Shocktoberfest

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Annual haunted event in Pennsylvania

title: "Shocktoberfest" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["halloween-events-in-the-united-states"] description: "Annual haunted event in Pennsylvania" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shocktoberfest" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Annual haunted event in Pennsylvania ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox amusement park"]

Field	Value
image	File:ShocktoberfestLogo.jpg
caption	Shocktoberfest logo
name	Shocktoberfest
opening_date	October 1991
location	94 Park Ave Sinking Spring, PA 19608
theme	Halloween
season	Fall
operator	Patrick Konopelski
homepage
::

The attraction opened in 1991 at Willow Glen Park and has become a holiday destination for teenagers and families throughout the Mid-Atlantic states during the Halloween season. Over the years, it has grown from a single hayride into thirteen attractions and a number of special events on weekends over a two-month period.

History

The site of the attraction is situated adjacent to Route 422, outside Reading, Pennsylvania, buffered by a creek, Norfolk Southern railroad tracks, and a housing development. Early land records show a much larger parcel than what is now called Willow Glen Park. Some of the land became Graffius Burial Vault Company and other pieces became part of the housing development.

According to Shocktoberfest's marketing, the land has a supposedly troubled past. They say that the land was home to a state psychiatric hospital, a state penitentiary, and a chemical processing plant. This information has proved to be a marketing ploy, as the land was never used for any of these purposes. However, claims of the Graffius Burial Vault Company being a short walk away are true, although it is not a part of Shocktoberfest.

The attraction began in 1991 as a haunted hayride called Maniac Mountain. A haunted house was added in 1997, and the name was changed to Shocktoberfest. Beginning in 2000, a period of expansion began, with improvements to the two existing attractions, as well as the addition of a new haunt in 2004, The Prison of the Dead. In 2006, Shocktoberfest was selected as one of the Top 13 Haunted Attractions in the country by Haunt World Magazine.

Attractions

Haunted Hayride

The hayride attraction has its route changed and is re-themed yearly. The BioHazard Hayride was the title and theme in 2009. The attraction was entitled Zombie Revenge Haunted Hayride in 2012. As of 2014, it was entitled the Zombie Safari Hayride.

The Prison of the Dead

A 50000 sqft attraction which was built for the 2004 season. It is a two-level attraction, with portions both indoors and outdoors, themed as a prison. Guests begin their tour by boarding a prison bus. The tour of the actual maze is approximately a 30-minute walk, and sometimes, crawl. This is thought to be the premier attraction on the site, and its primary haunted house.

The Monster Midway

The Monster Midway located at the entrance of the park. This is set up in a carnival fashion where there will be food, classic side shows, and games. The Midway used to feature carnival rides for a few years, however they have been removed since 2004. Ticket purchasing can also be found here. And also the entrances for The Prison of the Dead and the BioHazard Hayride can be found towards the end of the Midway.

Ground Assault: Zombie Laser Tag

A laser tag experience that allows customers to shoot both each other and zombies, launched in 2016.

The Unknown 2.0

This is Shocktoberfest's secondary haunted house. Although smaller than the Prison of the Dead house, it is said to be equally intense. In addition to its regular use, the Almost Naked and Scared Challenge (below) is held here once per evening, on Friday and Saturday only. This ride is a classic indoor dark ride and fun house combined, slightly different from others. Unlike most dark rides, it included speed increases and drops. At the end of the ride, riders left the car and finished the attraction on foot.--

Built for the 1990 season was The Toxic Asylum Haunted Hospital. This attraction featured state of the art animatronics (for the time). They created custom props and brought them to life using pneumatic air compressors and computer control to make the show dynamic and most important, repeatable on a continuous basis. The result was a really over-the-top experience for people who had never seen that level of professional effects before. It was later revamped with 3-D effects and renamed, "The Toxic Asylum 3-D Extreme".--

The Almost Naked and Scared Challenge

The Naked and Scared Challenge is an adults-only experience. Visitors at least 18 years old are invited to disrobe before entering the attraction. After choosing the "nude" or "prude" (underwear-only) option, guests are asked to sign waivers prior to a clothes-free fright. The nude option was cancelled prior to opening, due to pressure from local authorities. This event began during the 2013 season, and is still running as of 2017 as the Almost Naked and Scared Challenge.

Awards

2006 Shocktoberfest is selected as one of the Top 13 Haunted Attractions in the Country by Haunt World Magazine.
2009 Shocktoberfest was voted #1 Must See Haunted Attraction in America by Haunted Attraction Magazine
2010 Chosen by the Travel Channel as one of the Scariest Places on Earth.
2013 Selected as Top Choice Haunted Attraction by Fright Times Magazine
2013, 2014, 2015 Voted Hayride of the Year by Frighttour.com
2014 Number 6 Most Extreme Haunted House in the Country by Fox News
2015 Voted Third Best Extreme Haunted Attraction by USA Today
2015, 2016 Rated One of America's Top Haunts by the Haunted Attraction Association.

References

"Shocktoberfest". Shocktoberfest.
Kirchner, Larry. (2006). "Hauntworld Magazine #14".
(October 17, 2012). "Halloween Review: Shocktoberfest". The Sentinel.
(September 12, 2015). "Review: Shocktoberfest's 'Prison of the Dead' is excellent, but its hayride is kind of meh". Times Leader.
Prisco, Joanna. (September 26, 2013). "Naked Haunted House Scares 'Nudes and Prudes'". ABC News.
(September 28, 2013). "Shocktoberfest cancels nude part of its 'Naked and Scared' haunted house challenge". New York Daily News.
Lohr, David. (September 27, 2013). "Shocktoberfest's Naked Haunted House 'Booed' By Pennsylvania Town". Huffington Post.
(September 24, 2013). "Haunted house invites visitors to take the 'Naked and Scared Challenge'". Fox News.
(October 6, 2009). "Haunted Attraction Magazine Names 25 Must-See Haunts". Business Wire.
"Halloween Top Choice 2013". Fright Times Magazine.
(2013). "Hayride of the Year: Past Recipients". Frighttour.
(October 10, 2014). "Most extreme haunted houses". Fox News.
"USA 10 Best". USA Today.
"HAA Top Haunts Program". Haunted House Association.

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