Knott's Scary Farm

Knott's Scary Farm or Knott's Halloween Haunt is a seasonal Halloween event at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It is an event in which the theme park is transformed into "160 acres of horror", via a series of roaming monsters, terrifying haunted houses and 'scare zones'. As of 2010, it was said to be the first, largest and longest-running Halloween event to be held at a theme park.

Haunted attractions

• Origins: The Curse Of Calico
• Mesmer: Sideshow Of The Mind
• The Grimoire
• Cinema Slasher
• Room 13
• The Chilling Chambers
• Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman
• Widows

Attraction history

	Year	Mazes	Scare Zones	Shows	Notes
1	1973	The Monster Maze Satan's Saw Mill The Ghostway Express	Ghost Town
2	1974	The Haunted Shack The Devil's Log Ride Calico Phantom's Mine Ride Transylvania Railroad Stagecoach Ride through Wolfman Country	Ghost Town
3	1975	Terror Mountain Knott's Scary Tales Trail of the Tortured Haunted Mine Transylvania Railroad Trail of the Headless Horseman	Ghost Town The Gory '20s Fiesta de Fiends	The Hanging
4	1976	Trail of the Tortured Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Trail of the Headless Horseman Knott's Scary Tales Transylvania Express Gasoline Alley (Thru Sleepy Hollow)	Ghost Town	Dead Man's Hanging
5	1977	Ten Chilling Chambers (first standalone walk-through maze) Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Gasoline Alley (Thru Sleepy Hollow) Transylvania Express The Ghost Coach Witch's Twist Bump the Ghoul Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town	The Hanging
6	1978	The Trail of Terror Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town
7	1979	Chilling Chambers of Horrors Black Bart's Trail of Terror Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town	Monsters' Revenge
8	1980	The Tomb of Terror Dr. Alucard's Chamber of Horrors Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging
9	1981	The Trail of Terror Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging
10	1982	The Terrifying Trail of Jack the Ripper The Mysterious Corridors Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Knott's Scary Tales	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
11	1983	The Realm of Darkness Corridors of Mystery Terror Mountain Haunted Mine Transylvania Taxi	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging Elvira's Second Year, New Show!
12	1984	Caverns of Doom The House of Red Death Terror Mountain Haunted Mine	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging Elvira's Ghoul Review
13	1985	The Terrifying House of Doom Creep House Trail of the Doomed Terror Mountain Trails of Terror Dragon's Caverns Sorcerer's Lair	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging
14	1986	Mystical Maze of Madness The Best Little Horror House Conviks Haven The Last Train to Terror Nightmare Mountain The Dark Forest of the Sorcerer	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging Elvira's Shock & Rock Spooktacular
15	1987	Curse of the Sphinx Kingdom of the Dinosaurs Metro Madness Realm of the Sorcerer The Slaughterhouse The Enemy Within The Fourth Dimension The Return of Zulu	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging
16	1988	Bait's Motel Camp Hatchet Head Revenge of the Dead The Dark Threshold of Doom Toxic Terror Uncle Ernie's Madhouse	Ghost Town	Midnight Witch Hanging Elvira's Shock & Rock Revue
17	1989	Bait's Motel Camp Hatchet Head Revenge of the Dead Terror Mountain The Dark Threshold of Doom Uncle Ernie's Madhouse Which Maze	Ghost Town	The Hanging Elvira's Rock'n Horror Show
18	1990	Bait's Motel Encounters of Darkness The Fear Threshold of Doom Terror Mountain Revenge of the Dead Uncle Ernie's Madhouse Timothy L. Eerie Time Machine	Ghost Town	The Hanging Elvira's Rock'n Horror Show
19	1991	Bait's Motel Encounters of Darkness Revenge of the Dead Terror Mountain The Body The Fear Threshold of Doom Uncle Ernie's Madhouse	Ghost Town	The Hanging Elvira's Truth or Scare
