Field of Screams Maryland will remain closed for the 2026 season, with the Olney haunted attraction now planning a grand reopening in 2027.
According to Field of Screams Maryland, the event plans to reopen once the Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association’s Special Exception is amended to expressly include fundraising events on the property. The attraction had previously announced it would sit out the 2025 season for a full renovation, with plans at the time to reopen in fall 2026. Organizers now say the reimagined attraction is the result of an 11-month redesign and will feature 22 all-new stations, an updated haunted house and new infrastructure, lighting and sound throughout.
“We are enormously proud of what our design and planning teams have accomplished, which makes this an especially hard announcement to make,” said John Dixon, Director of Operations for Field of Screams Maryland. “We were on track and ready to open, and we will continue to support OBGC as it works with the County, so we can welcome everyone back in 2027.”
The attraction has also faced complications involving permits and concerns from nearby residents. In 2021, a District Court judge issued an abatement order after ruling that the Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association, which hosts the event, had failed to obtain proper permits and certificates for certain structures along the haunted trail. Some attractions had the required permits, while other walk-through trail structures remained out of compliance. Neighbors have also raised concerns about traffic and safety surrounding the event.
Field of Screams has operated for 24 years and serves as a fundraiser for OBGC. According to organizers, the event has generated more than $3.5 million for the organization, helping offset youth sports costs and fund scholarships for families. Dixon said the closure will also impact 320 seasonal employees and Olney businesses that benefit from the tens of thousands of visitors the attraction brings to the area each fall.
Steelhead Events and Productions, which manages Field of Screams, thanked the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office, Department of Permitting Services and Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for their guidance over the past year.
