Knott’s Scary Farm is preparing to return for another season of fog, monsters, and mayhem, and we now know what will be waiting for us when the gates open. During Nightmares Revealed, Knott’s pulled back the curtain on its 2026 lineup, including two brand-new mazes, several returning favorites, multiple scare zones, and a surprisingly strong slate of live entertainment.
There is plenty to be excited about this year. While several long-running mazes are preparing to take their final trip into the fog, newcomers Inked and Unearthed both have the potential to become standouts. The event is also introducing two new shows, including a collaboration that feels like it should have happened years ago.
Here is everything announced during Knott’s Scary Farm: Nightmares Revealed.
Which Mazes Are Returning to Knott’s Scary Farm in 2026?
Eight mazes will return for the 2026 season, giving fans another chance to experience some of Scary Farm’s best recent attractions and say goodbye to a few of them as they return to the fog.
Widows
Widows is returning, which is great news because this is actually a pretty good maze that I have enjoyed. The maze’s creepy retirement-home setting and spider-infested residents give it an identity of its own, and I’m happy that it will be waiting in the fog again this year.
Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman
Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman still has an awful name, but the maze itself is good. Its unsettling folklore and dark atmosphere are much more effective than its title might suggest, so I’m glad it is getting another season to scare guests.
Chilling Chambers
I have been happy to see Chilling Chambers return each year since it debuted for Knott’s Scary Farm’s 50th anniversary. However, it makes sense that the maze is finally returning to the fog. It was designed as a greatest-hits celebration of Scary Farm’s history for an important anniversary, and keeping it around forever would eventually take away some of what made it special.
I’ll enjoy walking through this tribute one final time and revisiting the pieces of Scary Farm history it brought back to life.
Room 13
I really liked Room 13 the first year I experienced it, but it has lost a little more of its scare factor with each returning season. I still enjoy the maze’s Prohibition-era setting, though, and I’m glad its story remains connected to the Goring 20s scare zone.
Even if the maze no longer hits quite as hard as it originally did, the larger world surrounding it is still one of the event’s most stylish concepts.
Cinema Slasher
This house is one of my favorites in terms of set design, however the scare factor is fairly low. But it never fails to make me laugh. I do wish that they would update the “Legally safe movies” in this house.
Mary – The Haunting of Worth Home
I’m mostly indifferent toward Mary – The Haunting of Worth Home because I have never had the opportunity to go through it. That also means it will effectively be a brand-new maze for me, so I’m excited to finally see what it has to offer.
The Zoo
I thought The Zoo was hilarious last year, so I’m happy to see it return. Its bizarre collection of animal-human experiments delivers a different kind of energy than Scary Farm’s darker mazes, and that absurdity is part of the fun.
I’m also interested to see how it compares to the similarly themed house coming to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando. The two events may take different approaches to the concept, but the comparison should be fascinating for horror fans visiting both coasts.
Origins: The Curse of Calico
Last, but certainly not least, Origins: The Curse of Calico is returning for its final year. This maze is truly one of the greats, and I’m going to miss it very much.
Few attractions capture the identity and history of Knott’s Scary Farm as effectively as Origins. Its story of Sarah Marshall and the curse placed upon Calico feels inseparable from Ghost Town itself. If you have somehow never experienced this maze, make sure you walk through it before it disappears into the fog for good.
What Are the New Mazes at Knott’s Scary Farm 2026?
Knott’s Scary Farm will introduce two original mazes in 2026: Inked and Unearthed. The two concepts appear to sit on opposite ends of the horror spectrum, with one embracing murderous cartoon chaos and the other delivering a more serious archaeological nightmare.
Inked
Inked has a really interesting premise. It could be an imaginative and visually memorable maze if the concept is executed well. If it isn’t, there is a chance the murderous-cartoon idea could become a little too goofy. Still, the potential is absolutely there.
Mortimer Morbid, a washed-up 1930s cartoonist and former head of Morbid Studios, discovers that when blood becomes ink, imagination becomes reality. Determined to create one final Halloween special, he brings his infamous cartoon characters to life—only to unleash a legion of murderous toons hellbent on pulling viewers into their twisted world.
The 1930s animation style should give the maze plenty of room for creative sets, unusual monsters, and some wonderfully twisted imagery. If Knott’s manages to balance the comedy of old cartoons with genuine horror, Inked could become one of this year’s most memorable additions.