20	1992	Kingdom of the Lounge Lizards Lair of the Vampyre Mother Noose's Scary Tales Revenge of the Dead Temple of Sacrifice Terror Mountain Toxichem Uncle Ernie's Madhouse	Ghost Town	The Hanging Elvira Dead, White & Blue
21	1993	House of Maniacs Jaws of Death Lair of the Vampyre Mother Noose's Scary Tales Nightmares Santa Claws Mountain Temple of Sacrifice Toxichem	Ghost Town	The Hanging Elvira's Shock N' Rock Revue
22	1994	Carnival of Death Cavern of Carnage House of Maniacs Industrial Evil Lair of the Vampyre Mother Noose's Scary Tales Nightmares Santa Claws Mountain Slasher of the Dark Toxichem	Ghost Town	The Hanging
23	1995	Carnival of Death Cavern of Carnage Curse of the Werewolf Dominion of the Dead Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast House of Maniacs Industrial Evil Nightmares Santa Claws Mountain Slasher of the Dark	Ghost Town	The Hanging
24	1996	Camp Gonnagetcha Carnival of Death Curse of the Werewolf Cavern of Carnage Dominion of the Dead Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast House of Maniacs Kingdom of the Lounge Lizards Nightmares The Underground Toon Terrortory	Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Cyber Insanity Day of the Dead Procession Dead Monsters of Rock Dr. Cleaver for President Laser Monster Madness The Deadly Dating Game The Hanging
25	1997	Bigfoot's Revenge Camp Gonnagetcha Curse of the Werewolf Dominion of the Dead Ghost Town Dead and Breakfast Nightmares The Inquisition The Underground The Underworld Unearthed Toon Terrortory XXV (25) Years of Fears	Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Cyber Insanity III Day of the Dead Procession Ed Alonzo's Magic & Mayhem Elvira's Dead Legends of Rock - Live! Laser Monster Madness The Deadly Dating Game The Hanging
26	1998	Alien Attack Bigfoot's Revenge Camp Gonnagetcha Deadman's Wharf Dominion of the Dead Horrorwood Hotel Nightmares: The Awakening The Inquisition The Underground The Underworld Unearthed	Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Day of the Dead Procession Ed Alonzo's Magic & Mayhem Electric Nightmares Elvira's Haunted House Party" The Hanging The New Deadly Dating Game
27	1999	Alien Attack Bigfoot's Revenge Camp Gonnagetcha Deadman's Wharf Dominion of the Dead Elvira's Nightmare Horrorwood Hotel Tales from the Inquisition The Underground The Underworld Unearthed	Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Day of the Dead Procession Ed Alonzo's Magic & Mayhem Electric Nightmares Elvira's Ghost Stories Spooktacular Tony Angelo, The Haunted Hypnotist The Hanging
28	2000	Alien Attack Army of the Underworld Camp Gonnagetcha Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Deadman's Wharf Elvira's Nightmares Gothic Graveyard Horrorwood Hotel The Crypt Keeper's Tales from the Inquisition The Underground Voodoo Witch Project	Backwoods CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Gauntlet The Swamp	The Hanging Elvira's Shock N' Rock Revue
29	2001	Alien Attack Army of the Underworld Blood Bayou Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Curse of the Spiderwoods Elvira's Red Moon Massacre Lore of the Vampire Malice in Wunderland The Cryptkeeper's Horrorwood Fright FestEvil The Underground	CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Gauntlet The Swamp	The Hanging Elvira at 20, Almost Legal
30	2002	Alien Attack Army of the Underworld Blood Bayou Curse of the Spider Fright Festival Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Malice in Wunderland The Underground The Inquisition Lore of the Vampire Red Moon Massacre	CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Gauntlet The Swamp	The Hanging
31	2003	Army of the Underworld Asylum Blood Bayou Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Curse of the Spider Hatchet High Lore of the Vampire Malice in Wunderland Red Moon Massacre Temple of Sacrifice The Inquisition Underground	CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Swamp	The Hanging
