Castle Park's Castle Dark Returns for 2021

Castle Park, Riverside, CA

The Halloween news train keeps on rolling. This time, we’re heading out to Riverside, where Castle Dark will return to Castle Park this fall! Last year, the amusement park and family fun center had a reduced Halloween experience, Happy Hauntings, that included a single maze and spooky miniature golf. But this year, the full haunted experience returns with four scare zones, three mazes, and plenty of frights! In addition, the amusement park and family fun center plan to be fully open this season.

The event will run Fridays through Sundays in October and will be open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays! The extended hours offer flexibility for haunt fans. So go make this a part of your Inland Empire spooks run this fall!

A scene from Castle Dark in 2019.

From the press release:

CASTLE PARK RESURRECTS CASTLE DARK FOR FRIGHTENING FALL FUN

Inland Empire’s Favorite Family Fun Center transforms this October with new Scare Zones, Mazes & Monsters 

Riverside, CA – This fall, Castle Park transforms into an arena of screams and scares for Castle Dark! As night falls, the scariest Riverside Halloween experience makes your absolute worst nightmares a reality. Returning after a one-year hiatus, Castle Dark will welcome brave guests every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from October 1 through October 31. New in 2021, the spookiness stretches extra hours! Castle Dark will haunt the Inland Empire from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m. on Fridays & Saturdays, and 7p.m. – 10p.m. on Sundays.

“Since Castle Park reopened earlier this year, we have expanded on our events, and Castle Dark is no exception,” said General Manager Ken Withers, “We are bringing our guests affordable entertainment options by adding new and updated mazes for the 2021 season.”

Ghoulies await at Castle Dark.

Headlining the haunted experience at Castle Dark are three terrifying mazes, each with a different, twisted theme. NEW for 2021, guests will come face to face with their worst fears in Castle Dark’s largest ever maze, Phobias. Tight spaces, snakes, the dark, no guest will leave without facing their phobias in this fully immersive and interactive thriller. Those that survive will find no time for clownin’ around as they visit Mr. Tubb$’ Twisted Circus! This circus is a show of oddities like no other, filled with freaks of nature, twisted acrobats, and crazy clowns. Then, head Home Sweet Home. Guests are invited to a fun family gathering, but this family is not all they appear to be. Watch out for Daddy, he’s having a really bad day…

Castle Dark’s circus-themed maze from 2019, Jinxx & Havoc.

Beyond the haunted mazes, Castle Dark offers four Scare Zones:

• Dark Harvest, where anyone found guilty of using witchcraft will be shown no mercy

• The Inferno, a series of darkly lit streets, where cult worshippers believes only the dead are truly saved

• The Streets of La Sierra where once dead family members rise from their graves to haunt those they left behind

• The Midway, packed like a clown car with demented circus folk, roaming the streets in search of new audiences to delightfully torment.

In addition, Castle Park’s 2 dozen rides & attractions will operate during Castle Dark, as well as their 4 award winning miniature golf courses.

Will the Lady in White return to Castle Dark this year? Visit to find out…

Castle Dark at Castle Park is a special ticketed event requiring a separate ticket for admission – but Premium and Platinum Annual Passholders get unlimited admission! Castle Dark is not recommended for children under 13 or the faint of heart. Hours of operation may vary. For those under the recommended age of 13, Castle Dark, Dia De Los Muertos will return during the day for fall festivities and family fun.

A Castle Dark pre-sale begins soon; be the first to know when tickets go on sale by signing up for the Castle Park newsletter at CastlePark.com/newsletter.

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Castle Park needs many monsters to make your worst nightmares a reality! The park is looking to hire up to 150 scare actors.  Interested applicants, 18 years of age and older, can attend auditions on July 31, August 1, 7 or 8 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. More details can be found online at CastlePark.com/Castle-Dark.