San Diego's homegrown horror convention is coming back to Mission Valley for a third year, and this time it's bringing an actor from “The Walking Dead” along with a theme built entirely around the undead. Scream Diego takes over the DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego - Mission Valley on October 17, running from 10 am to 6 pm, with 40 vendor and artist booths, panel discussions and a full slate of horror-themed entertainment packed into a single day.
The 2026 edition marks the third annual staging of the event, which originally launched in October 2024 at the Sheraton Mission Valley before moving to its current DoubleTree home, according to KPBS. This year's theme, “Zombies Zombies Zombies!!!,” sets the tone for a day that organizers say will include 12 panel discussions and 12 independent short horror film screenings spread across two panel rooms.
The event's biggest celebrity draw is Vincent M. Ward, best known for playing Oscar on AMC's “The Walking Dead” and for roles in “True Blood” and “Seven Cemeteries.” Ward was officially announced in July as a special guest for the October gathering, joining local authors and filmmakers on the 2026 guest roster, per Scream Diego's own event listings.
A Full Day of Panels, Screenings and a Kids Zone
Beyond the celebrity appearance, the convention leans heavily on regional talent. The independent horror film festival will screen work from local and regional filmmakers and aspiring horror directors, while the two panel rooms will host discussions on diversity in horror, the San Diego horror scene and the craft of writing horror. The San Diego chapter of the Horror Writers Association, co-founded in 2016 by author KC Grifant, collaborates with the convention to host literary panels, author readings and horror writing workshops.
Families are part of the plan too. The event includes a kids zone offering what organizers describe as fun and spooky activities for children, and admission is free for kids aged 8 and under. General admission runs between $20 and $25, with tickets available through the event's website. The schedule also includes an escape room, a DJ spinning Halloween and eerie-inspired music, karaoke, and what the event calls a “Monster Prom.”
Costume Contests Link to Sister Conventions
Scream Diego's costume contest is open to everyone and includes separate adult and kids divisions, with terror-themed prizes on the line. Winners don't just walk away with swag: prizes include tickets to upcoming events such as San Diego Anime Con, another gathering produced by the same organizing team at the same Mission Valley property. That cross-promotion reflects how the DoubleTree has become a recurring hub for Silk Road Productions' broader convention circuit in the corridor outside downtown San Diego.
Silk Road Productions was founded by San Diego event producer and humanitarian Dennis-Michael Broussard, who started the company during graduate school before growing it into a firm behind other major local gatherings like the San Diego Ramen Festival, according to SHOUTOUT SOCAL. The company has also received formal commendations from the U.S. Congress, the State of California, the County of San Diego and the City of San Diego for its community event production and cultural advocacy, per Silk Road Productions. Attendees with questions can reach the organizers by phone at 619-261-3524 or by email at [email protected]. As with any convention, dates and times are subject to change without notice.
A Boutique Con in a Booming Horror Market
Scream Diego's single-day, hotel-ballroom footprint stands in sharp contrast to San Diego's flagship pop-culture juggernaut. Comic-Con International draws more than 135,000 attendees annually and generates upward of $160 million in regional economic impact, and it recently extended its agreement to stay at the San Diego Convention Center through 2030, according to KPBS. Scream Diego occupies a different niche entirely, serving as an accessible, community-driven alternative built around regional creators rather than blockbuster crowds.
That said, the appetite for Halloween and horror entertainment is enormous and growing nationwide. The National Retail Federation found that nationwide Halloween consumer spending reached a record $13.1 billion, with per-person spending hitting an all-time high of $114.45 across costumes, decorations and candy. Against that backdrop, boutique gatherings like Scream Diego offer a hyper-local outlet for a genre whose fan base keeps expanding well beyond the last week of October.