32	2004	Army of the Underworld Asylum Blood Bayou Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Curse of the Spider Hatchet High Lore of the Vampire Malice in Wunderland Red Beard's Revenge Red Moon Massacre Temple of Sacrifice Terror Vision	Ghost Town The Swamp The Gauntlet	Ed Alonzo's Magic and Mayhem The Hanging
33	2005	13 Axe Murder Manor Asylum Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns Cavern of Lost Souls Curse of the Spider Feary Tales Hatchet High Lore of the Vampire Red Beard's Revenge Red Moon Massacre Temple of Sacrifice Terror Vision in 3-D	CarnEVIL Ghost Town Silver Bullet Mining Town The Dark Realm The Gauntlet	Hacks The Hanging
34	2006	13 Axe Murder Manor Asylum Cavern of Lost Souls Dark Realm with Lazer Rage Feary Tales in 3-D Hatchet High Lore of the Vampire Lost Vegas in 3-D Red Beard's Revenge Red Moon Massacre Terror Vision in 3-D The Grudge 2	CarnEVIL Ghost Town Silver Bullet Mining Town The Gauntlet	Dead Idol Festival of Freaks Hacks Haunted Hypnochick Putz Prank Party The Hanging
35	2007	13 Axe Murder Manor Beowulf: Labyrinth into Darkness Black Widow's Cavern Dark Realm Lazer Tag Feary Tales Killer Clown Kollege Lore of the Vampire Lost Vegas Pyromaniax Red Beard's Revenge The Asylum The Doll Factory The Grudge 2	CarnEVIL Ghost Town Silver Bullet Mining Town The Gauntlet	Festival of Freaks Hacks Inferno The Chipper Lowell Experience The Death of Dr. Cleaver The Hanging The Rocketz
36	2008	13 Axe Murder Manor Alien Annihilation Black Widow's Cavern Club Blood Corn Stalkers Killer Clown Kollege Labyrinth Lost Vegas Pyromaniax Quarantine The Asylum The Doll Factory The Slaughterhouse	CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Dr. Cleaver's Big Election Fangs: A Vampire Show Festival of Freaks Inferno The Chipper Lowell Experience The Hanging The Hypnochick
37	2009	Alien Annihilation Black Widow's Cavern Cornstalkers Club Blood Dia De Los Muertos Labyrinth Lockdown: The Asylum Pyromaniax Quarantine Terror of London The Doll Factory The Slaughterhouse Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre The Stepfather Scare Scene	CarnEVIL Ghost Town The Gauntlet	Bloodlust Festival of Freaks Inferno The Chipper Lowell Experience The Hanging
38	2010	Black Widow's Cavern Club Blood Cornstalkers Dia De Los Muertos Fallout Shelter Labyrinth Lockdown: The Asylum Sleepy Hollow Mountain Terror of London The Doll Factory The Slaughterhouse Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre Virus Z	CarnEVIL Ghost Town Necropolis: City of the Dead	De' Anna the HypnoChick Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem HACKS! presents Die, Die, Die! The Hanging Inferno The Chipper Lowell Experience Steel Drum Corps present Bang Zamora's Sideshow of the Bizarre
39	2011	Cornstalkers Delirium Dia De Los Muertos Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse Fallout Shelter Invasion Beneath Lockdown: The Asylum Sleepy Hollow Mountain Terror of London The Doll Factory The Slaughterhouse Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre Virus Z	CarnEVIL Ghost Town Gypsy Camp Necropolis: City of the Dead	The Hanging: Calico and Aliens Putz' Prank Party Zamora's Side Show of Horrors Street Drum Corps Presents Bang! Haunt Wonders of Technology Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem Red Moon Dance Company Presents Cursed!
40	2012	Delirium Dia De Los Muertos Dominion of the Dead Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse Fallout Shelter Pinocchio Unstrung Slaughterhouse Terror of London The Evil Dead Trapped Trick or Treat Uncle Bobo's Big Top of the Bizarre Virus Z	Ghost Town Necropolis Carnevil Gypsy Camp	Ed Alonzo's Funhouse Elvira Visits the Haunt Museum (Autographs) Tonga Tiki Terror The Hanging Games The Witching Hour Mephisto's Mechanical Mayhem Blood Drums Cursed Zamora's Sideshow of Torture Unearthed
