It’s now October. That means while the night at Knott’s belongs to Scary Farm, the daytime is now dominated by the little humans for Knott’s Spooky Farm.
The park shares most of the decorations from the more mature night-time affair, but it’s a lot less frightful in the daylight with a different set of things to do. 
There are booths selling handmade goods, that you normally see during the Boysenberry Festival and Christmas. While slime is now an anytime-of-year product, it does feel right at home during the Halloween season. 
And right nearby, some fun characters (Including some costumed Peanuts folks) are doing fun little backyard-style games throughout the day. Nothing to write home about, but it’s a fun distraction if the kids want to show off. Charlie Brown shows you how to play cornhole like a pro. 
The livery stable has once again transformed into the Creepy Critter Carnival, replete with all sorts of scary reptiles and bugs. They were still getting settled in on opening weekend, but by the time you read this, you will be able to get a much closer look at the spiders, if you wish. 
There’s a lot of decorations in the stables, and all around Ghost Town, and it’s a fun vibe. But there is a noticable absence with the lack of any of the classic ghost characters wandering around. We hope they can find a way to return in the years to come. 
That said, there’s no shortage of costumed kiddos in the land, as this is where all the trick or treating is. Free bags are given to all the children, so there’s no reason to worry if you forgot to bring one.
The candy selection this year is a solid, but interesting mix. M&Ms and Skittles are the big staples, but also Sour Punch Straws, Smarties, giant Popcornopolis bags and Takis. Not so many chocolatey options, but definitely a good mix, with 10 different stations to hunt down throughout Ghost Town.
While Camp Snoopy is still wrapping up the most recent transformation, the meet and greets are out by the Ghoul Time Theater. We hope that finishes up soon, because the cute backdrops really helped frame the comic strip origins of the characters. 
There are still plenty of decorations around Camp Snoopy, and all the games have appropriately-themed pumpkin prizes, but that’s about it. There’s no musical stage show, currently, but progress is being made on the remaining work.
The Gauntlet is the medival-themed scare zone from Scary Farm, and it’s responsible for the castle-themed elements placed around the land, but it’s nothing that would frighten children, thankfully. 
And, as usual, the Calico Mine Ride and Log Ride have their fantastic festive Halloween transformations, which are fantastic and worth the long wait. Keep in mind, the Mine Ride is a 2-for-1 experience, as the night time version is ever so slightly different from the Spooky Farm version, so if you can try both, we encourage it.
There’s also a lot of unique food during the Halloween season. The Chipotle-like Casa California in Fiesta Village has Al Pastor and Pineapple Salse. And Calico Tater Bites has the Mummy’s Tomb Mediterranean Gyro with a Spicy Pickle Tzatziki, seen below. Plus, every sweet treat you can imagine has a spooky take on it, as if you needed a reason to get that new festive funnel cake. 
The big show this year is the return of the Bob Baker Marionette’s to the Bird Cage for their Halloween Spooktacular. It’s a fantastic and fun show for the kids, featuring beautiful puppets and old time silly songs. The show fills up fast and getting in line 30 minutes early is encouraged. 
Stick around after the show if you want a photo next to one of these puppets. They’re so much bigger up close!
Not too far away on the Calico Mine Stage, Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies have somehow escaped the Wagon Camp, playing to an open audience. (In truth, it’s because it’s all decked out for The Hanging) And their final show of the day at 4PM is the Costume Cavalcade, a chance for the kids to march around and show off their costumes. Because why else would you dress up as a skibidi toilet if you didn’t want to confuse anyone over the age of 15 that’s in the park?
All in all, it’s a fun event with a lot to do. If you have a season pass (And 2025 Passes, on sale now include 2024 admission), it’s included. So why not enjoy a spooky puppet show and a mummy cookie? Knott’s Spooky Farm runs Thursdays thru Sundays thru Halloween, and also on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Tickets and season passes are available at Knotts.com.
