ARLINGTON — The Arlington High School Future Farmers of America’s annual haunted house drew an estimated 70 attendees in its startup weekend, but organizers expect an even bigger crowd to coincide with the Hometown Halloween this weekend.

AHS FFA faculty adviser Jessica Nemnich explained that five adults and as many as 25 students worked to bring the haunted house back for its seventh year in the school’s greenhouse.

“We were still getting things ready last weekend,” Nemnich said of the haunted house on Oct. 17-18. “The kids have definitely figured out their tactics now, though. They’ve got their makeup techniques down better, and they have a much better idea of where to hide for the maximum scare effect.”

Of the teens who already attended, sisters Cami and Lily Hanna agreed with friend Jared Allen that it was frightful.

“I know a lot of the kids who put this event on,” said Allen, a 17-year-old AHS junior. “The pop-ups are nice, and the scares come at you from different places every year. I’m always impressed that they can fit so much in such a small space.”

Nemnich noted that the haunted house helps raise money for the FFA students to travel to events as far away as Vancouver, Wash., and the eastern side of the state.

“Those trips can be pretty expensive,” said Nemnich, who estimated that the haunted house raised about $300 last weekend. “We hope we’ll do better the closer we get to Halloween, and with Hometown Halloween coming up this Saturday, we can tie into that.”

The haunted house reopens from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25. With Arlington’s Hometown Halloween also set for Oct. 25, the haunted house will offer a slightly tamer set of scares for younger children from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

“If you have little kids, though, you can swing by any time, and just ask us to tone it down,” Nemnich said.

Tickets are $5, $3 for children under 13 and $4 for those with ASB cards.