41	2013	Delirium Black Magic Dominion of the Damned Endgames: Warriors of the Apocalypse Forevermore Mirror Mirror Pinocchio Unstrung The Gunslinger's Grave Trick or Treat Uncle Willy's Slaughterhouse The Witch's Keep Trapped: The New Experiment	Ghost Town Necropolis Gypsy Camp Fiesta de los Muertos CarnEvil	The Hanging: It Stinks Blood Drums Carny Trash Cursed Elvira's Sinema Seance Possessed
42	2014	Voodoo The Tooth Fairy Dominion of the Damned Black Magic Forevermore Pinocchio Unstrung The Gunslinger's Grave Trick or Treat The Witch's Keep Trapped: Lock and Key Special Ops: Infected	Ghost Town Gypsy Camp: The Cursed Caravan CarnEvil Fiesta de los Muertos	The Hanging: Everything is Gruesome Elvira's Big Top
43	2015	Voodoo: Order of the Serpent The Tooth Fairy Paranormal Inc. Black Magic Forevermore Pinocchio Unstrung The Gunslinger's Grave: A Blood Moon Rises Trick or Treat My Bloody Clementine The Dead of Winter Special Ops: Infected - Patient Zero	Ghost Town CarnEvil Fiesta de los Muertos	The Hanging: Straight Outta Calico Elvira's Asylum
44	2016	Voodoo: Order of the Serpent The Tooth Fairy Paranormal Inc The Gunslinger's Grave: A Blood Moon Rises Trick or Treat The Dead of Winter: Revenge of the Wendigo The Red Barn Shadow Lands Black Ops: Infected Skeleton Key Rooms: Prey, Slasher, Visions, Zozo	Ghost Town CarnEvil Fiesta de los Muertos The Hollow	The Hanging: Finding Gory Elvira's Danse Macabre
45	2017	Voodoo: Order of the Serpent The Tooth Fairy Paranormal Inc. Dark Ride Pumpkin Eater Trick or Treat: Lights Out The Red Barn Shadow Lands Special Ops: Infected Halloween Hootenanny	Ghost Town CarnEvil Fiesta de los Muertos The Hollow	The Hanging: Fake Noose Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
46	2018	Special Ops: Infected Shadow Lands Paranormal Inc. Trick or Treat: Lights Out Pumpkin Eater The Red Barn Dark Ride The Depths Dark Entities Halloween Hootenanny	Ghost Town CarnEvil The Hollow Forsaken Lake	Awaken the Dead Conjure Hacks! Cutting Room Floor The Hanging: Shhh... It Happens
47	2019	Dark Entities Dark Ride Halloween Hootenanny Origins: The Curse of Calico Paranormal Inc. Pumpkin Eater Shadow Lands Special Ops: Infected The Depths Wax Works	CarnEVIL Forsaken Lake Ghost Town The Hollow	Awaken the Dead Conjurers The Hanging: Witches' Revenge Puppet Up! Uncensored
	2020	Canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic	colspan="4" Template:NA
48	2021	Dark Entities Dark Ride: Castle of Chaos Halloween Hootenanny Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind Origins: The Curse of Calico Paranormal Inc. - Case #13 - The Haunting of Hayden Hill Pumpkin Eater The Depths Wax Works	CarnEVIL Forsaken Lake Ghost Town Gore-ing 20s The Hollow	Le Magnifique Carnaval du Grotesque Doce de La Noche Into The Fog Invitation to Terror Puppet Up! Uncensored Wicked Drums Conjurers - Magic and Mirth at the Birdcage Theatre
49	2022	Bloodline 1842 Dark Entities Dark Ride Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind Origins: The Curse of Calico Pumpkin Eater The Depths The Grimoire Wax Works	The Hollow Gore-ing 20s Forsaken Lake CarnEVIL Ghost Town Streets	Le Magnifique Carnaval du Grotesque Conjurers: Dark Magic Puppet Up! Uncensored
50	2023	Bloodline 1842 Cinema Slasher Dark Entities Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind Origins: The Curse of Calico Room 13 The Chilling Chambers The Depths The Grimoire Wax Works	Gore-ing 20s Forsaken Lake CarnEVIL Ghost Town Streets The Gauntlet	Le Magnifique Carnaval du Grotesque Dr. Cleaver Returns Music, Monsters, and Mayhem The Hanging: Uncancelled
51	2024	Bloodline 1842 Cinema Slasher Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind Origins: The Curse of Calico Room 13 The Chilling Chambers The Grimoire Wax Works Widows	Gore-ing 20s Forsaken Lake CarnEVIL Ghost Town Streets The Gauntlet	Conjurers Le Magnifique Carnaval du Grotesque The Hanging: The Errors Tour Yours Cruelly, Elivra XXperience
52	2025	TBD	TBD	TBD

