Highlands Horrorfest 2025: Appalachian Frights Take Center Stage in Jonesborough

This October, the historic Jackson Theater in Jonesborough, Tennessee, will be overtaken by shadows, screams and stories as the fourth annual Highlands Horrorfest lights up the silver screen with regional horror films. Set for Oct. 11, the one-night festival continues a growing tradition that celebrates the dark, the uncanny and the uniquely Appalachian.

The festival begins with doors opening at 6 p.m. and screenings at 7 p.m., hosted by local entertainer and emcee Big Daddy Voodoo. Supported by a grant from the ETSU College of Business & Technology, the competitive event features films from across the Appalachian Highlands. At night’s end, the Best of the Fest winner will receive a $1,000 prize, following a costume contest and awards ceremony. Admission is free, though seating in the Jackson Theater’s 300-seat venue is limited.

Haunted Roots

For Founder and Director Jake VanHuss, Highlands Horrorfest grew from a simple idea in 2022: why not make East Tennessee a home for horror?

“Back in 2022, I was on tenure track and looking for projects to take on,” said VanHuss, an ETSU assistant professor and award-winning writer and filmmaker. “I’d always been into horror films, and I thought, why not here? When I lived in Nashville, haunted houses and Halloween events were everywhere. But in this region, we didn’t have something like that. So, I started talking to folks, got some screenings together, and it just grew from there.”

That first modest showing at the Wallace Theater in Johnson City ignited momentum. With grants, community partners and a rotating crew of students and alumni, Highlands Horrorfest became a full-fledged competitive festival. Awards were handcrafted by faculty collaborators, posters designed by local artists and filmmakers interviewed in makeshift press corners.

“It became this collective effort,” said VanHuss. “My dad even makes the bases for the awards every year. It’s a lot of people pitching in to make something bigger than ourselves.”

Jonesborough, already home to the world-famous National Storytelling Festival, offered the perfect stage. “Filmmakers are storytellers too,” VanHuss said. “A lot of Appalachian horror comes straight from oral traditions—tales of spirits, woods and creatures passed down for generations. That culture is so rich and it deserves a spotlight.”

On the Big Screen

This year’s lineup offers a buffet of frights, from psychological slow burns to blood-soaked spectacles.

2025 Highlands Horrorfest Official Selections

• It Comes at Night — Christopher Ward & Scottie Moore

• Golem — Josh Lively

• Fragments — Paul Fine

• End of Life Potion — DonnaTina Charles

• Sin Eater — Corey Simpson

• Pucking Fuppet — Murphy Diddle

• Opposable — Peter Neppi

• SycoPsilico: Vice Sacrifice — Tyler Payne

• Panic Association — Dustin Winters, Marilyn Cere & Robert Pierce

• To Fair Winds & Followed Waters — Dalton Turner

• To Love a Monster — Joey Carrier

• Lilly — Allen C. Lopez

• O’ Black Water — Jalyn Weston

• Hereafter — Jake VanHuss

“This year we’ve really got something for everyone,” VanHuss said. “It’s an interesting buffet for all horror palates.”

Built by Community

The festival thrives on community spirit. Local artist and filmmaker Dylan Rutherford designs posters, soundscapes and award elements. Businesses contribute signage and merchandise, while volunteers, faculty and students keep things running behind the scenes.

Challenges have shaped the festival as much as successes. Last year, when a visiting filmmaker canceled, organizers surprised the crowd with a screening of Pumpkinhead. Attendees showed up in formal wear, transforming the night into a tongue-in-cheek “Hollywood premiere.”

“It showed me why we do this—the joy it brings, the community it creates,” VanHuss said.

Looking ahead, VanHuss hopes to grow Highlands Horrorfest into a multi-day destination event, with screenwriting competitions, live table reads, dark art shows and even a battle of the bands.

“I’d love for it to be something people travel here for,” he said. “We could make it special.”

The Stage

The Jackson Theater itself adds to the festival’s allure. Located at 121 W. Main Street, the fully restored historic venue now operates as a film house, theater and music venue—a cultural hub in the heart of downtown Jonesborough. Its Gothic charm and Appalachian setting make it a fitting home for a festival dedicated to shadows and folklore.

A Dark Tradition

The Highlands Horrorfest will again transform Jonesborough into a haven for fright fans, filmmakers and storytellers. For VanHuss, it remains what it has always been: a grassroots celebration of horror and Appalachian creativity.

“It’s about sharing stories,” he said. “Some scary, some strange, but all of them ours.”

Festival details and updates are available through the Jackson Theater website.