As the town of Eau Claire begins to gear up for their fall festivities, the Downtown Micon Cinema will be hosting their very own Fright Month. 

This month-long opportunity allows for horror movie lovers to watch their favorite classics on the big screen. The event began last weekend with “The Exorcist.”  The showings start at 10 p.m. with an admission price of $5. 

The Cinema will be showing three other movies within the month of October including “The Nightmare on Elm Street” on Oct. 14-15, “The Shining” on the 21-22 and “Halloween” on the 28-30. 

The family-owned business has been running the theater for almost 19 years, starting in 2004 and has been open for the public of downtown Eau Claire. 

David Allen is an employee at Micon and has been working there for long enough to have experienced Fright Month before. 

“Older movies (viewers) may not have had a reference for … how this built up into other movies that we’ve seen more recently” Allen said. 

Alongside the classic movies being shown through the month, a ghost tour is also held to enhance the atmosphere for the downtown area. The Downtown Cinema will host a tour of Eau Claire through the eyes of the paranormal from 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17, 19, 24 and 26.

The tour features the Cinemas very own retired projector room and basement, both of which are said to be haunted. 

“People are willingly looking for things to spook them because of what time of the year it is,” Allen said. 

Because of this Halloween induced energy, people lined outside the entrance to the theater Saturday, Oct. 8 to buy their tickets for “The Exorcist.” 

Movie-goers Jake and Kearstin C say they’ve come to this movie theater many times, most recently to see the new Minions movie with their child. 

“I like that it’s old, that it’s been here for a long time and that it’s still here … It has old school charm,” Jake C said. 

The theater itself has been a staple of the downtown area for many years. According to the public Wisconsin History records, the building was built originally under “The Cameo Theater” in 1946. 

Although many remodels and management switches have occurred between then and the theater that currently stands, the records show all changes have put energy into persevering the original Art Moderne style of the Cinema. 

This historical building and its autumnal traditions will be open for other new-release movies as well. Their showtime includes but is not limited to “Don’t Worry Darling,” “Smile,” and “Halloween Ends.” 

Brandel can be reached at [email protected].