Welcome to our 2026 Halloween Awards, here we aim to celebrate the best of the best from the 2025 Halloween season. Throughout the UK we visited 31 different events where we experienced 145 different scare attractions, rating each of these using our unique category system. As part of our commitment to cover as many events as possible to promote and fairly compare, we together travelled over 4500 miles, wrote 29 comprehensive website reviews and created 35 videos, with our content receiving over 1.3 million views/visits. This is more than just a hobby, and over the years has become a true passion, which we want to continue to give back to the incredibly creative and welcoming industry. These awards are intended to celebrate the top events and attractions of the 2025 season, giving meaningful and data driven accolades for venues to utilise.
We have used our ratings for both events and attractions which was undertaken during the Halloween season, rated separately by both Austyn & Dean without discussion, to give category and overall totals; leading to the star rating given shortly after visiting. You can find out more about our Halloween Ratings for the 2025 season HERE.
These ratings categories have been carefully looked at, alongside building on previous years awards, to decide on the most effective way to showcase the key areas of Halloween events & attractions. We have used some categories singularly and some as a combination to decide on 13 distinct awards. We have taken the highest scoring events & attractions in these areas to create a shortlist. This shortlist was then discussed in detail for each award and whittled down to 5 nominees, before deciding on a winner and 2 runner ups.
OUR SPONSORS
We’d like to extend a thanks to our sponsors of the Thrill Nation Halloween Awards 2026 who have supported the continued growth & success of our brand and more importantly the awards.
Misfit Entertainment – Award Trophies
With extensive experience in print and set pieces for immersive events and entertainment, they have produced the physical 3D trophies for the award winners.
Neon Skull – Branding
Their professional and quality design services are used across the themed entertainment industry. They worked with us on creating the Halloween ‘fang’ version of our logo, alongside the award trophy design.
Phantom Peak – Location
The unique immersive experience which we have been fans of ever since its launch, provides the perfect backdrop with a variety of themes for our awards announcement video.
2026 categories
best maze theme & story
This award combines both theming and storytelling, where attractions must create an immersive environment through the quality and detail of the theming, as well as following a unique and coherent story that flows throughout the attraction.
Nominations are as follows;
Doom Town – Tulleys Shocktober Fest
Shellton Motel – Doncaster Fear Factory – RUNNER UP
Shriek Easy – The Howl – RUNNER UP
Spores – Xtreme Scream Park
The Cage – Walsall Scare Maze – WINNER
best event entertainment
This award combines entertainment and side shows, it highlights events that create an atmosphere and things to do outside of the scare attractions, including shows, music, funfairs, games and more.
Nominations are as follows;
Fear Scream Park – Avon Valley Adventure Park – RUNNER UP
Fright Nights – Thorpe Park – RUNNER UP
Hallowscream – York Maze – WINNER
Monsters and Magic – Drayton Manor
Xtreme Scream Park – Twinlakes Park
best maze concept
This award recognises attractions that bring a unique concept to the maze format, including elements that make them stand out, or offer a different overall experience.
Nominations are as follows;
Blackmarket: Killstream – Screams – RUNNER UP
Larst Resort – Newsham Scream Park
Psychotorium – Psycho Path – RUNNER UP
Shriek Easy – The Howl – WINNER
The Hunt – Psycho Path
Most value for money event
This award recognises events that offer value for money, balancing the volume and quality of the experiences, with a ticket cost that is affordable.
Nominations are as follows;
Doncaster Fear Factory – Thornhurst Manor Country Park
Dr. Fright’s Halloween Nights
Fairground Frights – Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach – RUNNER UP
Statfold Scream Park – Statfold Country Park – RUNNER UP
Twisted Pumpkin – WINNER
best maze Effects
This award combines both SFX and Audio & Lighting to highlight attractions that feature not only standout moments, but an overall package to be an attack on the senses.
Nominations are as follows;
Blutlust – Xtreme Scream Park
DeadBeat – Fright Nights
The Cage – Walsall Scare Maze – RUNNER UP
The Singularity – Hallowscream – RUNNER UP
Spores – Xtreme Scream Park – WINNER
best roaming characters
This award recognises the cast of characters outside the attractions that keep guests entertained around the event. They provide interactive moments that leave a lasting impact.
Nominations are as follows;
Fairground Frights – Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach – RUNNER UP
Fear Island – Fantasy Island
Screams – Thornton Hall Country Park
Statfold Scream Park – Statfold Country Park – WINNER
Tulleys Shocktober Fest – Tulleys Farm – RUNNER UP
best scare experience
This award encompasses all attractions categories to look overall at the best scare experience, including story, enjoyment, concept, screams and more.
Nominations are as follows;
Brave It Alone: Malefica – Fear Scream Park – WINNER
Creature Campus – Fright Nights
Haunted Hayride – Tulleys Shocktober Fest – RUNNER UP
The Exorcism – Fear Scream Park
The Republic of England – Fear Scream Park – RUNNER UP
best maze cast
This award combines both the performance of actors, along with how well they are utilised within the attraction, as it has a big impact on the guest experience and should be recognised.
Nominations are as follows;
The Village: Coven of 13 – Tulleys Shocktober Fest
Shellton Motel – Doncaster Fear Factory – RUNNER UP
SNAP – Fear Island – WINNER
Full Moon Manor – The Howl – RUNNER UP
The Cage – Walsall Scare Maze
most unique event
This award recognises events that offer something different in an ever growing industry. Whether it’s a unique venue, the types of attractions or any other element that sets it apart.
Nominations are as follows;
Dr. Frights Halloween Nights – RUNNER UP
Hallowed Peak – Phantom Peak
Newsham Scream Park
Trail of Terror – Colchester Zoo – RUNNER UP
Trinity Scares – WINNER
scariest maze
This award recognises attractions that deliver big on screams, as that is what Halloween is about after all. From providing intense jump scares, to unnerving gore and chilling tension.
Nominations are as follows;
Chop Shop – Tulleys Shocktober Fest – RUNNER UP
Necropolis – Hallowscream
Stourbridge Scare Maze – WINNER
The Carving – Tulleys Shocktober Fest
The Cursed – Trinity Scares – RUNNER UP
best theme park event
This award encompasses all event categories to look overall at the best theme park event, including variety, operations, entertainment, location and more.
Nominations are as follows;
Fairground Frights – Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach – WINNER
Fear Island – Fantasy Island – RUNNER UP
Fright Nights – Thorpe Park – RUNNER UP
Journey To Hell – Pleasure Beach
Monsters and Magic – Drayton Manor
best scare maze
This award encompasses all attractions categories to look overall at the best scare maze, including enjoyment, flow, screams, SFX and more.
Nominations are as follows;
Blackmarket: Killstream – Screams
Insomnia – Screamfest
Shellton Motel – Doncaster Fear Factory – WINNER
Stourbridge Scare Maze – RUNNER UP
The Cage – Walsall Scare Maze – RUNNER UP
best scream park
This award encompasses all event categories to look overall at the best scream park event, including variety, operations, food & drink, facilities, food & drink and more.
Nominations are as follows;
Doncaster Fear Factory – Thornhurst Manor Country Park
Fear Scream Park – Avon Valley Adventure Park – WINNER
Hallowscream – York Maze – RUNNER UP
Statfold Scream Park – Statfold Country Park
Xtreme Scream Park – Twinlakes Park – RUNNER UP
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