Happy Halloween Weekends is Holiday World’s fall event in Santa Claus, Indiana. In 2026 it runs on Saturdays and Sundays from September 19 through November 1, which makes seven weekends. The park has added an extra weekend this year. New for 2026 are the stage show Halloween High School: Freshman Year, a DJ Dance Party, Ghouling Pianos and several fall menu items. The dinosaur corn maze and the Saturday night drone show return after last year’s popular debut.
The event leans family friendly rather than scary. It suits parents with young kids and anyone who wants a relaxed day of rides, hayrides and candy. It is not a haunted-house-style night out. The park’s event pages describe the activities as part of a regular park visit and do not list a separate Halloween ticket, so check the ticket page when you pick your date.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Holiday World, Santa Claus, Indiana
- Dates: September 19 to November 1, 2026
- Event nights: Saturdays and Sundays only
- Haunted houses: n/a (Carnival Chaos walk-through maze)
- Scare zones: n/a
- New for 2026: Halloween High School: Freshman Year stage show, plus DJ Dance Party, Ghouling Pianos, new menu items and an extra weekend
- Ticket: Regular park admission; no separate event ticket listed
What’s new for 2026
The park has added one more weekend this year, so the event now covers seven weekends. The new entertainment includes the stage show Halloween High School: Freshman Year, a DJ Dance Party and Ghouling Pianos.
New fall menu items include a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich, a Horseman’s Smash Burger with fried pickles and pimento cheese, a Maple Pecan Funnel Cake and a Dino Mac Bowl. The Saturday night drone show, Dinos Soar in the Sky, is a returning fan favorite, but its three rotating shows are new this year, each with its own scenes and a pop, rock or country soundtrack.
Haunted houses and scare zones
Holiday World does not run haunted houses or scare zones for this event, so there is no lineup of either to list. The closest thing is Carnival Chaos, a walk-through maze on the event lineup. The park’s event page does not spell out how intense it is, so read the description on the event page before you take young kids through.
The headline attraction is the Dino Corn Maze Adventure, which returns after being one of last year’s biggest surprises. It covers 12 acres of corn mazes and hayrides and features about two dozen life-sized dinosaurs, several of them animatronic. Animatronic figures that move can surprise very small children, but the park presents the maze as a family attraction.
Daytime and family activities
The Trick-or-Treat Trail is for children 12 and younger and lets kids collect candy along the route. Kitty’s 3D Candy Farm and Professor Holiday’s Wacky Workshop of Wonders are part of the lineup, along with Kitty’s Dance Spooktacular and hayrides out to the corn maze. The grounds are decorated for the season, and the event menu leans on fall flavors.
The regular ride lineup operates as well. Splashin’ Safari is listed as closed on event days. Check the park calendar for each day’s hours, because they vary by weekend.
Tickets, passes and Fast Lane
The park’s event pages describe Happy Halloween Weekends as part of a park visit and do not list a separate Halloween ticket. Pick your date on the park calendar and buy from the official ticket page, where any date-specific deals will show. The event pages used for this research do not publish prices, so check the ticket page for current rates.
No haunted-house add-ons apply because the event has no haunted houses, and no skip-the-line pass for the event was confirmed. Check the park’s ticket page for current options and season pass perks.
Tips for your visit
Extended hours with 10 p.m. closings are listed for October 10, 17 and 24. Those are good dates if you want the corn maze by day and the Saturday drone show after dark, though they are also likely to be busier. Drone shows depend on the weather, so plan a backup if you are driving a long way.
Bring layers, since evenings in southern Indiana get cool in October, and wear comfortable shoes for the corn maze and hayrides. Check the park’s costume policy before you dress the kids up, because rules on masks and props can affect ride access. For height requirements on individual rides, check each ride’s page on the park site, and confirm the day’s hours on the calendar before you drive in.
Explore more: every theme park Halloween event for 2026, by state.
Happy Halloween Weekends 2026 at Holiday World FAQs
When does Happy Halloween Weekends 2026 start and end?
The event runs on Saturdays and Sundays from September 19 through November 1, 2026. The park lists 10 p.m. closings on October 10, 17 and 24. Check the park calendar for daily hours.
Is Happy Halloween Weekends included with park admission?
The park’s event pages present the activities as part of a park visit and do not list a separate Halloween ticket. Confirm current pricing and any deals on the official ticket page.
Is Happy Halloween Weekends too scary for kids?
Mostly no. The event is family friendly, with a Trick-or-Treat Trail for kids 12 and younger, hayrides and a dinosaur corn maze. The animatronic dinosaurs can startle very young children, and Carnival Chaos is a walk-through maze, so read its description first.
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