The Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association (OBGC) has issued a statement following the announcement that Field of Screams Maryland will remain closed for the 2026 season, disputing several claims made by the attraction’s operator, Steelhead Events and Productions (SHP).
Field of Screams announced earlier this month that it would not open this fall and is instead planning a grand reopening in 2027. According to the attraction, it plans to reopen once OBGC’s Special Exception is amended to expressly include fundraising events on the property.
The attraction had previously announced it would sit out the entire 2025 season for a full renovation, with plans to reopen in fall 2026. Organizers said the redesigned attraction was the result of 11 months of work and would include 22 new stations, an updated haunted house and new infrastructure, lighting and sound throughout.
OBGC said it recently learned that SHP, the outsourced operator of the fundraising event, had announced that Field of Screams would remain closed. OBGC leadership said it was disappointed that SHP did not obtain the necessary approvals to allow the event to operate in 2026 and disputed financial characterizations made in the operator’s announcement.
In particular, OBGC challenged SHP’s statement that Field of Screams has generated more than $3.5 million for the organization. OBGC said that figure may give the public a misleading impression of the proceeds it actually received from the event.
According to OBGC, SHP has operated Field of Screams for 14 years, but net proceeds received by OBGC have steadily declined and dropped significantly during the past six years. The organization said the proceeds do not come close to funding its youth scholarship program.
OBGC also revealed that it is currently involved in arbitration with SHP regarding the agreement to operate Field of Screams. The organization said it could not comment further on the specifics of the dispute but remains willing to work with the appropriate parties to move the matter forward while complying with applicable requirements. OBGC also thanked Montgomery County for its continued efforts to work with the parties involved.
The attraction has faced permitting issues in previous years. In 2021, a District Court judge issued an abatement order after determining that OBGC had failed to obtain required permits and certificates for certain structures along the haunted trail. While some attractions had the necessary permits, other walk-through trail structures remained out of compliance. Nearby residents have also raised concerns over traffic and safety surrounding the event.
Field of Screams has operated in Olney for more than two decades as a fundraiser benefiting OBGC. SHP previously said the closure would affect approximately 320 seasonal employees as well as local businesses that benefit from the tens of thousands of visitors the attraction draws each fall.
