Fright Fest 2026 at Six Flags Great America runs select nights from September 19 through November 1 in Gurnee, Illinois, marking the event’s 35th year at the park. Two brand-new haunted mazes, Blair Witch: No Signal and Nightmares, headline a lineup that also adds two live shows and drops last year’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre maze.
This guide covers the full 2026 calendar pattern, every maze and scare zone, how ticketing and bundles actually work, and the costume rules and age guidance you need before you go, so you can plan one visit that works for the whole family and still book maze time for the after-dark crowd.
Quick Answer
Fright Fest 2026 at Six Flags Great America runs select nights from September 19 through November 1, 2026, with daytime park operations continuing as normal and the scare content, including scare zones, live shows and five haunted mazes, starting at dusk. Scare zones and shows are included with park admission; the mazes require a separate Haunted Attractions Pass or a Fright Fest Bundle.
2026 Event Calendar: How the Select Nights Work
Fright Fest is not a nightly, every-day event. It runs on select nights within the September 19 to November 1 window, layered on top of the park’s regular fall operating calendar. On event nights, the park operates as a normal daytime destination and then transitions into Fright Fest at dusk, so you enter through one gate and stay through the scare content without buying a second admission.
Because the specific event nights shift from week to week (more nights cluster around October weekends, fewer on weekdays), always confirm the exact dates for the visit you’re planning on the official calendar before booking hotels or tickets. The official Six Flags Great America Fright Fest page keeps the current operating calendar and is the most reliable source for a specific date.
What’s New for Fright Fest 2026
Two of the five haunted mazes are new this year. Blair Witch: No Signal sends guests through the Black Hills Forest and the Rustin Parr house in near-total darkness, built around the found-footage horror franchise. Nightmares is a dreamscape maze packed with twisted clowns, crawling spiders and deranged doctors designed to disorient rather than just jump-scare.
The live entertainment lineup adds two new shows for 2026, MasqueRAVE and The Velvet Quarter, alongside the returning The Uprising: Nightly Call of the Dead. The park has also introduced Nox, a “Demon Overlord” character who anchors the event’s 2026 theming across scare zones and marketing. On the attraction side, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which ran as a maze in 2025, is not part of the 2026 lineup.
Haunted Mazes: All 5 Attractions
Five paid mazes make up the 2026 lineup. Blair Witch: No Signal (new) and Nightmares (new) join three returning attractions: The Conjuring Universe, built around the Warrens’ occult museum of cursed artifacts; SAW: Legacy of Terror, which walks guests through Jigsaw’s traps; and The Estate at Wretched Meadows, a haunted-manor maze uncovering the property’s history.
All five mazes require a ticket beyond regular park admission, either the mazes-only Haunted Attractions Pass or a Fright Fest Bundle that combines admission and maze access. An Express upgrade is also available for priority maze entry on busy nights.
Scare Zones and Live Shows (Included with Admission)
Seven open-air scare zones spread through the park after dark and are included with regular admission, no separate ticket needed: Necropolis, Oddities: Circus of Madness, Forbidden Forest, Underworld, Head Bangerz, Lost Souls and Wretched Meadows. You walk through them naturally while moving between rides, and roaming characters work the crowd rather than staying in one fixed spot.
Coasters run in the dark on event nights, and the live show lineup, MasqueRAVE, The Velvet Quarter and The Uprising: Nightly Call of the Dead, is also covered by park admission.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets, Pricing and Hours
Park admission covers rides, scare zones and shows. The haunted mazes are always an add-on, sold either as a standalone Haunted Attractions Pass or bundled with admission through the Fright Fest Bundle. Six Flags uses date-based dynamic pricing for both, so the exact dollar figure depends on which night you pick, with weekend and late-October dates typically running higher than weeknights. Multi-park pass products, including the 2027 Gold Pass, are also sold on the event page for guests who want repeat visits.
Because prices and the specific operating nights change, don’t rely on a screenshot or a past year’s numbers. Check current pricing, the maze bundle options and the day-by-day calendar directly on the official Fright Fest ticket page before you buy, and buy the maze add-on ahead of a specific date if you know you want all five houses, since walk-up maze pricing can run higher than advance pricing.
Costume Rules, Age Guidance and Practical Tips
The park restricts costumes for the after-dark event: full-face masks and hoods with zippers are prohibited for guests age 12 and up, and only medical or cloth face coverings over the mouth and nose are permitted. Leave costumes and face coverings at home to avoid being turned away at the gate.
Fright Fest’s evening scare content is not recommended for children younger than 13 after 6 p.m., so families with younger kids get the most out of a visit by arriving in the afternoon for rides, fall treats and family-friendly activities, then wrapping up before the scare zones activate at dusk. Teens and adults who want the full experience should plan to stay through the night for the mazes and scare zones. Late-September and October evenings in Gurnee turn cold quickly, so bring a jacket regardless of which part of the event you’re there for.
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Plan Your Six Flags Great America Visit
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Over 3,700 pieces, a real vertical loop and a working chain lift. Display it on a shelf in the coaster room.
Rub-on sunscreen that fits in a pocket — reapply in the queue without greasy hands on the lap bar.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Fright Fest 2026 at Six Flags Great America FAQs
When is Fright Fest 2026 at Six Flags Great America?
Fright Fest 2026 runs select nights from September 19 through November 1, 2026, at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. Check the official park calendar for the exact operating nights, since it does not run every day in that window.
What is new at Fright Fest 2026?
Two new haunted mazes debut in 2026, Blair Witch: No Signal and Nightmares, alongside two new live shows, MasqueRAVE and The Velvet Quarter. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which ran in 2025, is no longer in the maze lineup.
Do I need a separate ticket for the haunted mazes?
Yes. Regular park admission covers the scare zones, live shows and nighttime coasters, but the five haunted mazes require a separate Haunted Attractions Pass or a Fright Fest Bundle that includes admission.
Is Fright Fest appropriate for young kids?
The park does not recommend the evening scare content for children under 13 after 6 p.m. Daytime park operations and family-friendly fall activities are the better fit for younger kids on event days.
Are costumes allowed at Fright Fest?
No. Full-face masks and zippered hoods are prohibited for guests age 12 and older, and only medical or cloth face coverings are permitted. Costumes in general are discouraged and can result in denied entry.
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Related: Fright Fest 2026 Six Flags Great Adventure: Dates, Hours, Tickets