Scream-A-Geddon returns to Tampa Bay after $2.5M transformation

Deep in the backwoods of Pasco County, Tampa Bay’s annual Halloween horror park has turned up the terror for its 12th season with a $2.5 million midway transformation. 

Scream-A-Geddon’s carnival of carnage returns to Dade City on Aug. 29 with a completely reimagined midway now dubbed “Bonzo’s Bizarre.” 

The horror park, at 27839 Saint Joe Road, spans 60 acres and features six haunted attractions — a mix of haunted houses and interactive “touch” experiences like “Zombie Paintball," according to a statement. For years, Bonzo and his twisted troupe of creepy clowns have been a fixture in the park’s 50,000-square-foot midway, pouring drinks, running games and spooking spectators. 

This year, though, Bonzo has taken over the heart of the park, transforming the space into “clown-fueled chaos,” the release says. 

Guests entering Scream-A-Geddon will now see a fully paved midway winding past permanent covered pavilions, four new food trucks, new fire pits with s’mores and an upgraded beer garden pouring local wine and craft beer. Parking lots and park roads have also been paved over, the park says, creating a smoother experience for guests from the moment they arrive. 

“We’ve been scaring Tampa Bay for more than a decade, and as we grow we’re committed to investing in the guest experience,” John Pianki, chief marketing officer at Scream-A-Geddon, says in the release. “Bonzo’s Bizarre and the broader park upgrades were designed to elevate every moment of a guest’s visit. This August, we’re delivering our most terrifying and most guest-friendly season yet.”

Scream-A-Geddon also promises the return of many fan-favorite attractions this season, headlined by “Kilgore’s 3D Circus,” a clown-fueled haunted house-style attraction that debuted last year. 

Other attractions include Bloodwater Bayou, Breach, Ravenhill Asylum and Demon’s Revenge, the park says. Thrill-seekers ages 18 and older can opt into the “interactive experience” inside Breach and Ravenhill Asylum, where actors may hold them back or pull them from their group and into the story. 

The park’s popular Zombie Paintball Assault will also return this year, joined by midway games, hatchet throwing photo opportunities and more.