Tricking or being treated was the theme of the first Jakarta Halloween Festival held at Taman Krida Loka I at the Senayan Sports Hall in South Jakarta.

Visitors, who paid Rp 65,000 (US$5.37) for admission, were greeted by a zombie who attempted to scare each passing guest. While many visitors screamed and fled, many others laughed and asked for a picture.

Visitors were tricked in one part of venue adorned with spooky decorations and minimal lighting. Dapper dummies were hung high by their neck from trees, adding to the creeptastic atmosphere.

Screams could be heard coming from the haunted house and a Japanese maze, where visitors were challenged to find a way out of a labyrinth full of faux ghosts while participating in a treasure hunt.

Meanwhile, guests were treated on other side of the venue- the 'safe zone' for the faint-hearted. Dozens of vendors sold Halloween-themed food and beverages.

Jakarta Halloween Festival media promotion committee member Gratia Putri said that the event was the first of its kind in Jakarta and aimed to cater to the city's young Halloween enthusiasts.

She said that the committee had cooperated with the JAKK Inc. community, which stands for jeritan anda kepuasan kami (your scream, our satisfaction) for the creation of the haunted house and Japanese maze. Meanwhile, she said, the zombies were members of the Indonesian Zombie Club (Izoc).

'We know that many youngsters want to celebrate Halloween in a safe, traditional atmosphere that is also family friendly. Most Halloween events in Jakarta are held in clubs with alcoholic drinks,' Gratia told The Jakarta Post recently.

Indeed, young visitors dressed in various costumes dominated the event. While most only sported face painting, some put extra thought into their costumes.

For example, Halloween enthusiast Cahaya Dini Ahyabi was dressed as an Egyptian princess and equipped with an ankle-length silky white dress and gold accessories. She attended the festival with her male friend who was dressed as Jason from the classic thriller Friday the 13th, sporting a white mask and a sports jersey.

The 20-year-old girl said that she had been looking forward to the event and was excited to attend.

'I really like Halloween so I was excited to attend this event. The atmosphere and the decorations really bring out the true spirit of Halloween,' Cahaya told the Post.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Indah, who came out of the haunted house screaming and disheveled, said that she enjoyed the festival despite the nerve-racking atmosphere.

'It was so scary in the haunted house! I know [the ghosts] were not real but I was still scared,' said the ninth grader.

Gratia said that on Sunday, the last day of the Jakarta Halloween Festival, the festival would start at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. At 11:30 a.m., visitors will be invited to take part in games; 12.30, a cooking class hosted Japanese eatery Sushi Miyabi; 2 p.m., more games; 3 p.m., street magician act; 4:30 p.m. eating competition; 5:30 p.m., horror and thriller movie screening.

Various carnival-style games were open to visitors from morning until night. The haunted house, Japanese maze and the food vendors, Gratia said, were also open all day.

'We hope the festival becomes an annual event. We also hope to hold a bigger festival with more attendees next year,' she said.

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