Every year I wonder if the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride can top itself, and every year it finds a way to pull me back to Midnight Falls. The 2026 season, running select nights through November 1 at Griffith Park, is the 18th for this event, and it may be one of the strongest lineups yet. There is a brand new maze, a returning Elvira favorite, and the hayride itself is filled with scares and energy.

Midnight Falls is one of the best immersive theater experiences you will find in Southern California this time of year. Take time to talk to the townsfolk about their characters and their connections to each other. Many of the actors have been working together for years, they know their characters inside and out. They can also share information about Allister, the new guy in town, since he’s a non-verbal character like his brother Herschel. Be sure to catch the Late Monte Revolta’s stage show, a high energy comedic musical performance. If you have a chance to share moments of Monte on social media be sure to tag him (he sometimes responds and always in character).

The new addition, Fallen Angel, is the most conceptually interesting haunt I have walked through in a long time. The premise: a legendary rock band whose final Halloween rehearsal ended in flames, their spirits still trapped in the abandoned theater. When obsessive fans revive the band’s last recording, the ritual awakens something inside the walls. The twist is that you, the guest, are the celebrity, and the fans are the ones coming at you. People thrust cameras in your face, screaming that you changed their lives, that they love you, that they need you and more. The band members are not just celebrities, they are dead celebrities, brought back through a special ritual. I loved the role reversal, letting guests feel what it’s like to be on the other side of fandom for a few minutes. It is unlike any theme I’ve seen in the genre.

As someone who adores Elvira, walking through her world in Elvira’s Trick or Treat Mayhem is pure joy. The actor playing her is genuinely great. I especially loved this year’s setup, with an actor leading you in before you enter through the funbag tunnel. It is candy-coated chaos, tricks as tempting as the treats, and it captures exactly what makes Elvira timeless.

Venture past the Scary-Go-Round and you will find Hellbilly Halloween, the cannibalistic family that has taken up the spirit of Halloween. It is similar to past years, including the high energy scares we have grown to expect from them. The actors back there are passionate and consistent, and the scenes deliver every time.

This year they have leaned back into the original style of scenes we all loved about the Hayride. There is a moment with the witches that had me screaming and cackling with joy at the same time. They have added some genuinely cool effects and updated scenes, and the whole ride feels like the energy is back where it belongs.

The séance is back with a new story element this year, hosted by Madame Aurora, giving guests some backstory on Midnight Falls. I a great time learning more about the history of the town, and it is worth the add-on if you love lore. There are also the five minute Mini Escape Games, ax throwing, and the GellyBall zombie shooters as well as the Scary-Go-Round as add-ons for the event.

Grabbing hot cider and donut from the Midnight Falls Cider Company, it has become a tradition for me, though this year it was quite warm, so check the weather and dress for it. Wear comfortable shoes you do not mind getting a little dusty, because you are on a hayride and walking around a park, leave the stilettos at home. There are plenty of food trucks and merchandise options, including an Elvira pop-up shop.

The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride 2026 is a must for haunt fans and I tell every immersive theater lover to be sure to experience Midnight Falls. The innovation and creativity keeps me excited for this event year after year. Plus this is a female created event! Melissa Carbone launched Ten Thirty One Productions in 2009 and built the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride from the ground up, at a time when the haunted attraction world was dominated by men. As a woman who loves this genre, experiencing events made by strong female creatives is something important to me, and it is one of the reasons this event has always felt like home.

*Thank you to LA Haunted Hayride for inviting me to media night to cover the event.