Knott’s Berry Farm was the first theme park to hold a Halloween event back in the early 1970s. Perhaps you’ve heard of Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt? It’s quite terrifying — but wait! There is a much tamer daytime family-friendly Halloween event at Knott’s Berry Farm, and our toddler, Lily, can tag along. Knott’s Spooky Farm offers all of the Halloween fall fun without the scares.
Overview of Knott’s Spooky Farm
Knott’s Spooky Farm is a daytime Halloween event that takes place at Knott's Berry Farm during select days in the fall. The event is part of normal operating theme park hours and is geared toward ages 3 to 11.
Families can join in some slightly wicked fun with Halloween décor and not-so-scary surprises around every corner. There are sweet eats, special ride overlays, Halloween-themed entertainment and more. Plus the whole family can dress in costume. Our tadpoles always jump at the chance to dress up, especially Lily. The Peanuts characters wear costumes too!
Keep in mind that there are still some decorations up from Scary Farm, but they are mostly pumpkins (so many pumpkins!), skeletons and spider webs, which don't seem as spooky in the light of day. But all of the gory stuff and monsters are safely out of sight. Look in the shop windows at Camp Snoopy to see some Peanuts Halloween costumes!
Knott's Spooky Farm Dates, Tickets and Hours
This daytime event takes place on Thursdays through Sundays, plus Halloween from opening to 5:30 p.m., Sept. 26 through Oct. 31, 2024, plus Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. It takes place on Halloween day, and Oct. 14, for the holiday. You’ll be safely out of the park and working off your sugar rush before the real monsters emerge at 7 p.m. for Knott's Scary Farm. We recommend arriving at park opening for the lowest crowds. Saturdays are the busiest days. Sunday mornings are the best weekend day to visit.
The best part about Knott's Spooky Farm is that it's included with your regular theme park ticket and takes place during normal park hours in daylight.
Knott's Spooky Farm Special Entertainment
There are a few shows to watch. Check the show schedule on the Knott’s Berry Farm app to plan out your day. Arrive at least 20 minutes early to get a seat. We can't wait to enjoy the revitalized Camp Snoopy, which will include a new stage area at a later date.
Bob Baker Marionettes at the Bird Cage Theatre — Watch talented puppeteers put on a spooky puppet show on select dates. We especially love the skeletons and ghosts under blacklight. If you hang around after the show, you can meet and take a photo with one of the puppets!
Linus Van Pelt's Great Pumpkin Patch — We all know Linus spends most of his Halloween in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin. You can spend some time in the Calico Park Pumpkin Patch by decorating a cookie ($7) or personalizing a mini jack-o-lantern ($7).
Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies — Head to the Calico Mine Stage for music, comedy and a toe-tappin' good time.
Meet Creepy Critters of Calico — Stop by the Livery Stable to meet spiders, bugs, snakes, tortoises and other creepy crawlies that we frogs sometimes refer to as snacks. Just kidding! We also got a glimpse of the skeleton horse (OK, the bones were just painted on the horse). It's worth hopping by to meet some new animal friends. You can even pet or hold some of them!
Calico Park Spooktivities
Enjoy Camp Spooky games, music and spooky stories.
Knott's Spooky Farm Character Greetings and Rides
You'll find Peanuts characters in costume around the park. You can see their location and meet times in the Knott's Berry Farm app. The Camp Snoopy photo location is still under refurbishment in 2024. We met some characters near the entrance to the ramp for the Walter Knott theater, by Boardwalk Ballroom (near Boardwalk BBQ) and at the Mystery Lodge. You can find more characters at the Costume Cavalcade.
While all of the rides are open for Knott's Spooky Farm, a few rides take you on a special trip during this time.
Take a Sweet Ride on Calico Candy Mine Ride — This ride mysteriously transforms from silver ore to pure candy every Halloween.
Halloween Hootenanny — The Timber Mountain Log Ride has Halloween decorations (and possibly an alien encounter) on this family-friendly, splashtastic classic ride. It has a different song for the Halloween season.
Costumes at Knott's Spooky Farm
The whole family can dress up for Knott's Spooky Farm! Since it is a daytime event, be sure your costume works with the weather so you don't get too hot or you might get some cranky boils and ghouls in your skeleton crew. Choose family-friendly costumes that are not too scary for the tadpoles. However, if your tadpoles want to be scary, they can dress as monsters. Children can wear masks, but make sure they can see and breathe well in them.
Show off your costumes in the Town Costume Cavalcade. Join the Calico Mayor and Cameo Kate as you show off your costume in the colossal cavalcade led by costumed Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus and Lucy. It takes place at 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. It includes music from Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies.
Trick-or-Treating in Ghost Town at Knott's Spooky Farm
You just might spot some actual pretend ghosts in Ghost Town this time of year. Don't worry! They are friendly and hand out candy. Head down to the Gold Mine Trail, where guests can find an additional places to trick-or-treat, play carnival games (for a fee) and taste ghoulishly delightful treats.
We can never get enough trick-or-treating. But it’s extra fun to collect candy from friendly scarecrows and neighborhood ghouls on Schoolhouse Rd. and Ghost Town Main St. We received Twizzlers, Skittles, popcorn, Abba Zabba, Smarties, Starbursts and more. Kids 11 and under receive a treat bag upon entering the park and do not need to bring their own.
Knott's Spooky Farm Food
Knott’s always has all of the yummy, good stuff! You can stuff your face with special Halloween treats (see more pics in our Knott's Scary Farm guide) and more. You can find the full menu in the Knott's Berry Farm app. Scary Farm menu items are also available to eat during the day. Here is the link to the event map and the complete menus by location.
