The legendary Tulleys Shocktober Fest has now returned for 2026, marking 30 years of Screams with its biggest and most ambitious event to date. The UK's ultimate 'Scream Park' delivers an unmatched festival of frights, boasting 14 attractions along with live music stages, street theatre, fire pits, street food stalls, and vibrant bars.
The event's return comes at a significant time, having recently been crowned Scream Park of the Year at the UK Theme Park Awards 2026. This prestigious accolade highlights the attraction's continued commitment to delivering best-in-class entertainment and sets the benchmark for Halloween events in the UK.
We were invited to the exclusive 2026 Press Night on 2nd October, where a host of celebrity guests and VIPs hit the black carpet before stepping into the darkness to brave the terrifying haunts.
Celebrating three decades at the top of the UK scare industry, the scale of Tulleys Shocktober Fest remains completely unrivalled across its sprawling site. Beyond the scare mazes, guests can soak up the atmosphere in massive themed bars including the Reaper Bar, Saloon Bar, and The Crooked Hag, or turn up the thrill factor on a selection of rides such as StratosFear, Sling Shot, and the Waltzer. Optional extras like Axe Throwing and Shock Chairs also make a welcome return.
With four brand-new or reimagined attractions for 2026 alongside returning fan favourites, the spectacular CarnEvil Cabaret show, and dozens of relentless roaming scare actors, there is so much packed into the site that fully experiencing everything in a single evening is an exciting challenge.
The press night atmosphere was electric from start to finish. Award-winning street theatre, roaming character troupes, DJs, and live music stages bring every corner of the park to life, ensuring that the thrills and energy continue well beyond the maze exits.
New Frights & Shows for 2026
House of Hades
Undoubtedly the crown jewel and standout addition for 2026, House of Hades is a monumental achievement for Shocktober Fest. The scale and sheer spectacle of this live theatrical production is like nothing ever staged at a scare event in the UK.
Combining immersive storytelling, breathtaking aerial artistry, high-energy dance routines, and jaw-dropping fire performances starring the world-renowned Fuel Girls, the show tells the story of weary souls facing Hades and his Keepers for one final, fateful choice. The cast are exceptional, the staging is flawlessly executed, and the volume of theatrical fire effects is staggering.
Top Tip: We strongly recommend watching the show from right at the front, as close to the stage as possible. The heat, intensity, and proximity to the performers make you feel as though you are not merely watching the production, but living inside it.
Appleton County Farm
Replacing the first half of the former attraction The Carving, Appleton County Farm steps back in time to reveal the twisted origins of the infamous Appleton family. While retaining some subtle nods to its predecessor, the maze has been substantially redesigned with a completely new route, richer story beat integration, and brilliant set design. The clever routing significantly increases group isolation and interaction, forcing guests into far more engaging encounters with both the actors and their fellow victims!
Appleton Sawmill
Serving as the direct follow-up to the Farm, Appleton Sawmill picks up the story for its gruesome final chapter. Set deep inside a rust-laden mill filled with splintered timber, heavy machinery, and buzzing blades, this intense gauntlet brings the Appleton legacy to a chaotic and bloody conclusion.
The Cellar Returns
We were delighted to see last year's technology-themed maze Glitch retired to make way for the triumphant return of The Cellar. Reopened and unleashed beneath the house, this unsealed underground domain plummets guests into damp, claustrophobic passageways lined with crumbling brickwork, low-hanging pipes, and oppressive darkness. It remains a fundamentally stronger, more atmospheric scare maze overall and a very welcome return to the lineup.
Returning Attractions
- Purgatory: Guided only by a flickering lantern, navigate dark corridors where possessed nuns await around every corner.
- Doom Town: A gritty 1980s English town completely overrun by aggressive, flesh-eating zombies.
- Electrick Circus: A shocking, high-voltage twist on the classic carnival clown maze.
- Wastelands Penitentiary: The riotous inmates are running wilder and more unhinged than ever before.
- The Chop Shop: A relentless, petrol-fuelled gauntlet of chainsaw-wielding maniacs.
- Haunted Hayride: Route 666: The iconic Tulleys signature attraction combining humor, brilliant sets, and theatrical scares.
- The Village: Coven of 13: A dark journey through the haunted woods to face a vengeful coven of witches.
- Hell-ements: A sinister hooded maze that relies heavily on sensory deprivation and sound design.
- The Creepy Cottage: The beloved, classic haunted house that started it all back in 1998.
- CarnEvil Cabaret: A high-octane stage show fusing dark burlesque, eerie illusions, and jaw-dropping stunts.
Our Verdict & Tickets
Tulleys Shocktober Fest 2026 proves exactly why the event has remained the undisputed titan of the UK Halloween season for 30 years. By pairing incredible new theatrical milestones like House of Hades with smart maze revamps and iconic classics, Tulleys delivers a complete festival-style horror experience that cannot be matched anywhere else.
The event runs on selected nights until 1st November 2026. Given its immense popularity, advance booking is strongly recommended.
Find out more and book your tickets at www.shocktoberfest.co.uk.
