Hold onto your cowboy hats—summer at Knott’s Berry Farm is back, but not quite how you remember it. Once again, the park has bundled fan-favorites Ghost Town Alive and Summer Nights under the “Knott’s Berry Farm Summertime” banner, running select dates from June 13 through September 1, 2025. You can still immerse yourself in Calico’s Wild West by day and rock out by night, all included with park admission. But this year’s event has seen a few shake-ups—some great, some… not so much. So saddle up as we head back to Calico to see what’s new, what’s missing, and why it still might be the best seasonal value in SoCal theme parks.
Knott’s Summertime: Ghost Town Alive
Welcome to the annual Calico Founder’s Day, the celebration of the founding of the mining town of Calico. This is the setting of Knott’s Berry Farm’s live-action role-playing experience, Ghost Town Alive, set in the heart of the park. All summer, Ghost Town comes to life with the spirit of the Wild West, led by a kooky cast of characters. The citizens of Calico invite everyone to interact and immerse themselves in the evolving interactive storyline (from 10am to the big hoedown finale at 4:30pm).
Ghost Town Alive is a unique experience without rival in Southern California. It’s a major feat that Knott’s has managed to build this entertainment event into something spectacular, while continuing to expand every thrilling season.
Knott’s pulls this off with a choose-your-own-adventure format that’s as surprisingly accessible as it is remarkably adaptable. The whole event is spearheaded by the peculiar cast of Calico townsfolk, who bring their own backstories and motivations to the table. These characters are adept at crafting personalized experiences for each guest, ensuring no two visits are quite the same.
With lawmen, outlaws, post office workers, newspaper reporters, trappers, bankers, miners, teachers, and many others, there are countless paths to explore. The stories are often more spontaneous and dynamic than one might expect. With each year of Ghost Town Alive, new faces are added…
…while old ones return for another season.
For this year’s new storyline, the Calico mine has run dry! Calico is a mining town, so this puts the citizens in a bit of a bind— find a new industry or become a Ghost Town. I first learned of this at the Calico Gazette. If you’re ever lost in the story, it’s the best place to get caught up. You can find it in the middle of town, next to the General Store.
Ghost Town Alive feels like tackling a series of side quests in a role-playing game, except the main storyline keeps barging in to spectacularly derail your plans. It’s a genuinely dynamic setup. Each character drops unique improvised nuggets of information that can drastically alter your path and personalize the experience just for you. After speaking with a few townsfolk, I was led to the Town Hall debate— what industry will be the future of Calico? Should it be a resort…
…a prestigious university….
…or show business?
After a rambunctious debate, it was put to a vote! The results are revealed at the closing hoedown.
If you’re interested in just how deep the storyline goes, check out my Knott’s Ghost Town Alive guide from last year, where I dissected the narrative and characters of Calico.
The Untold Stories of Knott’s Ghost Town Alive – Calico Revealed!
I caught up with Bixy and Mund, a pair of ever-ambitious entrepreneurs chasing their next big payday. After jumping from newspapers to motion pictures, they’ve now set their sights on show business. The duo has taken over the Bird Cage Theater with grand plans to turn it into a world-renowned entertainment venue. As a result, Bixby and Mund have been scouring the town in search of fresh talent, holding impromptu auditions along the way.
Bixby even picked up a few moves himself from some dancers traveling through town.
Despite new ownership, Miss Cameo Kate is still the star of the Bird Cage Theatre.
The Western Burle-Q Revue is largely the same toe-tappin’, rip-roarin’ western musical revue that we’ve loved from previous years.
There’s plenty of dancing, singing, and even a live band that doubles as a musical act and comedy routine.
To top it off, what’s a Cameo Kate show without can-can dancing?
Ghost Town Alive’s storyline wraps up with the 4:30pm Founder’s Day Hoedown— although every day’s events play out just a little differently based on guest participation.
As the hoedown unfolds, loose ends are tied up and the story concludes for the day (and restarts the following morning). The results of the town vote are revealed, prompting cheers from the crowd as the winners—and their honored guest assistants—take a well-deserved bow.
The winning team for the opening of Ghost Town Alive this year was show business!
The entire town was into the idea of their name in lights…
Show business may win today, but things may play out completely differently another day. Ghost Town Alive continues its tradition of balancing chaos, dynamism, choreography, and place-making. The interactive theater experience has once again been tightened up, polished, and given just enough room for improvisation to create a one-of-a-kind experience for everyone who joins in— regardless of how much they choose to participate.
For anyone who hasn’t experienced their own Wild West adventure, the barrier to entry is low… just say hello to one of the citizens of Ghost Town and see where it goes from there. For those returning to Calico for another Founder’s Day Celebration, there’s enough newness to satisfy every cowpoke willing to play along.
Knott’s Summer Nights Festival
After experiencing Ghost Town Alive, head over to Knott’s Summer Nights, a diverse concert series. The focus this year has been shifted away from favorite summer foods to live entertainment throughout the park.
Knott’s Summer Nights Entertainment
The Summer Nights stages in the heart of the park are where the magic happens, featuring a rotating cast of artists that keep the vibe electric. Tomasina was rocking the Calico Mine Stage with her distinctive spin on classic rock for opening night.
The smaller Calico Park stage is a musical chameleon, effortlessly switching from classic rock to jazz, swing, and more throughout the summer. Latin sensation Adelaide Pilar was commanding the stage for opening night, coaxing everyone into an impromptu dance party.
