Fright Fest 2026 at Six Flags Great America turns the Gurnee, Illinois park into a haunted-nights destination from September 19 through November 1, marking the event’s 35th year. Five haunted mazes, seven scare zones and a full live-show lineup take over after dark, and two of the mazes, Blair Witch: No Signal and Nightmares, are brand new for 2026.
If you’re trying to figure out exactly which nights the event runs, what the five mazes are, and how the Haunted Attractions Pass and Fright Fest Bundle actually work, this guide covers it end to end, plus the costume rules and age guidance you need before you buy tickets.
Quick Answer
Fright Fest 2026 runs select nights from September 19 through November 1 at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. The park operates as a normal daytime destination on those dates, then the scare zones, live shows and five haunted mazes activate at dusk. Scare zones and shows are covered by regular 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 event. It runs on select nights layered on top of Six Flags Great America’s fall operating days within the September 19 to November 1 window, with more event nights clustering around October weekends and fewer scheduled on weekdays. You enter through one gate in the afternoon, the park runs as usual, and at dusk it transitions into Fright Fest without a second admission or re-entry required.
Because the specific lineup of event nights shifts from week to week, always confirm the exact dates for the night you’re planning against 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 in the Gurnee, Illinois schedule.
What’s New for Fright Fest 2026
Two of the five haunted mazes are new for 2026. 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 new shows for 2026, including MasqueRAVE and The Velvet Quarter, alongside returning favorites like The Uprising: Nightly Call of the Dead. The park has also introduced Nox, a “Demon Overlord” character anchoring 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 at Six Flags Great America. Blair Witch: No Signal and Nightmares 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 sold 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, including MasqueRAVE, The Velvet Quarter and The Uprising: Nightly Call of the Dead, is also covered by park admission, no maze pass required.
Fright Fest Tickets and Pricing: How It Works
Great America Fright Fest tickets break into two layers. Regular park admission, a single-day ticket or a season pass, covers rides, scare zones and all live shows. The haunted mazes sit on top as an add-on, sold either as a standalone Haunted Attractions Pass for maze-only access or bundled with park admission through the Fright Fest Bundle, with an Express option available for faster maze entry.
Six Flags prices both admission and the maze add-ons with date-based dynamic pricing, so the exact dollar figure depends on which night you pick, and weekend and late-October dates typically run higher than weeknights. Because prices and the specific operating nights change through the season, 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 add-ons page before you buy, and lock in 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, Illinois turn cold quickly, so bring a jacket regardless of which part of the event you’re there for.
Photos
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 at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, with the park operating as normal by day and the scare content starting at dusk on event nights.
Is Fright Fest included with regular Six Flags Great America admission?
The seven scare zones, the live shows and rides running in the dark are included with regular park admission or a season pass. The five haunted mazes are an add-on and require a Haunted Attractions Pass or Fright Fest Bundle.
How much are Fright Fest tickets?
Six Flags uses date-based dynamic pricing for both park admission and the maze add-ons, so cost varies by the night you choose, with weekends and late October usually priced higher than weekdays. Check the official Fright Fest add-ons page for the current price on your date.
What mazes are new at Fright Fest 2026?
Blair Witch: No Signal and Nightmares are new for 2026. They join three returning mazes: The Conjuring Universe, SAW: Legacy of Terror and The Estate at Wretched Meadows. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which ran in 2025, is not back this year.
Is Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America appropriate for young kids?
The evening scare content is not recommended for children younger than 13 after 6 p.m. Families with younger kids typically visit in the afternoon for rides and fall activities, then leave before the scare zones and mazes activate at dusk.
What are the costume rules for Fright Fest?
Guests age 12 and up may not wear full-face masks or zippered hoods. Only medical or cloth face coverings over the mouth and nose are allowed, so costumes and face coverings are best left at home.
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