Credit: Inside the MagicKnott’s Berry Farm is making waves this summer, but not necessarily the kind passholders were expecting. Knott’s Soak City, the popular seasonal water park located adjacent to the main theme park in Buena Park, California, will not be open on Thursday, August 22, and Thursday, August 29.
The park notified passholders in advance, noting that these dates will be blacked out from the calendar. While closures at the tail end of summer aren’t unusual for regional water parks, it’s a reminder that Soak City’s operating season is winding down as the resort prepares to pivot toward one of its biggest annual events: Knott’s Scary Farm.
What is Knott’s Soak City?
For those unfamiliar, Knott’s Soak City is Orange County’s largest water park, sprawling across 15 acres and featuring more than two dozen slides and attractions. The park offers a mix of thrills and family fun, from the high-speed “Shore Break” slides that plunge riders through near-vertical drops, to the winding lazy river and wave pool where guests can cool off under the California sun.
Soak City has become a summer tradition for locals and tourists alike, complementing Knott’s Berry Farm’s year-round theme park rides with a seasonal escape. Typically open from late May through early September, the water park draws families looking to extend their Knott’s experience beyond coasters like GhostRider and Silver Bullet.
The announced closures on August 22 and 29 don’t mark the end of the season, but they do shorten the final stretch leading into Labor Day weekend. Water park fans will still have chances to splash through the remainder of summer, but Knott’s is clearly beginning to transition its operations toward fall.
Knott’s Berry Farm: More Than Just Rides
Knott’s Berry Farm itself is a Southern California landmark with a history stretching back to the 1920s, when the Knott family first opened their roadside berry stand.
Over the decades, it grew into a full-fledged theme park, blending classic Americana with thrilling rides, live entertainment, and immersive seasonal events. Today, it stands as one of the most-visited regional parks in the country, celebrated not just for its roller coasters, but also for its food (boysenberry treats are a must) and its annual events.
And as summer winds down, that means it’s almost time for the fog to roll in.
Knott’s Scary Farm 2025: Saying Goodbye to Iconic Mazes
The closures at Soak City might be disappointing for water park fans, but Knott’s is gearing up for something equally beloved: Knott’s Scary Farm, which kicks off on September 18, 2025. Known as the longest-running Halloween theme park event in the country, Scary Farm transforms the park with mazes, scare zones, and shows that attract haunt enthusiasts from all over the world.
At this year’s Midsummer Scream panel, Knott’s revealed that two popular mazes will be taking their final bow in 2025: The Grimoire and Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind. Both of these haunts debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic and have become fan favorites, but like all Scary Farm mazes, their runs eventually come to an end.
The Grimoire
The Grimoire almost didn’t happen. Originally, the maze wasn’t supposed to occupy its current space at the park, and the pandemic complicated its debut. Designers shared during the panel that social distancing rules forced significant changes to the layout, but the result was a Goonies-inspired experience with hidden Easter eggs and a unique atmosphere.
Guests walking through its cursed book storyline this fall will be witnessing its final season, making it a must-do for returning Scary Farm fans.
Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind
Similarly, Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind was shaped by pandemic-era restrictions. The designers revealed that one early concept involved equipping guests with headphones to hear “commands” throughout the maze—a chilling idea that was ultimately scrapped for sanitation reasons. Still, the circus-horror theming and psychological twists made it one of Scary Farm’s most memorable additions.
Both mazes will be celebrated this fall as they close out their runs, reminding fans how much detail and creativity goes into the Scary Farm lineup.
Teasing What’s Next
While much of the panel focused on these farewells, Knott’s did tease a new maze coming for 2025. The preview was brief—a Victorian setting featuring a character cleaning blood from a carpet—but enough to stoke excitement for haunt fans. Instead of unveiling the full lineup at Midsummer Scream, Knott’s saved the big reveal for a separate event.
That event, “Nightmares Revealed” hosted by the Boulet Brothers, is set to take place later this week. Tickets for the announcement show sold out quickly, though a limited number were made available to Midsummer Scream attendees. Fans are expecting this to be the moment when Knott’s fully lifts the curtain on the 2025 Scary Farm lineup.
A Season of Transition
The contrast between Soak City’s late-summer closures and the anticipation for Scary Farm highlights the cyclical nature of Knott’s Berry Farm. As the long, hot days of August give way to cooler nights in September, Knott’s transforms from a summer family destination into a haunt lover’s paradise.
For passholders, the notice about Soak City being dark on August 22 and 29 is a practical heads-up. For the broader Knott’s community, it’s also a reminder: summer is ending, and the fog is about to roll in. Whether you’re a fan of water slides or haunted mazes, Knott’s Berry Farm continues to balance both sides of its seasonal identity, offering something for everyone as the calendar turns.