Winners to be honored at awards ceremony during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show
The Haunted Attraction Association has announced the winners of the 2026 OSCARES Awards. Winners will be celebrated at the annual awards ceremony on Saturday, March 28, 2026, during TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show in St. Louis.
The OSCARES are the highest honors in the Halloween and haunted attraction industry. All winners are nominated by industry members, making the awards a peer-recognized honor.
2026 OSCARES Winners
This year’s awards expand the Lifetime Achievement category to two recipients: Ernie Rommegialli and Bobbie Weiner.
The full list of 2026 winners:
- Lifetime Achievement: Ernie Romegialli
- Lifetime Achievement: Bobbie Weiner
- First-Year Attraction: Imminent Doom Haunted House
- Established Attraction: Milltown Haunt
- Legacy Attraction (20+ Years): Markoff’s Haunted Forest
- First-Year Vendor (Under 5 Years): Illumibot
- Established Vendor: Rib FX
- Legacy Vendor (20+ Years): Beastcraft
- Home Haunter Award: Nightmare Haunted House
- Special Recognition Award: Ricky Dick, CastleBlood
The OSCARES continue to honor newcomers alongside established names, with the First-Year Attraction and First-Year Vendor categories recognizing those new to the industry. The awards also continue to include the Home Haunter category, honoring the contributions of home haunts.
Detailed profiles of each winner will be released in the coming weeks leading up to the ceremony.
Read about the 2025 winners here, or watch last year’s ceremony here.
Awards Ceremony
The 2026 OSCARES Awards Banquet will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in America’s Center, Room 241. Doors open at 5:00 PM, with the ceremony beginning at 5:30 PM. The event will feature a light carving station and cash bar.
The ceremony is free and open to all TransWorld attendees. Recently renewed H.A.A. members receive a free drink and priority seating. Members should visit the H.A.A. booth prior to the event to pick up their coupon.
HAA Live Auction
The Haunted Attraction Association’s annual Live Auction moves to a new night this year: Thursday, March 26, 2026. The auction will be held in America’s Center, Room 231. Doors open at 4:30 PM, with bidding starting at 5:15 PM. The event is free to attend and includes a cash bar.
Each year, vendors donate props, animatronics, and services to the auction, often at below-retail prices. Moving the auction to Thursday gives attendees two additional days on the show floor to purchase any items they did not win.
All funds raised benefit H.A.A. members and operations. The auction and OSCARES ceremony are funded by membership dues and fundraising conducted by the Haunted Attraction Association.
Those interested in donating a product or service to the auction can contact the H.A.A. at [email protected].
For more information, visit hauntedattractionassociation.com
