The Halloween Festival and Carnival of Darkness Film Festival return October 16–17, bringing two days of frightening fun to downtown Washington during the Smoke on the Water barbecue festival!
The weekend will feature live music, international sci-fi and horror films, Creepy Karaoke, Halloween vendors, haunted-history presentations, costume contests, scare experiences, and the planned premiere of the locally produced horror film Suppertime III: The Final Course.
Friday, October 16: Horror Show VI
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the Monster Dance Party, followed by Horror Show VI—a wild Halloween variety show hosted by Bloodcurdling Brandon and featuring talented actors, musicians, singers, and dancers from across North Carolina.
Scheduled performers and guests include Carolina Still, Monsters on Main, Queen Anne’s Revenge, the Haunted Pamlico Dancers, members of the Tar River Players, Charlotte’s Post Mortem Players, and more to be announced.
Throughout the evening, guests can expect roaming monsters, ghostly guides, puppetry, multimedia presentations, hidden actors, candy, and plenty of surprises. The evening will also include an adult costume contest sponsored by The Stubborn Mule and the planned premiere of Suppertime III: The Final Course, featuring live music and unexpected appearances from members of the cast.
Friday Schedule
6:00 p.m. – Doors open and Monster Dance Party begins
Adult costume contest registration at the Alternative Stage booth
Children’s craft table, vendors, concessions, scare experiences, and roaming monsters
Planned debut of Haunting Eastern North Carolina, with signed copies available
Halloween-themed raffle
6:45 p.m. – Adult costume contest winners announced
7:20 p.m. – Carolina Still begins performing
7:30 p.m. – Opening remarks from Bloodcurdling Brandon
Performances by Carolina Still, the Haunted Pamlico Dancers, Queen Anne’s Revenge, the Post Mortem Players, and other special guests
Planned premiere of Suppertime III: The Final Course
9:30 p.m. – Evening concludes
Scheduled vendors include Awake Productions, Alternative Stage, McCabe’s Costumes, and Back from the Dead Collectibles.
Saturday, October 17: Films, Haunted History & Family Activities
Saturday’s festivities run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and feature sci-fi, horror, and suspense films selected from hundreds of submissions to the Carnival of Darkness competition. Vendors, concessions, raffles, Creepy Karaoke, haunted-history presentations, and roaming monsters will continue throughout the day.
Saturday Schedule
10:00 a.m. – Doors open and film screenings begin
11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – Haunted History presentations in the Gallery; each presentation lasts approximately one hour
12:00 p.m. – Creepy Karaoke begins and alternates with Haunted History
1:00 p.m. – Children’s costume contest registration begins in the play area on the west side of Stewart Parkway
1:30 p.m. – Children’s costume contest judging
1:45 p.m. – Children’s costume contest awards
4:00 p.m. – Filmmaker and screenwriter awards ceremony and raffle drawing
5:00 p.m. – Festival closes
Tickets
One-day passes are $10 per person and are available through the Carnival of Darkness page on FilmFreeway. All ticket proceeds support the nonprofit organization Alternative Stage/Haunted Pamlico.
Arts of the Pamlico will offer concessions in the entrance hall, including beer, wine, soft drinks, candy, and bottled water.
Content Advisory
Saturday’s film screenings are not recommended for young children. Guests age 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Some films may contain violence, strong language, frightening content, and rapidly flashing images.
For questions, email hauntedpamlico1@gmail.com or visit hauntedpamlico.com.