BUENA PARK, Calif. — Knott’s Scary Farm will introduce two mazes built around very different discoveries when its 2026 season opens September 17: a cartoonist learns how to bring his creations to life in Inked, while a rescue team encounters an ancient force in Unearthed.
The additions join a lineup of ten mazes, five scare zones and live shows at Knott’s Berry Farm. Scary Farm runs on select nights through October 31.
Inked follows Mortimer Morbid, a fictional 1930s animator trying to make one last Halloween special. His attempt turns the characters from Morbid Studios into killers, shifting the maze into the world of an animated nightmare.
Unearthed begins with a distress signal from an excavation. Visitors take the role of a search-and-rescue team arriving after the discovery of ancient tablets has unleashed a destructive presence. The two concepts give the new season both a stylized cartoon setting and an expedition-horror premise.
Eight returning mazes round out the event: Mary — The Haunting of Worth Home; The Zoo; Eight Fingers Nine: The Boogeyman; Widows; Room 13; Cinema Slasher; The Chilling Chambers; and Origins: The Curse of Calico. Their settings range from a haunted home and an experimental laboratory to a Prohibition-era hotel and the park’s own fictional history.
On the Boardwalk, CarnEVIL returns with a revised story built around the hypnotist Mesmer and a more prominent sideshow. The other scare zones are Ghost Town Streets, The Gore-ing ’20s, Forsaken Lake and The Gauntlet. These areas extend the scares into the park’s pathways between attractions.
Two new shows also join the schedule. Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge at the Calico Mine Stage combines dancers, percussion and fire effects in a theatrical cemetery setting. Occultum, curated by the Magic Castle, brings magicians to the Bird Cage Theatre. The Hanging returns at Wagon Camp with its adult-oriented pop-culture satire, this year subtitled Noose Maxxxing.
Scary Farm requires its own event admission. Single-night tickets and a season-long Scary Farm Pass are offered through the official website. Fright & Fast Lane provides priority access to mazes and select rides, but it does not include admission to the event.
This is the park’s nighttime haunt, not a children’s Halloween program. Knott’s says it is not recommended for children under 13. Guests should also review the event’s chaperone and bag policies before traveling.
Knott’s Berry Farm is at 8039 Beach Boulevard in Buena Park. The supplied season announcement lists Thursday-through-Sunday operation within the September 17–October 31 period, excluding September 20. Visitors should use the official calendar to choose an operating night and check hours, showtimes and ticket availability.