Why Are Halloween Events So Popular?

Horror events at theme parks have surged in popularity over the past few decades. From Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights to Six Flags’ Fright Fest, these events seem to attract larger and larger crowds every year. These days, Universal even refers to Halloween Horror Nights as their thirteenth month, meaning the event itself is responsible for as much revenue as the entire resort makes most months. Halloween events at theme parks aren’t a particularly new phenomenon. But typically, these were isolated to the weeks around the end of October. Yet today, it’s not surprising for a Halloween event to begin in September, or even August. With the huge rise in popularity of these events, let’s explore the cultural, psychological, and economic factors driving this trend, shedding light on how theme parks effectively use the Halloween season to boost their revenues.

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