Unearthed
Unearthed appears to be much further from the goofy side of the spectrum. The reveal video reminded me a little of Alien, largely because its female protagonist gave me Ellen Ripley vibes. However, this is very clearly a mummy-themed story about an excavation team awakening something that should have remained buried.
Embark on a perilous journey through the heart of an excavation site as you and your search-and-rescue team arrive at a ravaged base days after receiving a distress signal. Beware, for the discovery of the ancient tablets has awakened a malevolent force from a forgotten age—an ancient evil has been unearthed.
The search-and-rescue framing gives the maze a strong setup that reminds me of Grimoire, while the destroyed base and ancient tablets should allow the attraction to gradually move from grounded expedition horror into something much more supernatural. Of the two new mazes, this seems like the safer bet for guests looking for a more traditionally frightening experience.
Which Scare Zones Are Returning in 2026?
All of the fan-favorite scare zones are returning to Knott’s Scary Farm this year. The 2026 lineup includes:
The Gauntlet
Ghost Town Streets
Forsaken Lake
CarnEVIL
Goring 20s
Ghost Town Streets is literally the best scare zone at any theme park, so its return is always welcome. It is the heart of Knott’s Scary Farm and continues to deliver the kind of unpredictable, monster-filled atmosphere that other Halloween events struggle to recreate.
CarnEVIL will also return with a new twist. With Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind no longer occupying the Boardwalk, Mesmer will leave his maze behind and roam the area alongside a new band of clowns. Moving an established character out into the scare zone is a fun way to let his story continue while giving CarnEVIL something new.
What Shows Are Coming to Knott’s Scary Farm 2026?
I’m especially excited about this year’s entertainment lineup because it includes two brand-new shows. Live entertainment is one of the easiest things to overlook at a haunt event, but these additions sound like they could be well worth making time for.
Occultum
Occultum is a new magic show created in partnership with Los Angeles’ own Magic Castle. This is such a natural collaboration that I’m honestly blown away it has not happened somewhere sooner.
A magic show fits perfectly at Knott’s Scary Farm. The event already thrives on mystery, theatricality, and the supernatural, and the Magic Castle’s involvement gives this show immediate credibility. Of everything announced for the entertainment lineup, Occultum may be what I’m most excited to see.
Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge
Fewer details were provided about Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge, although the host’s performance during the reveal was amazing. Based on its description, it sounds like this may be a music-and-dance-driven production built around Marie Laveau and Baron Samedi.
The dead keep rhythm. A slow drumbeat calls—and Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen, guides you past the gate into the court of Baron Samedi, Lwa of the dead. Dancers drift through the mist. Flames rise, tombs drum, the cemetery wakes.
The combination of dancers, drums, fire, and cemetery imagery could make this one of the event’s most visually striking shows. There are still plenty of unanswered questions, but the atmosphere described here feels right at home at Scary Farm.
The Hanging: Noosemaxing
Of course, The Hanging returns this year with a new title: The Hanging: Noosemaxing.
These shows are always something else. They attempt to cram in as many pop-culture references as possible while firing off jokes back to back to back. Sometimes I wish The Hanging would return to its original approach as a more horror-focused show, but it remains a Scary Farm tradition.
At the very least, it is a great place to give your feet a rest, grab a nice cold beer, and see which celebrities and pop-culture moments the performers decide to tear apart this year.
Knott’s Scary Farm 2026 Dates and Ticket Prices
Knott’s Scary Farm runs on select nights from September 17 through October 31, 2026.
Announced ticket options include:
Knott’s Scary Farm admission starting at $65
Knott’s Scary Farm Pass for $164
Scary Farm admission with Fright & Fast Lane starting at $139
Prices may vary by night, so guests should check their selected date before purchasing.
Final Thoughts
Knott’s Scary Farm’s 2026 lineup feels like a good balance between celebrating what already works and introducing something new. The returning scare zones remain among the best in the industry, while Inked and Unearthed offer two very different styles of horror. The new shows may be the biggest surprise, especially the long-overdue partnership with the Magic Castle for Occultum.
This will also be a bittersweet year as Chilling Chambers and Origins: The Curse of Calico prepare to return to the fog. Origins in particular leaves behind some very large boots to fill. Before looking too far ahead, however, we still have one final season to appreciate these mazes and plenty of new nightmares waiting to be revealed.
Looking for even more scares this Halloween season? Check out our Everything You Need to Know About Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood guide for details about this year’s haunted houses, scare zones, live entertainment, tickets, event dates, and more.
