PURCHASE TICKETS: illinoishorrormoviefestival.com/
If your idea of a perfect fall weekend involves indie horror, outdoor movies, live music, and a little bit of controlled chaos, mark your calendar for October 2–3, 2026.
The Illinois Horror Movie Festival “Under the Stars” is coming to the Carroll County Fairgrounds in Milledgeville, Illinois, transforming the fairgrounds into an open-air celebration of independent horror cinema.
And this isn't your typical film festival.
Horror Movies Under the Open Sky
The festival promises a massive lineup of 200 indie horror movies and short films, presented across two outdoor screens. For fans of independent filmmaking, that's a whole lot of nightmares to discover—and a chance to see filmmakers bringing their unique visions to audiences in a truly unconventional setting.
But the movies are only part of the experience.
The festival's schedule includes six live musical acts, along with horror vendors, food trucks, comedians, sideshow entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to embrace the darker side of the weekend.
Once the sun goes down, the after-dark beer garden adds another reason to stick around.
More Than a Film Festival
What makes an event like the Illinois Horror Movie Festival particularly interesting is the combination of indie cinema and live entertainment. Instead of spending the entire weekend sitting inside a theater, attendees can move between films, music, vendors, food, and other attractions while enjoying the atmosphere of an outdoor horror carnival.
The 2026 festival also features horror-industry guests and programming, including appearances by scream queens Lisa Wilcox, Lynn Lowry, Michelle Bauer, and Brinke Stevens, along with filmmaker and creator events.
The festival runs Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, at the Carroll County Fairgrounds, 28374 Milledgeville Road, Milledgeville, Illinois.
Whether you're a hardcore horror fan, an independent filmmaker, a lover of short films, or simply looking for a seriously unusual way to spend an October weekend, Illinois Horror Movie Festival “Under the Stars” is putting a distinctly different spin on the traditional film festival.
Two screens. Hundreds of films. Live music. Weirdness. Darkness.
Sounds like Halloween season to us.
Just remember: when the sun goes down, the movies aren't the only things that come out.
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