Panic Fest Announces Jam-Packed 2026 Lineup

The 14th annual horror film festival returns to Kansas City with over 130 features and shorts.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Panic Fest, the annual horror film festival in Kansas City, is set to return for its 14th year from April 9th. The festival will feature over 130 feature and short films, including world premieres, a Mystery Movie presentation, and a retro hangout space. Panic Fest will once again be a hybrid event, allowing both in-person and virtual attendance.

Why it matters

Panic Fest has become one of the premier horror film festivals in the Midwest, showcasing the latest and most innovative genre films. The diverse lineup reflects the festival's commitment to highlighting bold, fearless voices in horror cinema and providing a platform for both established and up-and-coming filmmakers.

The details

The 2026 Panic Fest lineup includes a number of high-profile titles, such as Damian McCarthy's Hokum, Curry Barker's Obsession, the action film The Furious, and Spider One's Big Baby. Other highlights include world premieres of films like The Voices of Our Mother, Don't Sleep Alone, Demonetize, and Ivan. Festivalgoers can also look forward to the annual Mystery Movie presentation, a live podcast recording, and a retro-themed hangout space called Rewind Video and Dive Bar.

  • Panic Fest will take place from April 9th, 2026.
  • The festival will run as a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual programming.

The players

Tim KC Canton

Panic Fest co-founder.

Adam Roberts

Panic Fest co-founder and Festival Director.

Panic Fest

An annual horror film festival in Kansas City, Missouri.

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What they’re saying

“Horror has always reflected the world back at us. Sometimes uglier, sometimes stranger, and always beautifully unhinged. We continue to embrace that chaos with our 2026 slate of films. We're proud to give a stage to filmmakers that shock, provoke, terrify, and occasionally make you laugh at the darkness by bringing the most fearless voices in the genre to Kansas City.”

— Tim KC Canton, Panic Fest co-founder

“Every year an inadvertent theme seems to emerge in the films we select, but this year has the widest variety of subjects, presentations and genres that we've ever shown. We have traditional horror offerings next to some of the weirdest, funniest, goriest films we've ever had to offer.”

— Adam Roberts, Panic Fest co-founder and Festival Director

What’s next

Tickets for Panic Fest 2026 are available on the festival's website, panicfilmfest.com.

The takeaway

Panic Fest continues to cement its reputation as one of the most exciting and diverse horror film festivals, showcasing a wide range of genre films that push the boundaries of the medium and reflect the current state of the horror landscape.