Hawkins’ Fun Fair is coming to Calgary Stampede to celebrate the release of the third season of Stranger Things. The Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi horror series is coming back with new characters and new threats, this time leaving Halloween season aside and taking place in the summer of 1985 - less than a year after the events of season 2.
With just a couple more days to go before the release of the new season, plot details remain a secret, but we do know that the gate to the Upside Down wasn’t entirely closed and that there will be old and new enemies (both human and non-human) that will threaten the town; all this while the group deals with the ups and downs that come with growing up. This season is also introducing two new settings: the Starcourt Mall and Hawkins’ Fun Fair, which is taking a step outside the screen and coming to Calgary Stampede.
To celebrate the premiere of Stranger Things season 3, the Hawkins’ Fun Fair is coming to Calgary Stampede on July 4, with some fun attractions that will take guests to Hawkins, Indiana - minus the danger of being attacked by the Demogorgon or the Mind Flayer. The fair will be located at the Midway of the Stampede and will have immersive experiences that blend the best of both worlds.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can visit the Stranger Things Fun House, which starts off as a mirror maze. But be careful. If you take a wrong turn, you could end up in the Upside Down. You can also ride the Spider, which will make you “go up, down, spin, or stay in place” above an “other-wordly portal” below. But if you want something more relaxed, you can go on the Stranger Slide, the Giant Wheel, or win some prizes at the Balloon Pop.
The Hawkins' Fun Fair is the latest subject of Netflix’s promo campaign for the series, recently releasing a fake ad inviting the citizens of Hawkins to the fair, but not without a quick glitch with a look into the Upside Down. The team behind Stranger Things have already brought Hawkins and the Upside Down to the real world, most notably with a maze at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, but the fair is a completely different (but still fun) move.
Immersive experiences have become very popular lately, as they provide the opportunity of being part of fictional worlds without any of the dangers that the characters go through - a perfect scenario for Stranger Things fans. Netflix has done a great job in bringing the Stranger Things universe to the real world, whether through products like the recently announced Upside Down Whopper, Nike’s line inspired by the series, or through immersive experiences like the fair, which add up to its success and the excitement for the new season.
Stranger Things season 3 premieres Thursday, July 4 on Netflix.
Source: Calgary Stampede