BEYOND FEST Expands to Chicago

Beyond Fest, the largest genre film festival in the United States, is proud to announce its first geographical expansion. Built in partnership with Chicago’s iconic Music Box Theatre, this new evolution of Beyond Fest will take place April 2–5, 2026, bringing four days of all-killer-no-filler, cinematic excess and celebration. 

Submissions for Beyond Chicago are now open through FilmFreeway, inviting filmmakers from around the globe — especially those from Chicago, the Midwest, and the Great Lakes region — to bring their wildest, weirdest, and most uncompromising visions to screen with one of the nation’s most passionate film communities. 

Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? at BEYOND FEST

Beyond Fest, the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, is excited to announce the premiere event of Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? The three-part limited series event sees the return of the Midnight Society, with Beyond Fest bowing the first two episodes on Monday, Oct. 7. Courtesy of Nickelodeon, the special screening is an all-ages, family-friendly event built specifically for fans young and old and free to all guests with tickets obtained via RSVP (seating is subject to availability on a first-come, first-serve basis, details below).

Following the screening will be a special Are You Afraid of the Dark? panel with stars Lyliana Wray, Sam Ashe Arnold, Miya Cech and Jeremy Ray Taylor, ACE Entertainment’s Spencer Berman, writer BenDavid Grabinski, and director Dean Israelite. Berman, Grabinski and Israelite all serve as executive producers. The Are You Afraid of the Dark? panel will be followed by a 35mm screening of the ‘80s thrill-ride, The Gate, a film specially selected based on its shared sensibilities with the limited series.