In the Markoff family, holidays have always been a big deal, but if you’re familiar with Markoff's Haunted Forest, then you know Halloween is something else entirely. Massive bonfires lighting up the front circle. Music pulsing through the trees. Makeup-streaked actors rushing past you. Friends and family reuniting to work or attend during our most electric time of year.
For Natalie and me, MHF season (as we’ve always called it) has never just been an event. It’s been part of our identity. There’s something about the changing seasons and the cool fall air that wakes something up inside our family each September through October. What that is, we’re not quite sure. I’d say it’s nostalgia mixed with anticipation and excitement.
MHF From a Young Age
Some of my clearest childhood memories come from MHF.
I remember going with my mom and cousins, all of us the same age, wide-eyed and pretending to be braver than we were. The pounding bass from the front circle. “Thriller” playing from the DJ booth. Flashing lights cutting through smoke. Uncle Matt’s DJ voice announcing numbers for the next group to enter the woods.
And then we’d finally see my dad, walkie-talkie pressed to his ear, fully masked and completely in his element. Natalie and I have always noted that our dad is in his prime when MHF season is in full swing. He would scoop me up and guide us forward as a pack of parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins made a valiant attempt to walk the trail together.
But we never made it past the Vampire Village (scene #2).
Even though we were all terrified, we still wanted to come back each weekend. I was completely in love with it. The energy, atmosphere, and sheer size of MHF made it feel bigger than normal life. Early on, my siblings and I understood that the magic that comes with MHF doesn’t just happen. It’s built through hard work and long nights. Something modeled for us by our dad.
From Audience to Actor
I was eight years old when I worked my first official night of MHF.
Where did I work? With Natalie in the Junkyard scene, of course, arguably the most chaotic, high-energy scene in the forest. Crazy music blasting, metal structures towering around us, and our only real direction: dance hard. We’d shake our heads to Rammstein and Rob Zombie until we were dizzy.
I remember Natalie dancing behind a chain-link fence. With jumper cables attached to a battery in her hand, she would drag them along the metal fence, creating sparks that caught you by surprise. It was a crazy-cool effect that made me question her safety.
That first night changed everything for me. I fell in love not just with the performance, but with the behind-the-scenes. The makeup lines, the organized chaos, and seeing how everyone had a role and took it seriously.
From that point on, I worked every season.
In the circus scene, I stood shoulder to shoulder with my cousins, faces painted purple and red, scaring patrons until 2 or 3 a.m. Some nights we were so exhausted we could barely peel the makeup off. I’d show up to school the next morning with stained skin and heavy eyes, but I never regretted those late nights.
They really taught us how to work hard. We practiced endurance, responsibility, and how to keep going even when we were exhausted.
Learning the Work Behind MHF
As I got older, my role shifted.
For the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of operating as my dad’s shadow during the build season. Summers meant hauling 2x4s on the four-wheeler, shingling rooftops in the heat, operating the manlift for the first time (terrifying at first), and slowly becoming more confident with a drill in my hand.
Without fog machines and lighting, you see raw lumber, wiring, dirt paths, and ladders leaning against unfinished structures. You see how much sweat it takes to create a few minutes of awe.
Over the years, MHF has grown into something nationally recognized. What has always stood out to me most, though, is the team. The collaboration and the pride in doing something with your whole heart.
Being surrounded by insanely talented builders, designers, electricians, and creative minds has inspired me in many ways.
These are people who problem-solve constantly. Something breaks? Fix it. Rain ruins a structure? Rebuild it. A scene isn’t landing the way it should? Adjust it. Building a 30 ft castle? Fall off of it (looking at you dad).
There is far more work behind an event like this than most people ever see.
How MHF Shaped Markoff Sister Events
When Natalie and I launched Markoff Sister Events, we didn’t realize just how much our upbringing had prepared us.
We grew up watching thousands of guests move seamlessly through ticket lines, the front circle, trail entrances, and exits. We saw firsthand how critical guest flow, staffing, lighting, safety, and communication are.
We watched leadership in action through our dad. We watched crisis management happen in real time. We watched him make difficult decisions, solve problems under pressure, and hold high standards while still valuing his team.
Most importantly, we learned that magic is built through hard work. MHF gave us more than memories. It gave us grit. It gave us creative confidence and a deep respect for what it takes to execute something on a grand scale!
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