The fog is rolling in once again, the monsters are waking up and somewhere in the darkness, something is waiting for you to take the wrong turn.
I spoke with Chef Elvis Wong (interview above) about the new menu for this year’s Knott’s Scary Farm, which takes a different approach from last year’s more exotic offerings. This season, Wong and his team of fellow chefs have leaned into comfort food, creating familiar dishes with a Halloween twist that give guests something warm and satisfying to enjoy before heading back into the fog.
But food is only part of what awaits when Knott’s Scary Farm returns this fall. Along with the new menu, the Southern California Halloween tradition has added new mazes and entertainment while bringing back many of the classic scares that have made the event a yearly ritual for horror fans.
Running from September 17 through October 31, the 2026 season features 10 mazes, five scare zones and two new shows, along with the fan favorite The Hanging. Once the sun goes down, the park takes on a different personality. Familiar paths disappear beneath the fog and the streets become hunting grounds for creatures that seem to know exactly where you are.
One of the biggest new attractions is “Inked,” a twisted journey into the imagination of Mortimer Morbid, a washed up 1930s cartoonist and former head of Morbid Studios. Morbid discovers that blood can become ink and that whatever he draws can become real. Determined to create one final Halloween special, he brings his infamous cartoon characters to life, only to discover that his creations are far more interested in hunting their audience than entertaining them.
“Unearthed,” sends guests in another direction, deep into an excavation site where a search and rescue team arrives at a ravaged mountain base after receiving a distress signal. What begins as a rescue mission quickly turns into something much darker when the discovery of ancient tablets awakens a malevolent force that has been waiting beneath the earth. Some things, it seems, were buried for a reason.
The new entertainment lineup also brings a touch of the supernatural. At the Calico Mine Stage, “Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge,” invites guests into the shadowy world of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen, as she guides them toward the court of Baron Samedi, Lwa of the dead. Drums echo through the mist, flames rise and the cemetery awakens as the dead keep rhythm.
At the Bird Cage Theatre, “Occultum Curated by Magic Castle,” offers a different kind of fright. Magicians from the world famous Magic Castle will take the stage for an evening of mystery and illusion, proving that not everything that disappears is necessarily gone for good.
Returning to the darkness are several familiar nightmares. “Mary: The Haunting of Worth Home,” follows Mary, a woman murdered and buried alive by jealous townspeople who coveted her family and beautiful home. Now she has returned from the grave and brought a legion of creatures with her. Anyone who steps inside her former home may find themselves standing between Mary and the revenge she has waited years to claim.
At “The Zoo,” an abandoned animal park has become something far more disturbing. What was once a showcase of exotic animals is now a laboratory filled with experiments that have blurred the line between human and animal. The creatures have turned against their creators and mutant soldiers now roam the compound.
For those who prefer their nightmares a little more personal, “Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman,” plunges guests into an 18th century colonial township where an inhuman creature stalks the darkness in search of fresh meat. The monster has a particular appetite for fingers and a bite that can leave victims trapped in sleep paralysis as he closes in.
Things become even more unsettling in “Widows,” where a web covered nursing home has become the hunting ground of enormous black widows. The demonic creatures emerge from their tunnels and take over the bodies of the elderly residents, searching for mates and preparing to hatch their eggs before sunrise. The safest place may be anywhere that is not caught in their web.
In “Room 13,” the violence begins at The Blind Tiger, where Prohibition era revelry is interrupted by a series of gruesome murders. A mysterious green cocktail called The Devil’s Elixir appears to be connected to the bloodshed, leading guests to the extravagant Argive Hotel. There, Room 13 has a reputation for swallowing visitors whole. Many have checked in. Few have checked out.
“Cinema Slasher,” invites guests into the Midnight Theater, where the line between audience and movie begins to disappear. Guests travel through the silver screen and into a trilogy of slasher films, becoming characters who must fight their way through a gothic nightmare while trying to escape the Slasher.
The past also comes back to life in “The Chilling Chambers,” where the Crimson Lord guides guests through a collection of monsters and themes from Knott’s Scary Farm’s long history. Each room offers another flavor of terror, taking visitors deeper into decades of nightmares.
