Entertainment Awards

Anaheim – October 21, 2026 -- Two new Avengers attractions at Disney California Adventure will open in 2028, and Disney has now revealed the cast, storyline and ride mechanics behind them. The news came at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event, where John Stamos briefly took over hosting duties from Neil Patrick Harris. He joined Imagineer Brent Strong and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige on the Horizons stage.

Avengers Campus is doubling in size and reconnecting with Cars Land

Construction is underway on the expansion, which will double the size of the land. Disney also said the land will soon reconnect with Cars Land. The two attractions, Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab, were first announced at D23 2024.

New York -- Diwali at Times Square returns on October 24, 2026, with a daytime bazaar, a kids' zone, dance performances and an evening concert led by Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor and Grammy-nominated rapper Raja Kumari.

A gala dinner opens the weekend on October 23

The celebration starts a day earlier with an Awards and Gala Dinner at Tribeca 360 on October 23, 2026. The evening honors Indian Americans for contributions in philanthropy, innovation, medicine and entrepreneurship.

Kids can paint diyas and learn Bollywood dance

The October 24 festival includes a Diwali Bazaar and a dedicated Kids Zone. Children can paint diyas, create colorful rangoli art and take Bollywood dance lessons. Vendors will offer product sampling, and partners will provide educational information.

The afternoon 'Colors of India and America' program features Indian, Indo-Caribbean and Hispanic dance groups.

Las Vegas – October 15, 2026 -- Players in every regulated U.S. iGaming state and Canadian province can now play Spooky Link Go Ghost, the first online real-money version of Aristocrat's land-based slot franchise, on participating online casino platforms and mobile casino apps.

Aristocrat Interactive brings the franchise online for the first time

Aristocrat Interactive, the online Real Money Gaming (RMG) division of Aristocrat, is behind the network-wide launch. The rollout is timed to coincide with the Halloween season and is supported by what the company calls the industry's leading operators.

Go Ghost is the first release in a character family that will later include Mo' Mummy and Yo Yeti. Additional Spooky Link titles are planned throughout 2027.

Dallas – October 06, 2026 -- Dave & Buster's has rolled out a limited-time Halloween menu, a new zombie escape game and restocked Human Crane prizes at its U.S. locations, building toward two ticketed parties on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Halloween falls on a Saturday for the first time since 2020

The National Retail Federation's annual survey projects that 74% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate this year, with total spending expected to hit $13.5 billion. Jeremy Tucker, Chief Marketing Officer at Dave & Buster's, said the company is "showing up for a night people already plan to celebrate, with a menu that looks and tastes like Halloween and the kind of play you can't get at a restaurant or a bar."

Palmetto, Fla. – October 02, 2026 -- Monster Jam fans can catch new weekly episodes of Monster Jam Primetime for free starting Thursday, October 1, at 8 p.m. ET, with two fresh episodes dropping every Thursday on the Monster Jam Channel.

The series streams across nine free ad-supported streaming (FAST) platforms: Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, Pluto TV, LG Channels, Plex, Local Now, Rakuten TV, and the newly added Xumo Play. Episodes also premiere simultaneously on the Monster Jam YouTube channel, where they remain available on demand.

Encore airings give fans a second chance to watch.

Each episode repeats the following Thursday starting at 6 p.m. ET, with additional re-airs on select Saturdays surrounding live Monster Jam event coverage.

Costa Mesa – October 02, 2026 -- Winter Fest OC returns to the OC Fair and Event Center on November 27, running through January 3, 2027, with a brand-new holiday light trail and expanded attractions for its 12th year.

The light trail adds seven themed walk-through experiences

Guests entering the all-new holiday light trail pass through the Peppermint Tunnel, Singing Forest and Aurora Snowfall Walk before reaching the Light Field, Grand Cove and Evergreen Tunnel. The Grand Cove features large trees lit in red and green, a plaza with ornaments, a real pine forest and a starfield backdrop. The light trail is included in general admission during normal operating hours.

Cerritos, Calif. – October 02, 2026 -- NEOWIZ and Beard Papa's are launching a limited-time BrownDust2 collaboration on October 9, 2026, at participating Beard Papa's locations across the United States, running through November 9.

Two character-inspired cream puffs anchor the promotion

The Zenith Puff features seasonal pumpkin spice custard in a cinnamon-topped eclair, while the Wilhelmina Puff combines vanilla custard, white chocolate and vanilla Oreo cookie crumble eclair. Both are named after fan-favorite characters from the BrownDust2 game.

A 6-Pack Combo Gift Set bundles treats with collectibles

The set includes one of each limited-time puff, one Chocolate Puff, one Cookies & Cream Puff and two Original Cream Puffs. It also comes with acrylic character standees, character can badges, a sticker sheet and an exclusive in-game reward code, while supplies last.

Kansas City – October 01, 2026 -- America Haunts has named its top five haunted attractions for 2026, recognizing the mega-haunts that deliver the Best Scream for Your Buck through year-round preparation and large-scale production.

Erebus leads with nearly 30 years of immersive horror

Erebus Haunted Attraction in Pontiac, Michigan, takes guests on a four-story descent through more than half a mile of indoor sets centered on Dr. Colber's world of experimentation. The attraction has operated for nearly 30 years, drawing Halloween fans from throughout Metro Detroit.

Las Vegas – October 01, 2026 -- Neon City Festival revealed its expanded 2026 lineup for a free, all-ages, three-day celebration set for Nov. 20-22 in downtown Las Vegas.

Diplo, Big Boi and Three 6 Mafia headline newly announced acts

Diplo, Big Boi, Cobra Starship, Freddie Gibbs, Joyce Manor and Three 6 Mafia join previously confirmed performers Kaskade, Subtronics and The Fray for the third annual event.

Friday's bill features Diplo and Cobra Starship

The Nov. 20 lineup includes Diplo, Cobra Starship, Freddie Gibbs, The Paradox, Babyface Ray, Summerlin House Mafia and Split Persona.

Saturday brings Subtronics, The Fray and Three 6 Mafia

Nov. 21 performers include Subtronics, The Fray, Three 6 Mafia, Slick Rick, Parachute, LUCKY, The Far Worst, Hoity-Toity and Kings/Kings, alongside the Unity Events Neon Showcase featuring Marsik, VLITO, Carson Wysocki, Allergic, Rainbolt and Shawn.

Los Angeles – October 01, 2026 -- ComplexCon celebrates its 10-year anniversary on October 3-4, 2026, relocating for the first time to Los Angeles after a two-year run in Las Vegas that drew more than 70,000 attendees in 2025. The festival will span the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, bringing together more than 300 brands across over half a million square feet of exhibition space.

Playboi Carti joins Hiroshi Fujiwara as Artistic Director

Rapper Playboi Carti and streetwear pioneer Hiroshi Fujiwara, alongside his label Fragment Design, will lead creative direction for the anniversary edition, shaping programming, product drops and the overall festival experience. Fujiwara will debut exclusive collaborations spanning apparel, collectibles and wearables, including partnerships with Disney/Mickey Mouse, Pokémon, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ray-Ban, Street Fighter, BRABUS and BE@RBRICK.