Ghoulish Book Festival 2025: Full Programming Schedule Announced

San Antonio’s Ghoulish Book Festival 2025: Everything You Need to Know

For horror lovers, writers, and fans of the macabre, Ghoulish Book Festival is an annual event celebrating the dark and eerie side of literature. Taking place in San Antonio, TX, the festival brings together horror authors, industry professionals, and readers for two days of panels, workshops, live readings, and interactive events. The event offers a mix of insightful discussions, book signings, and unique activities—including a spooky spelling bee and a live ghost tour.

The highly anticipated 2025 Ghoulish Book Festival is just over two weeks away, and the full programming schedule has now been revealed! Taking place on Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15, this two-day festival will offer an array of horror-focused panels, workshops, readings, and networking opportunities. If you haven’t already secured your badge, you can do so right here. A quick reminder: badges are only required for attending panels, workshops, and live readings. The vendor room and the Saturday Night Mass Author Signing will be open to the public.

Festival Venue & Layout

The festival will be held at the Hermann Sons Home Association Building, which features three floors of programming:

• Basement – Vendor room and bar (Vendors include: Ghoulish Books ~ Andrew Hilbert ~ Abby Goldsmith ~ Chris Panatier ~ Fighting Chupacabras Press ~ Elford Alley ~ House of Blood ~ Interstellar Flight Press ~ John Chambers ~ John Wayne Comunale ~ Justin Lutz ~ Last Girls Club ~ Lesly Julien ~ L.P. Hernandez (Sobelo Books) ~ Madness Heart Press ~ Miguel Myers ~ October Nights Press ~ Patrick Barb ~ Paul Avery Tindol ~ Rob Saucedo ~ Ryan C. Bradley ~ Sugar Clouds Gourmet Cotton Candy ~ Tenebrous Press ~ Weirdpunk Books)
• First Floor – Readings & workshops
• Second Floor – Panels, storytelling contest, and mass author signing

Friday, March 14 Schedule

10:00 AM | Registration for Badgeholders & Exclusive Shopping Time

• Badgeholders can collect their passes and get early access to the vendor room before it opens to the public.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | One-Location Horror (Panel)

• A discussion on why single-setting horror stories are so compelling.
• Moderator: John Chambers
• Panelists: Bob Pastorella, Chris Panatier, Paul Avery Tindol, Ryan C. Bradley

12:00 PM | Bookshop Opens to the Public

No badge necessary!

12:00 – 12:30 PM | Reading: Paul Avery Tindol & John Baltisberger

12:30 – 1:30 PM | Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:30 PM | Writer Pet Peeves (Panel)

• A humorous discussion on the common frustrations writers face.
• Moderator: Rebecca Rowland
• Panelists: Abby Goldsmith, Josh Rountree, Richard Santos, Susan Snyder

2:30 – 3:30 PM | The Kaiju Panel

• A deep dive into all things kaiju.
• Moderator: John Baltisberger
• Panelists: Rob Saucedo, Zach Chapman, Matt Blairstone, Juan Manuel Perez

2:30 – 3:30 PM | Doodle Daze (Workshop)

• A fun, stress-free doodling session with Andrew Hilbert.

3:30 – 4:00 PM | Reading: Chris Panatier & Ryan C. Bradley

4:00 – 5:00 PM | Intro to Indie Horror Publishing (Panel)

• A discussion on the world of indie horror publishing.
• Moderator: Justin Lutz
• Panelists: Jess Hagemann, L. P. Hernandez, Lori Michelle Booth, Matt Blairstone

5:00 – 5:30 PM | Reading: Susan Snyder & J. W. Donley

5:30 – 6:30 PM | At the End of This Panel, One of Us Has to Die

• A comedic debate about who should be “sacrificed” and how.
• Moderator: Chris Panatier
• Panelists: Justin Lutz, Andrew Hilbert, John Wayne Comunale, Zach Chapman

7:30 – 8:30 PM | The Spooky Spelling Bee

• Horror authors attempt to spell eerie words.

8:30 – 9:00 PM | Reading: Bob Pastorella & John Wayne Comunale

9:30 – 11:30 PM | Curious Twins Paranormal Ghost Tour (TICKETS REQUIRED)

• A haunted history tour of San Antonio’s Riverwalk.

Saturday, March 15 Schedule

10:00 AM | Bookshop Opens to the Public

10:00 – 11:00 AM | Kickstarter? I Hardly Know Her! (Panel)

• Tips on running a successful crowdfunding campaign.
• Moderator: Zach Chapman
• Panelists: Matt Blairstone, Alex Woodroe, John Baltisberger

11:00 – 11:30 AM | Reading: Abby Goldsmith & Michael Tichy

11:30 – 12:30 PM | The Art of Monsterf*cking (Panel) (18+ Only)

• A discussion about romance in horror, specifically with monsters.
• Moderator: Susan Snyder
• Panelists: John Baltisberger, Michael Louis Dixon, Abby Goldsmith

12:30 – 1:30 PM | The Horror Collectors’ Guide to Collecting (Panel)

• Insights into horror memorabilia and collections.
• Moderator: Miguel Myers
• Panelists: Michael Louis Dixon, Patrick Barb, Rob Saucedo

2:30 – 3:30 PM | GHOULMASTER (Panel)

• A panel of live challenges in an attempt to appease the Ghoulmaster.
• Moderator: Max Booth III

3:30 – 4:30 PM | Creating Art During the Apocalypse (Panel)

• A discussion on staying creative in difficult times.
• Moderator: Matt Brandenburg
• Panelists: Matthew Jackson, Patrick Barb, Josh Rountree, Richard Santos

5:00 – 6:00 PM | Mystery Panel!

• The topic of this panel is a surprise until it begins!

7:00 – 8:00 PM | Ghoulish Book Festival Clipshow Finale

• A look back at previous years of GBF.
• Moderator: Ryan C. Bradley
• Panelists: Matt Brandenburg, Michael Allen Rose, Andrew Hilbert, L.P. Hernandez

8:30 – 10:00 PM | Mass Author Signing & Live Music

• Open to the public! Meet horror authors and enjoy live music from Ak’chamel.

10:00 – 11:00 PM | The Annual Ghoulish Spooky Campfire Storytelling Contest

• Featuring spooky readings from Patrick Barb, L. P. Hernandez, Justin Lutz, and more!

Festival Details

• Location: Hermann Sons Home Association Building, 525 S. St. Marys, San Antonio, TX
• Parking: No parking available on Friday. Limited parking on Saturday.
• Hours:
  • Friday: Panels start at 10 AM; vendor room opens at 12 PM; activities end at 9 PM, followed by the ghost tour at 9:30 PM.
  • Saturday: Begins at 10 AM; vendor room closes at 6 PM; activities end at 11 PM.
• COVID Guidelines: Vaccination and masks encouraged but not required.

For more information, visit the Facebook Events Page, join the Ghoulish Discord, or email [email protected].

Via: Ghoulish