Keep in mind that food lines get scary long. Hop in line early for lunch before you become a hangry mummy! Grizzly Creek Lodge in Camp Snoopy, I mean Camp Spooky, opens earlier than other restaurants and has all the tadpole faves. Boardwalk BBQ and Panda Express have faster lines than some other options. We also love the Ghost Town Grill table-service restaurant. It's not much more expensive than the quick-service locations and is a lot more relaxing (and not to mention yummy!).
These festive foods are mostly available for Knott's Spooky Farm and Knott's Scary Farm. A few items are on the meal plan during the day.
Here's a look at the 2024 food items (items on the Dining Plan are marked with "DP"):
Wilderness Dogs and Drinks
- Frankenstein Falafel Wrap with tzatziki - DP
- Grimoire’s Pastrami Burger - Beef patty, Swiss cheese, pastrami, pickles and cheese sauce - DP
Gourmet Churro Factory
- Dracula’s Bites - Churro bites with chocolate and raspberry sauce
Ghost Town Bakery
- The Queen of the Undead - Black velvet cake slice with raspberry jam, chocolate mousse and orange buttercream frosting carrot
- Cake Bar
- Halloween Cake Pop
- Witches Cupcake
- Halloween Snoopy Cookie and Cupcakes
- Graveyard Mousse Cup
- Chocolate Cherry Fudge Bar
Gold Mine Trail Booth Hot Chicken Wings
- Walking Nachos or Takis
- Foot Long Hot Dog
- Graveyard Mousse Cup
Sutter's Grill
- The Zombie Apocalypse Firecracker Burger – Bacon, crispy jalapenos, Monterey Jack cheese and chipotle ranch dressing - DP
Sutter's Funnel
- Chilling Chambers Chicken Tender Funnel Cake – Cornbread funnel cake with chicken tenders and bloody maple syrup
Miner's Mac & Spuds
- Parmesan Risotto with chicken and grilled butternut squash
- Red Raspberry Brownie Parfait
Calico Tater Bites
- Mummy’s Tomb Mediterranean Gyro with a spicy pickle tzatziki
Ghost Town Grub
- Red Velvet Funnel Cake with cherry topping and vanilla soft serve
Chow House Ice Cream
- Spooky Bat Oreo and Cream Cookiewich
- Brazen Brazilian Lemonade – Limes and sweetened condensed milk
Dr. Dillard Marsh Medicine Wagon
- Kids Blood Bags- Vampire's Kiss, Purple People Eater or Pixie Potion (nonalcoholic mocktails are served during the day)
Boardwalk BBQ
- Monster Mash - Red wine braised pot roast over creamy mashed potatoes - DP
- Zombie Tri Tip Baguette Sandwich with blue cheese and garlic aioli
- Ghoul at Heart Salad – Tuscan artichoke tomato salad - DP
- Headless Horsemen Pecan Hand Pie
- Graveyard Mousse Cup
Prop Shop Pizzeria
- Gore-ing Mobster Pizza - Deli ham, pepperoni, salami, Italian dressing, provolone, pepperoncini, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes - DP
- The Boogeyman’s Chicken Meatball Sub with Alfredo sauce - DP
- Crème Brûlée Gourmet Cookie
- Chocolate Cherry Fudge Bar
- The Queen of the Undead - Black velvet mini cake with raspberry jam, chocolate mousse and orange buttercream
Casa California
- Introducing a new “Al Pastor” and “Pineapple Salsa” for the Knott’s Scary Farm season
Coasters Diner
- Autumn Harvest Chicken, Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad - DP
- The Devouring Dulce de Leche Milkshake
Papas Mexicanas
- Barbacoa Fries with sweet potato fries, sour cream, cilantro, Cotija cheese and tomatillo salsa - DP
Baja Taqueria
- La Llorona’s Fish Sandwich on a black bun with avocado mash - DP
- Chicharrónes
Grizzly Creek Lodge
- Creepy Chicken Enchilada Pizza - DP
- Mummy Brownie
- Alien Krispie Treat
- Candy Corn Float - Orange Fanta®, Dole® Pineapple ice cream and candy corn
Log Ride Funnel Cake
- Peanut Butter Crunch Funnel Cake – Chunky peanut butter spread, pretzels and Reese’s Pieces® with vanilla soft serve
Strictly-on-a-Stick
- Hot Nashville Chicken Taquito Crunches with fries and chipotle aioli - DP
Charleston Circle Coffee
- Mummy Brownie
- Whoopie Pie with an Oreo® Buttercream
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
- Tequila Strawberry or Dragon Fruit Refresher
Knott's Spooky Farm Tips
Here's our advice to make your day at Knott's Spooky Farm terrific instead of terrifying:
- Choose a costume that is comfortable for walking around the park and rides. Wear good walking shoes.
- Check the weather to dress appropriately. (Put shorts and T-shirts under heavy costumes in case kids want to take off the costume, or pack that extra set of clothes.)
- Visit on a Thursday or Friday for the lowest crowds and food lines.
- Arrive early. The early frog gets the flies (and shortest lines). We recommend being there at the opening time.
- Hit as many rides as you can before the crowds thicken by noon. Focus on trick-or-treating, characters and shows when ride lines get long.
- Arrive with a full belly. Food lines can get scary long.
- Bring water and refillable bottles to stay hydrated.
- Find showtimes, foods and characters in the app.
- Follow the link to the event map and menu.
- Be sure to visit the new Fiesta Village and try the food there!
- Enjoy the reimagined Camp Snoopy!
Keep in mind that Knott's Berry Farm has a chaperone policy in effect. You can find the most up-to-date information on Knott's Code of Conduct page.
Will you be heading to Knott's Spooky Farm this year? What is your favorite part? Get your Knott's Berry Farm flexible- date tickets from Undercover Tourist.
Related: The Full Lineup of Beary-Good Knott's Berry Farm Events
Hoppy planning!