Upcoming dates include quite a variety of music, something a little different every day of the week. In addition to Tomasina and Adelaide Pilar, musical acts include country band The Doo-Wahs, fan-favorite rock band Hiatus, Top 40 hits cover band Midnight Regret, Holy Crow Jazz Band, Stonesoul, Island Raggae, the swing band Jonathan Stout and the Campus Five, and Mic Dangerously & The Royal We (who you might recognize as the lead for Jelly of the Month Club, the band featured in Snoopy’s Legendary Rooftop Concert during Peanuts Celebration).
In addition to the main stages, there are many other acts throughout the park like the long-standing favorite Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, the Ghost Town Miners, and rotating artists in Fiesta Village. Latin Pop Rock band Junio was playing in Fiesta Village on opening day.
Despite another strong lineup of artists for the season, the Summer Nights event seems quite a bit smaller than it has been in the past. Previous cuts included the Bob Baker Marionette Show, Charleston Circle DJ, Calle Celebración, and Ride the Tide. The Mariachi Divas do not currently appear on the schedule, although we appreciate that the time slot seems to be regularly filled by Andy Abad to keep Fiesta Village buzzing with music most of the day.
Unfortunately, there was no sight of the amusing Summer Nights character hosts. Coupled with the former acts, they had a distinctively whimsical Knott’s flair that will be sorely missed.
Knott’s Summer Nights Food
Unfortunately, the Flavors of Summer portion of Summer Nights is also all but gone this year. There isn’t even a tasting card this season. The booths around the Calico Mine Stage no longer serve food; instead, they are now merchandise and game booths.
When Summer Nights began, I described it as “the coolest backyard BBQ you’ve ever been to.” It seems Knott’s Berry Farm has all but abandoned that concept. While we continue to heap praise on their ability to keep Ghost Town Alive fresh every year, Summer Nights is off its stride.
Every year, I lament the loss of the chili in a cornbread bowl and the fudge-dipped apple—victims of the same increased prices and decrease in unique items that have happened in some small part to every Knott’s food festival. However, the complete removal of food booths suggests that this event may not be long for this world unless it undergoes a future overhaul.
The silver lining is that despite the sudden death of the summer BBQ aspect of Summer Nights, the core element of live musical acts is remains the focus. Entertainment is a Knott’s specialty, and the lineup is as distinct as ever. We’re not sure what brought on this change in Summer Nights offerings, but we hope Knott’s is paying attention to guest reaction to the event and makes some positive changes for next year.
Fortunately, there are still seasonal food offerings throughout the park, many of which are on the dining plan. Knott’s did not create a summer guide this year, so we have collected all the options here for your convenience. If we missed anything, let us know in the comments below.
*Available on the Knott’s Berry Farm Dining Plan
Grizzly Creek Lodge
- Grilled Pineapple Cheeseburger with Sriracha Aioli*
- Lemon Meringue Gourmet Cookie
- Strawberry Crunch Bar
Papas Mexicanas
- Chorizo Con Queso Fries*
- Mangonada Smoothie
Casa California Restaurante
- New Seasonal Items: Chicken Mole Verde, Frijoles Charros, Pineapple Pico De Gallo
- Fresas Con Crema Parfait with Honey Granola
- Margarita Cheesecake Cup
Baja Taqueria
- Tacos Dorados De Papa*
- Coctel De Camaron*
Boardwalk BBQ
- Smoked Honey BBQ Sausage*
- California Nicoise Salad*
- Detox Couscous Salad*
Coasters Diner
- Provencal Tuna Sandwich*
- Summer Mozzarella Salad*
- Chopped Wedge Salad*
- Pina Colada Milkshake
Prop Shop Pizzeria
- White Italian Sausage Pizza
- Lemon Arugula Pasta Salad With Chicken
- Spumoni Bar
- Panna Cotta
Charleston Circle Coffee
- Mango and Berry Tequila Smoothie
- Apple Fritter Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Kouign Amann
Strictly-on-a-Stick
- Jalapeno Poppers with Sriracha Aioli*
Sutter’s Grill
- Caprese Chicken Sandwich*
- Berry Bliss Funnel Cake
Calico Tater Bites/Pizza
- Kimchi Crab Tots*
- Roasted Elote and Chicken Pizza with Chipotle Mayo*
Ghost Town Bakery
- Apple Fritter Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Kougn Amann
- Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Roll
- Strawberry Crunch Bar
- Coconut Tapioca with Mango
- Lemon Meringue Gourmet Cookie
Wilderness Dogs and Drinks
- Frito Pie Fries*
Log Ride Funnel Cake
- Mango Soft Serve with Tajin Funnel Cake
Chowhouse Mix It Up
- Cinnamon Sugar Churro Cookie
- Peach Lemonade with a Tajin Rim
- Cotton Candy ICEE Float
Let’s Hear From You About Knott’s Summertime!
Summer is hands down one of the best times at Knott’s Berry Farm, largely thanks to the top-notch entertainment they manage to rustle up. Despite tighter belts, Knott’s still outdoes every other theme park in Southern California when it comes to summertime live shows.
Now, over to you! What’s your must-see summer show at Knott’s? Are you all about the immersive shenanigans of Ghost Town Alive? Got a favorite moment or character? Do you go for the food? Anything you recommend or lament the loss of? Spill the beans in the comments below!
