Help us reveal the hidden treasures of Downtown Frederick by participating in this year’s April First Saturday scavenger hunt!
For our first clue, we interviewed the mastermind behind the scavenger hunt, Chris Sparks. Sparks owns Surelocked In Escape Games on 220 N Market St in Downtown Frederick and they have just opened up a second location at 5 N Market St!
Chris, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you’ve ended up in Frederick, Maryland?
I was born and raised in Frederick! I graduated from Urbana High School, where I spent all of my free time on the stage. I attended Carnegie Mellon University from 2009 – 2013, and then became a youth minister here in Frederick in 2014.
How did you jump from being a youth minister, to running Surelocked In Escape Games?
Of the events I hosted at the Church, I noticed that puzzle or scavenger hunt games had the highest turnout. I had been planning to open an escape room for years, so we listened to the community and did just that!
So who is the mastermind behind Surelocked In Escape Games? Did you bring in a consultant?
Everything at Surelocked In is made in-house! We build our own props and draw upon a lifetime of board games, card games, and video games to create our Escape Adventures. You can’t buy the type of magic we make or pay someone else to create incredible experiences for you – you have to build those yourself!
Can you tell us a little bit more about the upcoming scavenger hunt for April First Saturday?
This month’s hunt is going to be our biggest yet (last month, we had 300 players). This time, we have a ton of local businesses sponsoring prizes! Like every other month, the Hunt is completely free. Bring your team of sleuths, look for patterns, and get ready to explore our city!
Can you tell us what your favorite part of Downtown Frederick is?
Frederick is Maryland’s best city because it still feels like a small town. Every corner of the city is filled with unique shops and stores – all owned by passionate people who love what they do. That’s a beautiful community to be a part of!
Any advice for any aspiring sleuths for this scavenger hunt?
You won’t win unless you come here to have fun. If you are having fun and playing the game, the odds are in your favor! Good luck, and see you on April 7th at 5 N Market Street!
You heard it here first folks! To pick up your scavenger hunt clues, stop by 5 N Market St. To learn more about Surelocked In Escape Games, visit their Facebook page here!