There’s something beautiful about a horror festival nestled in a century-old theatre at the heart of a haunted Victorian town. The 2025 edition of NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS FILM FESTIVAL proves once again that some of the genre’s most vital celebrations happen far from the spotlight-hungry coasts, in places where the spirit of horror is baked right into the architecture.

Running October 22-25 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, this year’s lineup reads like a love letter to horror. This year’s exclusive 29-film slate spans the genre’s entire bloodline, from Severin Films’ revival of Hell of the Living Dead to fresh nightmares like Adrian Țofei’s We Put the World to Sleep and Tim Connery’s The Driftless. New to this year’s program are select screenings of horrifying documentary films. The Fright Stuff and Theatre of Horrors promise behind-the-scenes glimpses into the machinery of fear.

Festival Director Coltan Scrivner and Producer Mariam Michael Sheady with the festival’s cryptid mascot, Ozark Howler. Photo by NWA Photoshoots.

If you’re looking to be the first to witness horror’s newest creations, be sure to swing by for the U.S. premiere of Southern Nightmare. An homage to the grindhouse films of the ‘70s, director Charlie Steeds leaves little to the imagination in this action-packed, ultra-violent tribute. If you need the nostalgia without the guts, the U.S. premiere of Mister Sandman might be more your speed.

Festival shorts are often horror’s most experimental playground, and NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS hasn’t skimped. Howl if You Love Me is an animated creature feature that might look eerily familiar if you were a fan of Courage the Cowardly Dog. Monster Medicine is a short that will leave you begging for the feature length treatment. If you need some (dark) comedic relief from the terror, you won’t want to miss Did You Remember the Cat? and Endzgiving.

What separates NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS from the pack is the festival’s commitment to making horror a community experience. The famous Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl on Saturday afternoon transforms downtown Eureka Springs into a carnival of the undead, with thousands of locals and visitors alike shambling down Spring Street in one of the largest gatherings of zombies in the country. Complete with the “Brain Buffet,” a gelatin brain eating competition, the Zombie Crawl is the kind of celebration that reminds you that horror fans are the most passionate in all of cinema.

The 2024 Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl. Photo by Paige Butler.

The Zombie Crawl is just one of many special events throughout the week. Dozens of vendors take over the basement of “the Aud” where the films screen. Thursday kicks off with a horror writers workshop organized in association with the local chapter of the Horror Writer’s Association, Severin Films and the area’s spookiest bookstore, Underbrush Books. Hosted by RUE MORGUE’s Kevin Hoover, “Rue Morgue Horror Trivia” on Friday will test the casual horror fan’s knowledge and offer the superfan a time to shine. Saturday’s midnight paranormal investigation at the 1886 Crescent Hotel, led by investigator Larry Flaxman, offers attendees the chance to explore the old morgue and eerie hallways of what has been called “America’s most haunted hotel.”

Actress Whit Kunschik accepting the Golden Howler for Audience Favorite. Photo by JC Prazak.

After crawling through the hilly streets of Eureka Springs, the zombies make their way back to “the Aud” for the Zombie Red Carpet event. After some gory glam shots with the 7ft tall Ozark Howler, the Awards Ceremony Commences. Six custom-made Golden Howler trophies are awarded to the best of the best, including awards for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Actor/Actress, Best Kill, Audience Favorite and the all-new RUE MORGUE Award for Best Practical FX. 

With its exclusive lineup of the genre’s best new films and the enviable Golden Howler trophies, NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS has quickly jumped to the top of many festival-goers and filmmakers’ wishlists. Ranking alongside genre-defining festivals like the Telluride Horror Show and LA Screamfest, the New York Times named NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS “One of the Top 5 Halloween Horror Festivals Worth Traveling for” in 2024. For genre devotees looking for their next essential horror pilgrimage, the Ozarks are calling.

Tickets are available now for the NIGHTMARE IN THE OZARKS FILM FESTIVAL.