2026 Screamfest (Haunted houses at Stampede Park)
ScreamFest is a Halloween scare park at Stampede Park, and Friday is the first of 11 nights running through Oct. 31. General admission covers six outdoor haunted houses: the Dollhouse, Slaughterhouse, Clown Town, The Clinic, Bates Motel and Afraid of the Dark. Killer Cash, the event's own currency, pays for extras like the Slingshot ride and the Midway of Mayhem. The Extreme Zombie House costs extra and works differently: you sign a waiver, zombies can grab, pull and chase you, and you can't touch back. Expect fog and strobe lights. The grandstand is heated but the houses are outside, so dress warm, and masks and weapon-like props aren't allowed.
ScreamFest Calgary 2026: planning opening weekend at Stampede Park
Why it matters this weekend
ScreamFest is a ticketed Halloween scare park, and its 2026 season opens Friday, October 9, at GMC Stadium on Stampede Park. It runs 11 nights through October 31, so this isn't a last chance, but the long weekend gets two of them: opening night Friday, then Saturday.
It's a different kind of Halloween night from a pumpkin walk or a costume party. You buy a ticket, get a wristband, and walk through a series of outdoor haunted houses built to scare you, then spend the rest of the night on rides and games around the grounds.
The details
- When: Friday October 9 and Saturday October 10, 2026, 7 PM to midnight. The season continues on October 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30 and 31, with the same hours.
- Where: GMC Stadium, Stampede Park, 2200 Stampede Trail SE.
- Tickets for Friday: General admission is $37 with fees and covers all six haunted houses. The Killer Cash Combo ($47) adds $16 of Killer Cash. General admission plus the Zombie House is $47. A SpeedPass ($58) adds front-of-line service, two repeat house entries and $16 of Killer Cash, and SpeedPass plus the Zombie House is $68.
- Age guidance: ScreamFest rates the event PG-13 and recommends it for ages 12 and up, and kids 12 and older are recommended to come with an adult.
- Official listing: ScreamFest
What to expect
General admission covers six haunted houses: the Dollhouse, Slaughterhouse, Clown Town, The Clinic, Bates Motel and Afraid of the Dark. They're outdoors, they use fog machines and strobe lights, and they're meant to frighten.
Beyond the houses, the grounds have rides and attractions including the Slingshot, Area 51 Monster Trucks, the Midway of Mayhem and the Screaming Room. Those run on Killer Cash, ScreamFest's own onsite currency, which also covers games and other extras.
The Extreme Zombie House, also called Zombie Outbreak, is the add-on and works differently from the rest. It's a contact house: you sign a waiver, the zombies are allowed to grab, pull and chase you, and you're not allowed to touch them back. Killer Cash is required to enter. If someone in your group wants the scariest version of the night, that's the ticket to buy. If anyone is on the fence, skip it and stick with general admission.
Who it is good for
- Friend groups: Six houses, rides and midway games make it a full night out, and the SpeedPass adds front-of-line service and two repeat house entries. For more group plans, see things to do this weekend.
- Couples who like a scare: It's a date with built-in adrenaline. Compare other date-night experiences.
- Teens 12 and up with an adult: That's the organizer's own recommendation. ScreamFest is direct that kids who don't want to be scared shouldn't come. Younger children are better served by a gentler Halloween plan from our kid-friendly events.
How to plan it
Buy online in advance, then go to the ScreamFest box office on arrival to scan your ticket and get the wristband you need to enter GMC Stadium.
Dress for an October night outside. The grandstand is heated, but the houses are outdoors. Outside food and drink aren't allowed.
Costumes are welcome but not required. Masks aren't permitted, and neither are props that look like weapons, so leave those at home.
ScreamFest says the site is not fully wheelchair accessible, and the fog and strobe effects run through the houses. If either matters for someone in your group, plan around it before you buy.
Pair it with
The Calgary Wranglers host the Bakersfield Condors at the Saddledome on Friday at 7 PM, also on Stampede Park. Hockey first and haunted houses after is an easy Friday, since ScreamFest stays open until midnight.
For a Halloween warm-up, The GRAND screens Hocus Pocus on Friday at 7 PM, with the lobby bar open from 5:30.
For the gentler end of Halloween, Pumpkins After Dark at WinSport is a self-paced walk past more than 10,000 carved jack-o'-lanterns, and Inglewood's free Creep Through the Cracks puts scares on 9th Avenue SE on Saturday from 7 to 9 PM.
Find the rest of my picks in the Thanksgiving long weekend guide.
- When
- Fri · 7pm – 12am · Friday opening night
- Sat · 7pm – 12am · Saturday
- Weekend window
- Oct 9–Oct 12, 2026
- Price
- Friday $37 general admission to $68 SpeedPass with Zombie House, fees included
- More at this venue
- All events at GMC Stadium, Stampede Park →
- Browse similar plans
- Festivals in CalgaryDate Night Experiences in Calgary
- Official page
- GMC Stadium, Stampede Park →
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