History

Two street monsters posing by the Ghost Town Coffin.

The concept was introduced to the park's operations committee in a meeting in September 1973 by George Condos and Martha Boyd of the marketing department, and Bill Hollingshead and Gary Salisbury of the entertainment office. Bud Hurlbut, who built and operated (as a concessionaire) the Calico Mine Ride, the Timber Mountain Log Ride and other rides, decided that having static props wasn't enough, so he put on a gorilla suit and scared guests as they rode on the Mine Ride. Originally a three-night affair, running October 26–28, 1973, Halloween Haunt was an instant hit, and by the next year, the event sold out nightly. Knott's Berry Farm was originally modeled after Calico, California, a ghost town that was a result of the California silver rush. Already having a dedicated Ghost Town section in the theme park, this area would become the designed area for the original Halloween Haunt, eventually expanding to the entire park.

The 1980s would continue to be a success for the theme park, and popular culture icons were employed to represent the event. In 1981, actor and singer "Weird Al" Yankovic joined the cast, as did Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson in the following year. Elvira was prominently featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001. According to postings on her Myspace page, Cassandra was released from her contract by the park's new owners due to their wanting a more family friendly appeal. The 1990s would show a different approach to Halloween. Humor was added to many facets in the theme park and Knott's turned from the explicit horror to black comedy. This continuing balance of horror and humor has been a key to the continuing success of Knott's Halloween Haunt.

On August 4, 2020, Knott's announced that the 48th Scary Farm season would be cancelled in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which caused the closure of theme parks in California in March at the request of California Governor Gavin Newsom and was deferred to 2021. The theme park was not open at the time of the announcement.

By the time the annual, six-week-long event celebrated its 50th year in 2023, it had become the largest event of any theme park.

On November 2, 2023, Cedar Fair announced plans to merge with Six Flags, forming a new company and retaining the Six Flags name. Described as a "merger of equals", former Cedar Fair management will remain in control of the new company, which will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. On July 1, 2024, the merger was successfully completed.

Park transformation

Charlene Parker as the Green Witch.

While Knott's Berry Farm is a year-round theme park, the entire acreage is modified to fit the Halloween motif. Rides and other attractions are converted into macabre themes. Seasonal workers are cast as a variety of monsters, roaming the Template:Convert park in terrifying scare zones, amidst haze produced by giant fog machines.

The controversial "Hanging" live show was a staple of the Haunt that lampoons celebrities and people in the news through a series of staged hangings. The Hanging had been an annual event since the 1979 Halloween Haunt, but went on a brief hiatus after the 2019 season until it returned in 2023 relocated from the Calico Mine Stage where it took place from 2016 to 2019 (previously performed in Calico Square next to the saloon until the Calico Mine Stage was built) to the Wagon Camp Theater located across from the park gates. As of 2023, the park has 10 mazes, 5 scare zones, and 4 live shows.

The Green Witch

Charlene Parker no longer portrays the Green Witch but continues to serve as a spinner and shift lead in Ghost Town at Knott's.

Some characters have developed a special appeal, such as the legendary, iconic, and infamous villainess herself Sarah Rebecca Anne "The Green Witch Of Calico" Morgan-Marshall.

Back in 1973, Diana Kirchen-Kelly was chosen to don the role of the first Green Witch under the name of Spooky Sarah when Haunt began. After Diana left the Haunt in 1976, the Green Witch role was passed to Barb Best Becka, then to Karen Aikman, and then to Charlene Parker in 1982.

The Green Witch character became the most famous of the 1,000 "monsters" at Knott's Scary Farm, and Charlene Parker served in that role for over three decades (1983-2017). Tall and thin, she had a reputation for "gliding" rather than walking, and was continually able to catch guests by surprise. Some would fall over backwards onto the ground, and leave a wet spot on the pavement where they fell... This ability gave her "serious street cred" among her fellow "monsters." Sweepers at Knott's would just sit and wait near her, knowing that it would not be long before she would scare a group of guests so much that they would toss their food up into the air. In the age before cell phones, Knott's Guest Relations referred to her as "the Number 1 cause of separated parties." People would come to the Guest Relations office because their group had scattered after being "scared by a green witch." Parker was the subject of two feature articles about her in the Orange County Register, as well as the travel blog of the Los Angeles Times, and other publications, as well as appearing in Knott's commercials.

In September 2021, Sarah was replaced by The Conductor as the new face of Knott's Scary Farm.

Awards

Knott's Scary Farm has won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best Halloween Event twice, in 2005 and 2007.

See also

• Halloween Haunt, Halloween events at Cedar Fair parks
• Six Flags Fright Fest, Halloween events at Six Flags parks
• Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, Halloween event at Universal parks
• Queen Mary's Dark Harbor, Halloween event at the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California
• Howl-O-Scream, Halloween event by United Parks & Resorts at various locations, including Busch Gardens and SeaWorld
• Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, Halloween event by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group

References

• Knott's Scary Farm 2011: Here's A Cheer For 38 Years Of Fears, Leo Buck Buck-ing Trends November 30, 2011

External links

• Template:Official website
• Comprehensive tribute site
• Halloween Haunt reviews, photos, and video