EPIC Entertainment Group, a producer of themed entertainment, live events, and immersive environments, will finish its 10th anniversary year with a busy autumn and winter season, from Hersheypark's Dark Nights to holiday activations at Hotel del Coronado and The Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu.
During 2026, the company has provided creative, production and operational expertise for experiences at some of the country’s most popular destinations, including Hersheypark, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the Santa Monica Pier’s Funhouse.
“From Halloween attractions to holiday experiences and year-round entertainment, we’re working alongside incredible partners across the country in very different ways,” says Steve Sheldon, managing partner of EPIC Entertainment Group.
“To be doing it at this scale as we cap our 10th year makes this season especially exciting for our team.”
Spooky entertainment
For Hersheypark Dark Nights, EPIC Entertainment Group returns for a fifth year in partnership with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. After a successful opening weekend, EPIC continues to manage casting, costuming, makeup, and talent for hundreds of scare actors and speciality performers at the large-scale Halloween event.
This year, EPIC introduces Reese’s Depot of Doom into its Dark Nights lineup, revitalising Hersheypark’s newest scare zone with a cast of sinister characters hidden among broken tracks and fog-covered boxcars.
Through live performances, immersive interactions, and unpredictable, close-up scares, EPIC turns the abandoned freight yard into a vibrant extension of the Dark Nights experience.
On the West Coast, EPIC is nearing the one-year mark of the Funhouse at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier.
Modelled after the historic Toonerville Funhouse that delighted visitors almost a hundred years ago, this 2,800-square-foot attraction features nine interactive chambers with optical illusions, special effects, and a narrative inspired by the Pier’s vibrant history.
Hotels and more
EPIC continues its long-standing holiday collaboration with Hotel del Coronado, transforming over a century of the resort’s history into A Holiday Through Time, from 22 November to 3 January.
This year, the team reimagined the historic Laundry building as the Holiday Lodge, a cosy, festive space with hanging candles, twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and seasonal food and drinks.
Visitors can enjoy activities like creating personalised stuffed animals and stockings, while the Candy Canes, a lively dance quartet, provide live entertainment throughout the holiday festivities.
EPIC continues its festive work across the property, featuring the new Lightshow Spectacular that lights up The Del’s Norfolk Island Pines with synchronised lights, accompanied by a holiday soundtrack and a snow-flurry finale.
Additionally, EPIC is creating 11 custom Christmas trees, each symbolising a different chapter of the resort’s rich history. These trees, ranging from approximately 9 to 25 feet, reflect over a century, from the Victorian era and Roaring ’20s to Hollywood’s Some Like It Hot, the military history of the resort, California surf culture, and the present-day Coronado.
Decorated with custom ornaments, layered embellishments, and period-specific details, each tree becomes its own mini-vignette, narrating The Del’s story through the holiday season.
Across the Pacific, EPIC continues its collaboration with The Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu, Turtle Bay, bringing festive holiday spirit to the renowned North Shore resort.
For the 2026 season, EPIC will once again decorate the property with holiday-themed lighting and ornaments, from illuminated palms and hanging lights at the entrance to decorated trees, garlands, wreaths, and seasonal displays throughout the lobby, dining venues, spa, Ocean Club, and Sunset Bar.
Favourites returning include the holiday wagon rides at the stables, now lit for the season, along with the towering moss honu, a sculpted sea turtle photo spot with a Mele Kalikimaka display.
EPIC will also update the holiday experience with new lighting, refreshed décor, and enhanced ornaments across the resort.
Longstanding partnerships
On the East Coast, EPIC continues its long-standing collaboration with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, offering seasonal events throughout fall and the holiday period.
During Halloween, Garden of Shadows presents a new way to enjoy Fairchild after dark, with spooky trails, themed bars, and live entertainment tailored for adults.
As the season transitions to holidays, EPIC hosts the Very Merry Garden, bringing festive traditions like visits with Santa and Mrs Claus, Reindeer Roundup, and Letters to Santa, along with various holiday activities across the 83-acre Garden. Visitors can also visit the newly opened Garden Bistro, which offers seasonal drinks and desserts to enhance the festive atmosphere.
“Ten years in, what I’m most proud of are the relationships we’ve built and the trust our partners place in us to help bring their ideas to life,” says Charity Hill, managing partner of EPIC Entertainment Group.
“Many of these partnerships have grown with us over the years, giving us opportunities to keep creating, evolving and finding new ways to make memorable experiences for guests.”
Charlotte Blanco Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.
