WORCESTER – A film festival born in Worcester will move to the DCU Center for its third annual event in 2026 on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22.
The first Dead of Winter Horror Festival took place in 2024 at Mechanics Hall. Ticket sales increased by around 65 percent in 2025, which was also at Mechanic’s Hall. The festival focuses on highlighting the work of independent filmmakers from New England who filmed their productions in the region.
In 2025, the festival selected 27 short films for screening during the event, including 10 making their world premiere. It also featured seven panel discussions, several cosplayers, over 60 vendors, and appearances by the cast of the original Toxic Avenger.
Organizers of the 2026 event announced seven guest appearances and eight vendors confirmed for the event thus far. The selection committee expects to announce the film lineup for 2026 in early February.
Tickets are now on sale. A single-day pass is $20 with two-day passes at $40. The VIP package is $75. Vendor table reservations are also available now.
(Note: John Keough, a contributor to This Week in Worcester, is part of the Dead of Winter organizing team.)
