The morning was a bit gloomy and grey, but that didn’t stop the citizens of Calico from coming out in full force. While it started as a slow trickle, soon the main throughway of Ghost Town was brimming with people. The shop owners, from the barber all the way to down to Goldie’s, smiled and greeted their guests, everyone making their way to the top of the street for the ribbon cutting. After all, it was Founder’s Day, the first celebration of it in over two years. This was a big deal!
And while it may have only been a fictional Founder’s Day, it actually WAS a big deal to many of the people there. In fact, this marked the return of Ghost Town Alive, one of the greatest theme park experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of partaking it. And after two long years of not knowing what happened next, we finally got our answers.
But before we get there, let’s take it back a bit. This past weekend marked the beginning of Knott’s Summer Nights celebration, and while that is mostly confined to the evening hours, the day is filled to the brim with the magic of Ghost Town Alive. If you’ve never experienced GTA before, you’re missing out! Essentially, the entirety of Calico turns into a living, breathing experience. Want to talk to the newly and duly elected mayor about the town’s comings and goings? You can! Want to help the local post master, Levi, secure a dance with Teddie, the dress maker, later that evening at the hoe down? You can! Want to help the Mayfields secure all three pieces of the treasure map and thus win the day? You can do that too! The possibilities are endless!
And after a two-year hiatus, it was clear I wasn’t the only one waiting to see more of this story. In fact, before the day even began with the ceremonial ribbon cutting, it was filled to the brim with emotions. Seeing these characters, many of which we haven’t seen since before COVID, come out and greet old friends like it was yesterday was a pretty special experience. Heck, seeing the Mayor greet an all grown up Rootin’ Tootin’ Kid, one of the younger players that has invested a lot of time into this experience over the years, really made my heart full of joy. And to feel that way about an experience before it even officially began for the day is a truly special experience.
For those interested, the story this year revolves around the previously mentioned treasure map. With the Mayfields, recently released from jail, holding the deed to the town of Calico, they laid claim to the treasure. But alas, the citizens of Calico, along with the Mad Bucks, also believe it belongs to them. Under the watchful eye of the US Calvary (the REAL one this time!), it’s up to us, the players, to determine who will win the day.
As long-time readers of this site know, we love immersive experiences. Seeing a major theme park not only put on a massive one, let along pull it off without much issue, is an incredible undertaking. What Knott’s Berry Farm does with Ghost Town Alive is truly impressive. The amount of activities and side stories that you can get involved in during the day is nearly innumerable.
We started our day watching the first few story beats before heading off to adventure. After reading the morning edition of the newspaper, we heard some rumors of ghosts in town, and wind up joining the Paranormal Investigators Society, led by Doc Carter (with some great references to Scary Farm thrown in). After that, we made friends with the post master, Levi, who wanted some help in asking a pretty girl to the dance. Then we got caught up in delivering packages for various residents, but not before hearing all about the “singing juice” that is no longer welcome in Goldie’s, and then asking some questions for the local newspaper.
Seriously, from start to finish, Ghost Town Alive is a truly spectacular experience. It’s fun for everyone, from the youngest of children (whom we LOVED seeing get so into the story) to adults who just love to do a little more with their day. There is so much to see and do that you can’t just stuff it all into one day.
Overall, Knott’s return to summertime fun is an absolute blast, especially if you’re a fan of Ghost Town Alive. We spent a large portion of the day in Ghost Town doing as much as we could, and we barely even scratched the surface of it. We will definitely be going back!
Knott’s Berry Farm is the place to be this summer, and you do not want to miss out! For more information, visit them online at www.knottsberryfarm.com
