Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus is trading quiet reflection for horror-comedy revelry next month, when it hosts Fang Fest and Street Faire, a night built around the Ohio premiere of the vampire film “What's Wrong Wendy?” The event brings a street faire, a short film showcase, a guided tour of the movie's filming locations, the movie premiere itself, and a 21-and-over after-party inside the cemetery's mausoleum, all packed into a single evening on the historic grounds.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, running from 6 p.m. to midnight, according to Eventbrite listings for the festival. General admission runs $35, with VIP tickets priced at $60, and according to the same Eventbrite listing, proceeds will directly benefit Green Lawn Cemetery to support community preservation and restoration projects across the grounds. Matt Wolf, who serves as Community Outreach and Events coordinator for the Green Lawn Cemetery Association per the Franklinton Board of Trade, is expected to discuss how the cemetery came to host Fang Fest and its broader involvement in the film's production.
An Ohio-Made Vampire Comedy Gets Its Hometown Debut
“What's Wrong Wendy?” is billed as a horror-comedy with Ohio ties, following a pizza delivery driver whose life is upended after a bat attack on Valentine's Day. As Rue Morgue reported when the project was first announced, the film was written by co-director Spooky Madison and produced locally by Columbus-based Street Rat Studios and FinalGhoul Films. The film is being promoted as part of what's being called Spooky Spring, tying it to the region's growing horror film scene, according to WSYX.
Co-director Dusty Austen, who also served as the film's visual effects artist, is set to discuss both the technical work behind the film and the experience of co-directing alongside its writer and star, per the WSYX report. Austen carries some national weight into the event: Columbus Underground reported that Austen was selected as one of 10 transgender filmmakers nationwide for the Netflix-backed Transgender Film Center's 2025-26 Career Development Lab, a credential that adds industry visibility to a hometown production.
The cast list draws from both national horror circles and regional talent. Fangoria reported in 2024 that the film features indie horror actress Leah Voysey, known for her role in “Terrifier 2,” along with a cameo from Andrew Ferchland, who played The Anointed One on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Fans attending Fang Fest are invited to see the film and meet people behind it, according to the WSYX report on the event.
A 360-Acre Backdrop With Its Own Deep History
Green Lawn Cemetery isn't just a filming location for the night — it's a significant piece of Columbus history in its own right. According to Wikipedia, the cemetery was established in 1848 and opened the following year, spanning 360 acres with more than 150,000 interments, making it the second-largest cemetery in Ohio behind Cincinnati's Spring Grove. The grounds were originally designed as a rural cemetery to relieve overcrowded urban graveyards in 19th-century Columbus.
The after-party venue carries its own architectural pedigree. The historic Huntington Chapel, dedicated in 1902 and designed by Columbus architect Frank L. Packard, features interior Tiffany decor and was later expanded to serve as the cemetery's primary mausoleum, according to the Green Lawn Cemetery Association. The chapel has undergone ongoing restoration work to preserve those historic features, the association notes.
Beyond its cultural and architectural history, Green Lawn also functions as an urban nature sanctuary. Per the Ohio Exploration Society, the grounds are home to more than 150 species of trees, including seven state champion trees, and the cemetery is an officially designated Audubon Important Bird Area in addition to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. That dual identity as both historic landmark and nature preserve regularly draws separate walking and birdwatching tours to the grounds.
Filmmakers Lead a Tour Through the Movie's Real Backdrops
Fang Fest's schedule includes a dedicated 30-minute guided walk hosted by filmmaker Aaron Pagniano, taking attendees through the specific spots within Green Lawn used during production of “What's Wrong Wendy?”, according to event listings on AllEvents. The tour is designed to let guests see the real physical backdrops before watching them appear on screen later that night during the premiere.
Wolf is also expected to speak more broadly about the cemetery's role in hosting the production and the festival itself, a detail confirmed by WSYX's report on the event. While the trailer for “What's Wrong Wendy?” is being promoted this month, the full film premiere, along with the rest of Fang Fest's programming, won't take place until the September 26 event at the cemetery's chapel and surrounding grounds.
