Dubbed “The Halloween City,” Eureka Springs hosts one of America’s most distinctive celebrations of horror culture every October. The NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS FILM FESTIVAL returns to the Victorian village on October 21–24, 2026, with the year’s most anticipated independent films, legendary genre guests, expert panels, a live podcast, vendors and the nationally acclaimed Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl.
Named one of The New York Times’ “Top 5 Halloween Horror Film Festivals Worth Traveling For,” NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS has grown into a destination event where audiences experience far more than movies. Visitors spend four days discovering emerging filmmakers, meeting horror icons and exploring one of America’s most unique and haunted towns while celebrating the Halloween season alongside fellow fans from across the country.
This year’s festival welcomes horror icons Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Creepshow, Escape from New York) and Caroline Williams (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2), who will join audiences for screenings of their latest independent films and special conversations celebrating their careers in genre cinema.
The 2026 feature lineup, screened in the 984-seat City Auditorium, includes:
- Oddities (Tyler Savage)
- Babybacks (Geno Marx)
- Mantis (Justice Hardy)
- The Apex Predators Club (J. Horton)
- Rise of the Rats (Stephen Roach, World Premiere)
- The Taxidermist (Paulo Nascimento, World Premiere)
- Jump Scare (Donnie Hobbie)
- Death Came Knocking (Eric Yoder)
- The Barn Part III (Justin M. Seaman)
- Frogman and Frogman Returns (Anthony Cousins)
- Grind (Ed Dougherty, Brea Grant and Chelsea Stardust)
- Dead Reset (Stewart Sparke)
- Final Transmissions (Steven Hugh Nelson, Michael J. Epstein, Sophia Cacciola and Alex Hera)
- Trauma, Or Monsters All. (Larry Fessenden)
Severin Films will also present a special 4K, 10th-anniversary screening of The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Shorts programming includes five themed blocks in the Basin Park Hotel’s Barefoot Ballroom: Possessed Possessions, She Kills, Horrors of Motherhood, Horror: Elevated, Liminal Space and Supernatural Shenanigans.
“This is an event from horror fans for horror fans,” said festival producer Lady Mariam. “From elevated cinema to hilarious schlock, we’re all here for a good time!”
Beyond the films, NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS has become known for creating a complete horror experience throughout Eureka Springs. Festival programming includes filmmaker Q&As following most feature screenings, Rue Morgue Horror Trivia, a VIP Party and a bustling horror vendor marketplace. Between screenings, attendees can explore Eureka Springs’ famously macabre side, from ghost tours and unusual shops to the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, widely known as “America’s Most Haunted Hotel.”
The celebration reaches its peak on Saturday as the festival transitions from cinema to spectacle. The afternoon begins with the Zombie Red Carpet and annual Awards Ceremony before thousands of costumed participants converge on downtown Eureka Springs for the legendary Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl. The evening closes with a live performance of the cult comedy, true crime podcast Wine & Crime.
“This is the biggest year yet for Nightmare in the Ozarks, and it shows no signs of slowing down,” said festival director Coltan Scrivner. “Horror is having an extraordinary moment, and independent filmmakers are pushing the genre in directions that are more creative and ambitious than ever before. Our goal has always been to bring those filmmakers together with the fans who love this genre and give them an experience they can’t get anywhere else. Eureka Springs is the perfect place for that.”
NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS is presented in partnership with Rue Morgue, Severin Films and the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Committee. All-access passes and day passes are available now at www.NightmareInTheOzarks.com.