Meanwhile, “Origins: The Curse of Calico,” pulls back the veil on the supernatural forces haunting the town. As the evil fog settles over Calico, Sarah Marshall faces accusations of witchcraft while guests uncover the dark paranormal history that helped turn Knott’s Scary Farm into the place it is today.
Of course, the mazes are only the beginning. Once guests step back onto the midway, they may find that the monsters are no longer waiting behind a door. They are already in the streets.
“CarnEVIL,” returns to the Boardwalk with a reimagined vision of horror. Under the watchful eye of the hypnotist Mesmer, the circus has become even more sinister, with clowns, cutthroats and strange curiosities competing for attention. The sideshow is the main event and getting too close could cost more than a ticket.
“Ghost Town Streets,” the original Knott’s Scary Farm scare zone, returns as the fog rolls through the streets. Half human and half animal creatures prowl through the darkness while the infamous Sliders wait for the perfect moment to launch themselves from the fog.
New this year, “The Gore-ing ’20s,” brings a decadent and dangerous 1920s atmosphere to the park. Gangsters move illicit hooch while ghostly revelers dance to the music of the damned. There is even a secret password to get inside. Whether knowing it will help you get back out is another question.
At “Forsaken Lake,” the water beneath Silver Bullet gives up the creatures it has kept hidden. Ravaged by the dark waters, gothic monsters wander from their crypts looking for unsuspecting guests to drag back beneath the surface.
Then there is “The Gauntlet,” where guests enter a realm ruled by a King and Queen surrounded by maniacal jesters, brutal barbarians, wicked wizards and lawless peasants. It is the sort of place where everyone appears to have a role and none of those roles involve making sure you get out safely.
And when it comes to tradition, few things are more anticipated than “The Hanging: Noose Maxxxing,” which returns to Wagon Camp. The town of Calico is once again under siege and the Lawman and Hangman are ready to battle the villains of the past year in an over the top spectacle filled with gore, laughs and plenty of pop culture skewering. The show contains adult themes and is not suitable for children.
For those planning to brave the Farm more than once, the Scary Farm Pass offers unlimited visits on all event nights. The pass is currently $164 for a limited time, while Knott’s Season Passholders can purchase one for $155. Quantities are limited.
Knott’s Scary Farm has welcomed millions of visitors for more than five decades of never-ending nightmares and has become an institution in the Southern California theme park landscape. This year, the event returns on Sept. 17 and runs Thursdays-Sundays through Oct. 31, excluding Sept. 20. Due to the explicit and frightening nature of the event, it is not recommended for children under 13.
Knott’s Chaperone Policy:
A chaperone policy will remain in effect for all Knott’s Scary Farm event nights. Under this policy, all guests ages 15 years old or younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old to be admitted into the park. The chaperone must present a valid government-issued photo identification with date of birth at ticket entry. One chaperone may accompany no more than ten guests ages 15 or younger per day. In addition, the chaperone must accompany their party during entry, remain inside the park during their visit and be available by phone throughout their stay. Guests 16 years of age or older may be asked to present a valid government-issued photo identification (driver’s license, state-issued ID card, passport) with date of birth at entry to verify their age. If unable to verify proof of age, guests may be denied entry into the park. Guests ages 15 years old or younger who are found inside the park unaccompanied by a chaperone will be subject to ejection.
In addition, a bag policy will remain in effect for this year’s Knott’s Scary Farm. Clear plastic bags smaller than 12” x 12” x 6” as well as non-clear wristlets or clutches no larger than 5”x 8”x 2” are allowed at Knott’s Scary Farm. All bags are subject to search prior to entry.
This year, come for the comfort food and stay for the screams. Chef Wong and his team may have something warm waiting for you, but once the sun disappears, there is no telling what might be waiting just beyond the next bite, the next corner or the next darkened doorway.
See you in the fog.
For more information on Knott’s Scary Farm, including admission, parking, park hours, and events, visit knottsscaryfarm.com.