Field of Screams Maryland, a decades-long Halloween tradition in Montgomery County that’s attracted thousands each year, is canceled this season for a “full transformation,” organizers of the event said.

Officials for Field of Screams Maryland said in a statement that they are taking the year to upgrade their entire trail and infrastructure and will reopen in 2026.

The Olney site is known for its haunted trails and mazes. It was even ranked as the best haunted house in the country in 2022 by USA Today.

“When we return in 2026, we will be unveiling the most extraordinary, immersive, and terrifying haunt experience you have ever seen,” officials said in a statement on Field of Screams Maryland’s website.

Last year, Field of Screams Maryland attracted an average of 1,936 visitors per night, records from a Montgomery County Board of Appeals case show.

“Field of Screams Maryland has thrived thanks to our incredible staff and scare actors, our valued community partners—especially the Olney Boys & Girls Club—and, most importantly, our loyal fans who have helped make us the nation’s top haunt,” John Dixon, Field of Screams Maryland’s operations director, said in a statement. “Now, we’re granting our creative team a long sought after request to pause the event for a season so they can lay the foundation and build a haunt experience like none have ever seen.”

Field of Screams, established more than 20 years ago, took place at the Olney Boys and Girls Club from late September to early November each year and served as a fundraiser for the nonprofit.

Brad Scott, the executive director of the Olney Boys and Girls Club, said in a statement that the nonprofit would search for ways to supplement its Youth Scholarship Program, which will be affected by a break in the annual Field of Screams Maryland fundraiser.

“Field of Screams Maryland is a vital fundraiser for our children, making a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children and families over the past two decades,” Scott said in a statement.

Officials for Field of Screams Maryland said the cancellation was their own choice, but there has been a rift between event organizers and the nearby community in recent years.

In public hearings earlier this year, around a dozen community members opposed the Olney Boys and Girls Club’s efforts to get approval for structures related to the Field of Screams Maryland’s fundraiser, the Montgomery County hearing examiner’s report of the case said.

In a report issued earlier this year, Montgomery County hearing examiner Kathleen Byrne wrote that changes requested by the nonprofit would affect traffic and the immediate neighborhood. She recommended that the organization resubmit its request with a complete site plan and that a public hearing be held to discuss the proposed changes.

Six Flags in Bowie won’t host Fright Fest, its hallmark Halloween tradition, as it gears up to close in November.

If you want a frightening fix, there is still Markoff’s Haunted Forest, which is also in Montgomery County, and several other haunted houses and attractions in Maryland and nearby.