From the Santa Monica Bay to the Pier deck, Sprinkles the Clown leads the way into
Pacific Park's all-new haunted Funhouse — inspired by the legendary 'Toonerville Funhouses'

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier is turning up the spectacle — and the splash — for the debut of its all-new haunted Funhouse at Pacific Park. Opening Wednesday, September 10 at 11 a.m., the spine-tingling attraction will honor Santa Monica's eerie amusement past with a day of seaside mayhem, led by none other than Sprinkles the Clown.

The festivities kicked off early with a Jet Ski Clown Takeover on Monday, September 1, as a costumed clown sped across Santa Monica Bay on a roaring jet ski, circling the Pier and Pacific Park in a wave-making preview for beachgoers, boaters, and anyone scrolling TikTok.

On September 10, the Funhouse's grand arrival will unfold at the entrance to Pacific Park's newest attraction with Sprinkles the Clown's ice cream truck parked near the Funhouse. From its doors, a colorful troupe of clowns will spill out with laughter, antics, and can't-miss photo moments, before Sprinkles the Clown himself emerges last in grand style and is met by the eerie Fortuneteller. Together, the clowns will set the stage as the Fortuneteller and Sprinkles the Clown officially open the long-lost Funhouse at Pacific Park — reimagined for a new generation of brave explorers.

A Nod to History — With a Haunting Twist

The 2,800-square-foot Funhouse at Pacific Park is inspired by the legendary "Toonerville Funhouse," which appeared in two eras of Santa Monica amusement history – first at Ocean Park Pier in the 1920s and later at Pacific Ocean Park in 1958, thrilling and unnerving guests throughout the years. Hidden away for decades, its spirit has been resurrected inside Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier where guests will wander nine mysterious rooms and attractions that are designed to disorient, amuse and entertain visitors with optical illusions, tricky layouts, and unexpected surprises.

Among the Funhouse's eerie characters is a coin-operated Fortuneteller who lures visitors into a labyrinth of curiosities, where the ultimate fate may be a chilling ride in Sprinkles the Clown's ice cream truck freezer. Will guests make it out alive? Or will they suffer the fate of so many who have gone before them?

"Pacific Park has always been about fun, families, and the unexpected," said Nathan Smithson, Senior Director of Business Affairs at Pacific Park. "From a clown on a jet ski to a haunting nod to local history, the Funhouse at Pacific Park is our way of delivering both nostalgia and surprise — all over the Pacific Ocean."

Ocean Park Connections

The "Toonerville Funhouses" were whimsical, cartoon-themed attractions inspired by the popular "Toonerville Trolley" comic strip, which was widely recognized in the early 20th century. The first version opened at Ocean Park Pier in the 1920s, while a second debuted in 1958 at Pacific Ocean Park, which replaced Ocean Park Pier on the same site at the end of Ocean Park Boulevard, just about two nautical miles south of today's Pacific Park, near the Santa Monica–Venice border. Both became icons of seaside amusement before disappearing in the 1970s.

SC Holdings, an investment firm with extensive experience in the consumer, entertainment, and hospitality sectors, acquired the operating group of Pacific Park in 2024 and committed $10 million in capital investments over the next five years in Pacific Park's food and entertainment programs, supporting park operations and keeping it a fun and friendly destination for tourists, families, and the community.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, LA's only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 14 midway games, Snackville with five fun food offerings and retail beach shops. Pacific Park's signature rides include the world's only solar-powered Ferris wheel, the Pacific Wheel, and the West Coaster, a steel roller coaster that races 55 feet above the Santa Monica Bay. For additional information and hours of operation, call 310-260-8744, visit pacpark.com, and go to Facebook.com/pacificpark, Instagram.com/pacpark or X.com/pacpark.

CONTACT: Cameron Andrews
Pier Communications
310-428-2760
cameron@piercomm.com

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SOURCE Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier