Great Escape's Fright Fest: Enchanted Parks Logo Reveal
Earlier this year, Six Flags announced an agreement to sell Great Escape to Enchanted Parks (EPR Properties). The sale went through prior to the season starting in May, with the park retaining Six Flags branding during the initial stage of that transition.
On Friday, October 2, as an editor of LakeGeorge.com I was invited to a Media Night at Fright Fest, where the park would reveal the new logo. Let me tell you, I could not have been more impressed with the reveal and the logo itself.
Media Night at Fright Night
The media and Great Escape enthusiasts gathered in Carousel Plaza at 5pm for the 5:15pm reveal. Traditionally, 5pm is when the scare actors come out for Fright Fest, and the fun, kid-friendly Halloween festivities of the day give way to the true frights.
At 5:15pm, Great Escape's new President Andrew Burggraf was introduced. (Quick background: Burggraf started his career at the park 20 years ago as a Lake George High School 10th grader, so this job is undoubtedly incredibly personal for him!)
Burggraf explained that for the new logo reveal, he did not want to do a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, where the logo is hidden behind a sheet, he pulls back the sheet, people clap.
He wanted this momentous occasion to be more special and unique than that - and he hit it out of the park, no pun intended.
I was standing around with local photographer Jim McLaughlin and the Glens Falls Chronicle Managing Editor Cathy DeDe, as we wondered where the new logo was, and how exactly this reveal would go.
Satan's Sacrifice & The Big Reveal
After the announcements when we were all wondering where the new sign is, the scare actors came out and started wandering around the crowd.
One of them approached a man with a long ponytail in a plaid shirt standing directing in front of me and announced, "This one!" and he and another scare actor took away the man, screaming.
I said to my husband, "I hope he's an actor and not just someone picked randomly out of the crowd!" (He was.)
The man was brought up to the podium and then in front of the carousel where he was sacrificed to Satan (another scare actor!) who ripped out his heart. It was a truly fun and unexpected scene to watch!
Once the sacrifice was made, the carousel began to turn...revealing the new logo as it came around to the front. It was hiding behind the carousel the entire time!
I loved how they worked the logo reveal into a staged Fright Fest skit. Some comments on social media indicated that people were turned off by Satan, but I think it fits perfectly into the Fright Fest theme and Halloween season.
Plus, the juxtaposition between the ruler of the underworld introducing the warm, whimsical design we see on the logo was just brilliant.
My Fright Fest Evening
Immediately after the logo reveal the Media & VIP people were invited to enjoy drinks and appetizers at the Cursed Cowboy. I did not realize that the drinks (or at least the first drink) were free, so that was a pleasant surprise!
Food options were items like spicy chicken sandwiches, fries, and popcorn, while the drink menu featured several beers on draft along with signature cocktails, dirty sodas, and "blood bags" specific to Fright Fest.
My husband and I had fun wandering the festively decorated park afterwards, getting followed by three singing female scare actors, and went through one haunted house, Hell Block VI.
We accidentally went out the "emergency exit" in an attempt to get away from the scare actors - it's dark and it can be tough to see where you're going! - and some of the actors followed us out and tried to get us to come back in. Thank you, but no thank you!
The Logo Itself: Playful With a Nod to the Park's History
Fright Fest fun aside, let's talk about the new logo. The different elements incorporate:
- A roller coaster and wave pool/nod to the water park, to depict the two main parts of the amusement park
- An old fashioned mill with a waterwheel, reminiscent of Great Escape's Storytown roots
- The trees and mountains that the Adirondacks and Lake George region are known for
- Three sparkles that give nod to the magical-ness of Enchanted Parks
Beyond the specific components of the logo, I like the colors and the design itself, with the yellow stroke not just underlining the coaster but coming up and around the mill house to form a sun and kind of cradle everything together.
Instead of opting for high-contrast primary colors that can be common with amusement parks, they went for a warm, organic, and distinctly Adirondack palette with sky blue, coral red, pine green, and golden yellow, with lake-water blue for the text.
The design is pleasantly symmetrical to look at, with the left side depicting speed, motion, and adventure, and the right representing heritage and tranquility.
The Great Escape font is bold, easy to see from a distance, but with soft edges that echo the trees. The Enchanted Parks text below clearly states the new ownership without stealing focus from the park's legendary name.
The mountains and the swooshes fade into open white space, giving the whole design a free, open, airy feel.
Plan Your Great Escape Visit
Great Escape is open for Fright Fest 2026 through October 25, and then they'll be back again at the end of May for the 2027 season. The 2027 season passes are on sale now at their website!
Another thing I noticed in social media comments is that people seem to be confused on how kid-friendly or not Fright Fest is, although Great Escape is pretty clear about it: kid-friendly fun during the day, scare actors and adult fun once 5pm arrives.
Bring the kids on a Saturday or Sunday for trick-or-treating, dance parties, and more wholesome daytime fun. Come at night for haunted houses (an extra charge), scare zones, festive cocktails, and the classic amusement park rides you've always enjoyed at Great Escape. Go get scared!
