At a year shy of its 50th anniversary, Knott’s Scary Farm in Buena Park, California is one of longest-running amusement park haunts. The event that takes place at Knott’s Berry Farm (as it’s known all year) is pretty much the originator of Halloween culture on the West Coast, which doesn’t have a proper harvest autumn. Instead of hayrides, Scary Farm invited park guests into haunted houses filled with ghosts, witches, ghouls, and more. It’s the OG that definitely inspired other horror-themed events in Hollywood and later on at the castle down the street, making the U.S. a Halloween travel destination.
Knott’s recently invited io9 to experience this year’s events—so here’s how a legend does the traditional festive experiences it’s known for, while incorporating interactive aspects to some of its newer fare, as well as hosting the Jim Henson Company’s comedy improv troupe Puppet Up! With its own collection of creeps, it’s a must-do if you’re about the Halloween life this fall.
