A central Ohio Halloween venue has acknowledged that they “screwed up big time” after hosting a “Swastika Saturday” the same day a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh.

Haunted Hoochie, also called Dead Acres, in Pataskala is pledging $50,000 to Tree of Life, the synagogue where 11 people were killed and six wounded.

“The Haunted Hoochie is a place to escape the true evil in the world through the magic of Halloween theater — NOT perpetuate real evil,” the venue said in a written statement released early Monday.

The venue was lambasted on social media on Saturday and Sunday, accused of hate, poor taste, anti-Semitism and Nazism.

The band, from Pittsburgh, that was scheduled to perform just outside the event pulled out, with its founder vowing to never return.

Swastika Saturday had been promoted as a 28-year tradition, and Haunted Hoochie had responded to some criticism by saying it was trying to call attention to what it calls a current nationalism that mirrors what happened in Germany during World War II.

The statement Monday extended condolences to families affected by the Pittsburgh tragedy and Jewish communities of the area.

It also says the venue will not tolerate any form of hatred from staff or guests and will not host musical acts that perpetuate “bigotry, intolerance, hate speech, anti-Semitism, or the like.”

“This means that certain costumes or themes may be deemed inappropriate and you will be denied admission or asked to leave the grounds,” the statement said.

It also said Haunted Hoochie is working with community leaders to mend fences.

Saturday marked the final show of the 2018 season.

jviviano@dispatch.com



@JoAnneViviano