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Halloween update: A look at the world's first, largest and longest-running theme park halloween event

By Domenik Jost
Published: September 11, 2010 at 9:57 PM
Today our third stop brings us to first, largest, and longest running theme park Halloween event in the world. It is the event that inspired all the "copycat" Halloween events at other theme park destinations across the globe. We are talking about Knott's 'Scary' Farm in Southern California.

It all began on October 31, 1973 with a decorated Ghost Town and a few dozen live monsters lurking in the fog. Today, Knott's 38th Annual Halloween Haunt features 13 mazes, three scare zones, seven live shows and 1,000 monsters roaming the park.

Entertainment Design Manager, Todd Faux, gives us a little bit of insight into this years new attractions being added to the Haunt.

As Faux just said, this year features three all-new mazes:

  • Fallout Shelter in 3D - Locked in a cement grave for decades, you come face to face with human/genetic hybrids, toxic mutants, and a host of nuclear freaks all hungry for carnage.
  • Sleepy Hollow Mountain - Ghosts and ghouls, witches and goblins, and long legged beasts are lurking at your heels as you make your ventures through Sleepy Hollow.
  • Virus Z - The entire town of Pleasanton has turned into cannibal zombies and you're on this week's special.

More mazes are returning this year including "The Labyrinth," "The Doll Factory," "Lockdown: The Asylum," "The Slaughterhouse," "Club Blood," "Terror of London," "Black Widow's Cavern," "The Corn Stalkers," "Dia Del Los Muertos," and "Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre in 3D."

There are also 3 all new scare zones this year: "Necropolis," "Ghost Town" and "CarnEVIL." The live shows include Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem, The Hanging, Hacks! Presents "Die, Die, Die!", De'Anna the Hypnochick, Street Drum Corps' "Blood Drums", Inferno, and Zamora's Sideshow of the Bizarre.

Knott’s Halloween Haunt runs September 24-26, September 30-October 3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-31, 2010. The Halloween Haunt at Knott’s Scary Farm is a special ticket event not covered by regular Knott’s Berry Farm admission. Ticket prices are $33 - $50 presale online and $56 day of event. Haunt tickets are available at Knott’s Guest Relations, can be purchase by phone at Knott’s Haunt Line (714) 220-5000 or online at haunt.knotts.com.

Halloween Haunt is a scary event and is not recommended for children under 13. For the younger set however, Knott's offers "Snoopy's Costume Party" in Camp Snoopy. This family event includes friendly monsters, a kid-friendly maze, crafts, and of course, trick-or-treat stationsand is included with regular park admission. "Snoopy's Costume Party is offered weekends October 2-31, 10 am to 5 pm.

Keep checking back here on Theme Park Insider as we continue making more stops at parks across the nation and highlight their haunting events.

Readers' Opinions

From Anthony Murphy on September 11, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Interesting article!

Glad to see who thought of the Halloween Event idea first.

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