Knoebels' Hallo-Fun voted best theme park Halloween event of 2026

Hallo-Fun at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, finished first in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for best theme park Halloween event. USA Today 10Best published the results on September 30, 2026. For the 10Best awards, experts nominate the contenders in each category and the public votes on the final order.

The top 10

Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando placed second, and Happy Halloween Weekends at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, was third. Phantom Fall Fest at Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, came fourth, one place ahead of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida. The rest of the list was Castle Dark at Castle Park in Riverside, California (sixth), Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld San Diego (seventh), Hersheypark Halloween at Hersheypark (eighth), HalloWeekends at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio (ninth) and Halloween Haunt at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania (tenth). Four of the ten events take place at Pennsylvania parks.

Time Out reported that more than 50 rides operate during Hallo-Fun, that the Haunted Antique Cars get a haunted makeover, and that the Ghosts & Gourds music-and-light show runs every half-hour on Friday and Saturday evenings. This year the event ran on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 1.

The result adds to a busy awards year for Knoebels. In April, 10Best readers ranked it the second-best theme park in the country and voted its wooden coaster Phoenix the best roller coaster. In September, Amusement Today named Knoebels its Park of the Year at the Golden Ticket Awards.