While the monsters come out at night during Knott’s Scary Farm to terrify anyone who might dare enter the fog, the park remains family-friendly during the day with Knott’s Spooky Farm. Running an extra day each week this year, Spooky Farm delights guests with the less scary side of Halloween on Thursdays-Sundays through the end of October.
If you are more interested in Knott’s terrors of the night, we have a comprehensive guide to Knott’s Scary Farm:
The Fog Awaits: Your Guide to Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt 2022!
But there’s a little bit for everyone before the evening fog rolls in, let’s take a look:
Knott’s Spooky Farm
Knott’s Spooky Farm is family-friendly and not at all scary. All the ghosts and ghouls are quite cheerful despite being dead. Instead of terrifying monsters, Ghost Town is full of friendly ghosts who just want to gently haunt you.
Everyone’s a little different with approachably ghastly costumes and makeup.
When you’re not being visited by ghosts, Spooky Farm has multiple shows and several attraction overlays for the Halloween season. They’re all just a little uncanny, but mostly kooky and charming. While there aren’t any new additions this year, almost everything has been updated and polished to a ghostly shine.
Chaperone Policy
Before we get too far, it’s important to note that Knott’s has updated their chaperone policy again, both for daytime and Scary Farm visits. As a reminder, the policy is in effect on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone, although now a chaperone can accompany up to five guests.
For those staying for Scary Farm, every event night requires a chaperone for guests under the age of 18. Chaperones can bring up to five guests, but for Scary Farm only, the chaperone will receive complimentary admission if they’re accompanying five guests.
Now that we’ve covered the important stuff, let’s move onto what you can find at Knott’s Spooky Farm.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Halloween Spooktacular
With Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater getting cut short this summer due to the closure of most of Fiesta Village for its overhaul, it’s delightful to see them return for Spooky Farm. This is a retro-classic puppet show, full of charming singing and dancing marionettes. Even better, they’ve updated and changed some sequences to keep the show fresh this year.
It remains an oddball nostalgic show that’s quite (candy) corny in its sweet performance.
About half of the show is new material this year. Some of the new bits are quite entertaining, like an ominous Dracula story that has taken a 70s pop turn.
Of course, the best part of the show remains the clever use of blacklight. That along with the imaginative and intricate marionettes really makes this show stand out (against the dark background).
This show certainly has grown on us, especially with the wonderful updated scenes and the skillful performance by the marionettists. Make sure you stop in during your Spooky Farm visit, you won’t regret it.
Great Pumpkin Palooza
The Great Pumpkin Palooza returns this year in Camp Snoopy. It replaced the wonderful The Monsters are Coming, Charlie Brown last year— we noted at that time that we didn’t enjoy the Great Pumpkin Palooza as much as the show it replaced as it was a bit hard to follow. Thankfully, Knott’s has tightened up the show this year.
Along with some set upgrades, the storyline was significantly polished and optimized.
Compared to last year, it’s very simple: Linus and Lucy are looking for the Great Pumpkin and the Woodland Nymph and Snoopy are growing it. There’s not much that gets in the way of that now.
This is a fun little show for the kids, we’re glad to see it’s received a little bit of touch-up to make it better this year.
Trick or Treating
Everyone is welcome to trick or treat around Ghost Town (we adults love candy, too). Treat bags are handed out as you enter the park and children under the age of twelve are encouraged to dress up for the occasion.
Costume Cavalcade
Towards the end of the day, families are invited to the Costume Cavalcade at the Calico Mine Stage to show off their Halloween best. Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies supply a spooky soundtrack while Judge Roy Bean and Cameo Kate host.
Led by Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang, everyone has the chance to march around the area to show off their costumes.
Creepy Critters of Calico
Inside the Livery Stables, lots of exhibits with creepy critters are on display, ranging from skeletal horses (they’re not malnourished, just painted to look spooky) to giant pythons.
The critters are all rescues being rehabilitated by the Southern California Herpetology Association and Rescue.
There’s quite a variety, including these glowing scorpions!
Spooky Attractions
Knott’s has overlayed three attractions, filling them with pumpkins, spooky surprises, and candy! Here’s a look at what you’ll find:
Calico Candy Mine Ride
The miners at the Calico Mine Ride are once again mining for rock candy! The Calico Candy Mine Ride overlay this year has been greatly improved with just about every scene now being heavily dressed up with many new props.
