Monster guests, horror reunions, ghost hunters: 9 best things at Lexington ScareFest

While the ScareFest Horror and Paranormal Convention has continued to grow since its inception 18 years ago, organizers remember the moment everything changed.

It was 2021, the first the event returned after taking a year off due to COVID. It was one of the first major public events in Lexington to come back after the pandemic and organizers were met with an overwhelming and almost frightening level of enthusiasm that launched the event into another stratosphere.

“We were like, if it was this good when we got caught back-footed, let’s plan for it,” said Adam Johnson, director of logistics.

“We doubled our crowd size that year,” said ScareFest media director Wes Forsythe. “We have grown every year since that year and ... that has put us in standings with the biggest (horror) conventions in the country.”

Now in its 17th year, ScareFest, which comes to Lexington Oct. 17 through Oct. 19, has become one of the top horror “cons” thanks to always wanting to get more and bigger celebrity guests, coming up with memorable fan experiences, consistent communication with its fan base (via social media and its show, ScareFest TV) and having true horror fans running the show wanting to give them the convention they themselves would want to attend.

“Now, it’s become the stuff of dreams,” Johnson said.

A Nightmare Gathering

Fans will once again be treated to a return appearance of Freddy Krueger himself Robert Englund from the iconic “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. And this year, he will be joined by a lot of company.

A wide range of the supporting cast (19 total) from six different “Nightmare on Elm Street” films ranging from the original film to “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare” will be there to meet fans and sign memorabilia, making it a horror film autograph seeker’s dream.

Looking Grimm

Fans of fantasy and horror were treated to something different when the police procedural “Grimm” premiered on NBC in 2011 incorporating elements and characters of the popular “Grimm’s Fairy Tales.” This year, ScareFest is reuniting some of that series’ most well-known characters, including David Giuntoli (Detective Nick Burkhardt), Silas Weir Mitchell (Monroe), Reggie Lee (Sergeant Drew Wu), Sasha Roiz (Captain Sean Renard), Bree Turner (Rosalee Calvert) and Douglas Tait (Skull Zerstörer.)

Monster Reunion

Next to the “Nightmare on Elm Street” reunion, the next prize for largest 2025 ScareFest reunion goes to the 11 cast members who will be coming together from the 1987 horror comedy “The Monster Squad,” which Johnson said was one of the most highly anticipated reunions with convention-goers when it was announced.

Love for Lewis

Whether you have seen her in “Cape Fear,” “Natural Born Killers” or more recently in the popular Showtime horror drama “Yellowjackets,” fans will have more than a few reasons to flock to actress Juliette Lewis as she makes her first-ever ScareFest appearance in Lexington.

“We absolutely got a lot of interest in her this year,” Forsythe said.

“I loved her in pretty much every movie she’s ever done,” Johnson said.

Scream and Scary In One

Shortly after David Arquette cemented himself in horror film lore as Dewey in the first “Scream” movie, his endearing character was parodied by actor Dave Sheridan as Doofy in the Wayans Brothers comedy “Scary Movie.”

This year, both Arquette and Sheridan will be in attendance to meet fans and provide a unique photo opportunity.

“I guarantee that will be one of the best-selling photo ops,” Forsythe said.

Wrestling Legends, Horror and Podcasts

ScareFest fans will get to experience a pair of popular podcasts recorded live.

Former WWE and current AEW superstar Chris Jericho (who has also starred in horror films and fronts the touring metal group Fozzy) will be meeting fans and recording his “Talk is Jericho” podcast while “Talk Scary to Me” hosted by scream queens Danielle Harris and Scout-Taylor Compton will also be recording in front a live audience with guests Heather Langenkamp, Jeremy Spencer and Robert Mukes.

Getting Lost

The vampire horror classic “The Lost Boys” from 1987 has become a classic and is almost peak ’80s for a variety of reasons, whether it’s Joel Schumacher’s direction, the appearance of “The Coreys” (Haim and Feldman), the soundtrack or its entire aesthetic.

This year, one of the film’s lead characters Jason Patric (Michael) and supporting players Jamison Newlander (Alan Frog) will be treating fans to an appearance this weekend.

Even More Reunions

Whether its organization or just a bit of luck, booking approximately 100 guests from across the horror film spectrum results in quite a few mini-reunions that provide an extra treat for convention attendees.

“All of these reunions seem to have their own clique of fans, if you will, and they are all very excited about the reunions,” Forsythe said.

For ScareFest 17, in addition to larger reunions from movies, some of the mini-reunions include:

• “Re-Animator”
• “My Bloody Valentine”
• “Friday the 13th: Part III”
• “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan”
• “Halloween III: Season of the Witch”
• “Subspecies”
• “Pumpkinhead”
• “Hellraiser”
• “The Return of the Living Dead”

The Extra Thrills

Part of what makes ScareFest a horror destination for fans nationwide and even internationally are the vendors, fan experiences and extra attractions and add-ons.

You can talk to reality-show ghost hunters and expert investigators in Paranormal Row, attend an independent horror film festival, do a bourbon tasting with slasher icons at Killers on the Rocks, survive a special escape room or gun down the undead in zombie laser tag.

However, this year’s festival will also allow fans access to the Warren Occult Museum, which features what Forsythe calls “the doll that started it all” — the Annabelle doll referenced in films popular films from “The Conjuring” universe.

“And no ... I’m not going to meet Miss Annabelle ... I’m good,” Johnson said.

ScareFest Horror and Paranormal Convention

When: Friday Oct. 17 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday Oct. 18 11 a.m. to 8 p.m, Sunday Oct. 19 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: $34-$44

Where: Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St.

Info: 859-567-9673, scarefestweekend.com