Like other Halloween events in the theme park world, Knott’s Scary Farm has been canceled thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an update posted on its website, Knott’s said, “The unique features of Scary Farm will not allow us to operate within the constraints recommended by the CDC and public health experts. We know that this news is disappointing, but we look forward with great enthusiasm to making 2021 Knott’s Scary Farm our best year ever.”
Last month, Universal Orlando and Hollywood canceled its Halloween Horror Nights events, which are similarly centered around close-up encounters with scare actors. In June, Disney axed the annual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom.
There were two bits of positive news in the Knott’s announcement. First, the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel will reopen to guests on Aug. 21, offering special packages for guests of the Taste of Knott’s food festival.
The second related to a ride that was supposed to debut earlier this year, Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair. While there’s no date set for any California theme park to reopen its rides, whenever that happens at Knott’s, the new attraction will be available.
“Guests will climb aboard themed vehicles equipped with ‘jelly blasters’ to try to recover stolen boysenberry pies as they travel through whimsical environments such as the Boysenberry Pie Factory, Frog Forest, Fortune Teller Camp and Weird Woods,” Knott’s said in its description of the attraction. “The ride culminates in a celebration at the County Fair.”
The Knott’s update was one of many issued for Cedar Fair parks on Tuesday. The chain will keep four of its parks closed for the entirety of 2020: California’s Great America, Carowinds, Kings Dominion and Valleyfair. Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio will remain open past Labor Day, but their annual traditional HalloWeekends and Haunt events will instead be reimagined into fall festival events. Both parks will stay open on weekends through Nov. 1.