This was a major concern when the overlay debuted last year with very few Halloween decorations. We’re happy to see that Knott’s has put the effort into adding not only plenty of candy, pumpkins, and other decorations, but also updating the entire ride with a loose storyline about the Pink Fairy.
It’s a bit odd, but a projection of the Pink Fairy has been added along with plenty of dialogue sprinkled throughout. It’s all kinda…sweet? It’s interesting to see Knott’s utilizing this part of the mine for a scene that was previously just commentary about pulling taffy, but it might have something to do with a certain scene after dark last year.
If it’s too sweet during the day, take a ride through the mine during Scary Farm and you’ll be met with something quite a bit different. The Pink Fairy perhaps eats too much candy at night and turns a little green…witch and subsequently transforms children into gingerbread cookies and eats them.
It may be less terrifying than last year’s scene of flashing lights and some truly bone-chilling several minutes of voiceovers of children screaming for their mommies. Yet it’s certainly more substantial and in line with the other oddities happening over at nighttime mazes Grimoire and Origins: The Curse of Calico. Have a look if you dare:
Timber Mountain Log Ride: Halloween Hootenanny
Knott’s’ own kooky band, the Calico Coffin Critters Band, continues to party another year on the Timber Mountain Log Ride Halloween Hootenanny overlay.
This remains one of our favorite seasonal overlays due to its lighthearted and quirky monsters. We’re still hoping for Knott’s to release the delightfully spooky soundtrack recorded by Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies.
Grand Sierra Railroad: Trip to Camp Spooky
Guests of all ages can hop aboard the Grand Sierra Railroad and take a trip to Camp Spooky. Along the tracks, silly and peculiar Halloween monsters hang out with the Peanuts gang.
This is a nice gentle ride that even the youngest park-goers can enjoy.
Knott’s Spooky Farm Atmosphere
The entire park is dressed for the occasion, so make sure to slow down and enjoy some of the charming classic Halloween decorations.
If you’re feeling dreadfully hungry, Halloween treats are available and many of them are on the season pass dining plan!
Around the Farm
Along with the chaperone policy, a few things are changing around the park. Here’s what you need to be aware of:
Fiesta Village Remodel
Much of Fiesta Village remains under construction, which is why Día De La Muertos, Vivir! did not return this year.
Work is progressing on the large building in the center. Utility lines normally hidden by cement are currently being upgraded.
Montezooma’s Revenge’s queue is being dug up while many pieces of the track and marquee have been removed.
The path between the Cantina and Reflection Lake is closed to be repaved.
Fiesta Village is set to finish its transformation by Summer 2023. For more about the Fiesta Village overhaul, take a look at the article below:
Knott’s Berry Farm Update: Reimagined Fiesta Village and Knott’s Hotel!
Xcelerator Closure
Xcelerator The Ride has remained closed for some time now with no word of reopening. A similar coaster at Knott’s parent company’s Cedar Point, Top Thrill Dragster, was closed to be reimagined recently. We wonder if Knott’s will announce a similar treatment for Xcelerator.
In Xcelerator’s loading platform, pieces of the launch wench and cable are exposed, sitting on the platform.
Boardwalk Additions
Further down the Boardwalk, Knott’s has installed two new beer stands. One even looks like a classic Volkswagen Bus!
While you’re at the Boardwalk, listen in to K*NOT Radio, which is hosting a Halloween version of its radio show.
Full of retro Halloween tunes and eerie radio dramas, it’s worth stopping by and listening in.
A nice touch is being constructed on the backside of the new Prop Shop Pizzeria, facades that more closely match Ghost Town and the nearby Pony Express. The facades will help hide unthemed elements like HVAC units.
Cellphone Policy Signage
Around the park, new loose article policy signs have been installed on many of the attractions; several attractions during our visit interrupted operations to tell guests to put away their cell phones.
Although, we will point out that not all attractions have pouches or storage bins for riders. Further complicating things, Scary Farm visitors can only carry bags about the size of a small woman’s wallet, so it may be difficult to store loose items without further accommodations.
Regardless, we’re glad to see between this and the chaperone policy that Knott’s is trying to make the park safer.
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Let’s Hear From You
We really appreciate that Knott’s continues to seem hungry to keep things fresh at the park. Even though there’s “nothing new” this year, there’s something new all over the park with upgrades and additions to the already stellar lineups for both Spooky and Scary Farm. Let’s hear from you. What do you think of Spooky Farm? Are the small upgrades enough? Let us know in the comments below.
