Ninety-six independent horror films are descending on Little Five Points this weekend as the Atlanta Horror Film Festival kicks off its 20th anniversary run. The four-day event takes over 7 Stages Theatre and other venues in the neighborhood from Thursday through Sunday, packing in feature films, shorts, filmmaker meet-and-greets and parties for fans of the genre.
As CBS News Atlanta reports, the festival is bringing its full slate of scary movies to the neighborhood for four days of screenings, filmmaker meet-and-greets and parties. Organizers describe it as Georgia's original horror film festival, and 2026 marks its 20th anniversary, according to the event's official website. The festival says this year's lineup of 96 films includes six feature films and nine themed shorts programs.
Two Decades of Scares in Little Five Points
The Atlanta Horror Film Festival was founded in 2006, according to Georgia Entertainment, making this year's edition a milestone for an event that has grown well beyond a simple movie screening. Programming this year spans feature films, shorts, horror comedies, filmmaker Q&As, panels, mixers, late-night parties and the Saturday Horror Crawl, per the festival's own schedule. Filmmakers, directors and cast members are expected to be in attendance throughout the weekend, according to ArtsATL's event listing.
The festival has also expanded its footprint beyond the theater itself. Georgia Entertainment notes that the event extends into special events throughout Little Five Points, including filmmaker mixers, after-parties each night and the Saturday Horror Crawl through the neighborhood. The festival is also part of a broader Atlanta Film Series that is marking 25 years of independent film in Atlanta this year, according to 7 Stages Theatre.
Tickets, Online Screenings and Pricing
For those who can't make it to a screening in person, the festival site lists a full-day pass at $25, with single feature or shorts program tickets running $13 in advance or $15 at the door. Viewers who miss the in-person run will get another chance: a separate online selection of the festival's films is scheduled to stream on FestFlix.tv from Oct. 5 through Oct. 19, following the conclusion of the live festival, according to Georgia Entertainment.
More Halloween Happenings on the Horizon
The horror festival isn't the only spooky-season draw planned for Little Five Points this month. The neighborhood is set to host a separate Halloween Festival and Parade on Oct. 17 and 18, according to Creative Loafing. That event is billed as a two-day celebration with more than 100 art vendors, along with ghost tours, a monster sticker hunt, live music and a parade. Admission to the Halloween Festival and Parade is free, according to FOX 5 Atlanta, giving Little Five Points two distinct horror-themed gatherings within the same month.
