Around 1,500 people participated in the chance to find the reality show’s iconic “Immunity Idol.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Mega Cavern became a hotspot for reality TV superfans Thursday when “Survivor” brought its nationwide Season 50 scavenger hunt to Kentucky.
A spokesperson for the Mega Cavern estimated up to 1,500 people participated in the chance to find the show’s iconic immunity idol.
Fans first had to decode a riddle pointing them to the Mega Cavern in Louisville’s Poplar Level neighborhood: “Beneath the city where the horses race, a man-made world, a hidden place. No natural cave, but built with might, a mega adventure waits in the night.”
From there, it was a race against the clock — participants tackled a 20-foot tall aerial obstacle course before getting a photo with the immunity idol and a shot at attending the season finale in Los Angeles.
The show is hiding interactive clues in all 50 states ahead of its milestone season, and fans are road-tripping across the country to collect the experiences.
Ohio resident Robert Perez was on his fourth stop after already visiting Ohio, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.
“I love traveling and I love challenges and I love Survivor,” he said.
A duo participated in Indianapolis and Cincinnati, and now made their way to the Kentucky challenge.
“It’s brought us together. We got to hang out for like 3 days road-tripping,” one group said. “It’s the memories. This is fun, this is an adventure.”
Tammy Crowder, a superfan since season one, drove 90 minutes from Central Kentucky and has applied to be on the show four times.
“Usually at my age, you don’t get cast because they think ‘oh that’s the mother person that they just drag along with them.’ But no, I’m ready,” she said.
Other superfans said the experience was a chance to see what it’s like to be on the show.
A Fort Knox couple celebrated their 44th anniversary at the event, and Joey Schmidt brought his mom, saying they’ve watched together since he was 10.
The scavenger hunt continues with Tennessee releasing its next clue Friday, followed by Illinois the week after.
