Santa Cruz’s 2025 Festival of Monsters Explores Horror Lore

The 2025 Festival of Monsters in Santa Cruz is set to engage audiences with a multi-day exploration of horror and monstrosity, featuring academic panels, public discussions, and interactive events. Hosted by the Center for Monster Studies at UC Santa Cruz, the festival will take place throughout October, highlighting the cultural significance of monsters in literature and society.

Delving Into Horror Lore

This year’s festival begins with a three-day academic conference focusing on themes of nourishment and monstrosity. Michael Chemers, founder and director of the center, noted that many discussions will center around the connections between monsters and themes such as cannibalism, vampires, and zombies. “A lot of the panels at the conference are going to be on eating and nourishment sustaining,” he explained.

Topics will also include the intersection of monstrosity and eugenics, the othering of marginalized groups, and the mythos surrounding figures like Cthulhu. A notable panel will analyze Ryan Coogler’s film “Sinners,” which explores the horror genre through the lens of two twin brothers confronting vampire threats in their hometown.

The conference will feature a public keynote address by David Livingstone Smith, a philosophy professor at the University of New England, on the dehumanization of others. This talk will take place at 17:30 on October 18 at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, and it is free for the public.

Keynote Speakers and Conference Activities

Additional keynote addresses will include Kimberly Lau, a literature professor at UC Santa Cruz, discussing her book “Specters of the Marvelous: Race and the Development of the European Fairy Tale” on October 19. The following day, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, dean of humanities at Arizona State University and a pioneer in monster theory, will speak on the evolution of this academic field, marking the 30th anniversary of his influential work.

The conference will culminate in a “Monsters Ball” costume party on October 20 at 20:30, providing attendees a chance to engage in the festive spirit of the season. All conference events will be held at the Digital Arts Research Center at 407 McHenry Road, with varying fees: free entry for current UC Santa Cruz students and faculty, and a fee of $225 for graduate students and independent scholars.

The festival extends into the community with several public events scheduled for October 21. A panel titled “Oh, the Horror!” will be hosted by Bookshop Santa Cruz, featuring authors Nat Cassidy, Alma Katsu, and Gretchen McNeil. This event will be moderated by UC Santa Cruz professor Renée Fox and starts at 11:00. Registration is free and available through Bookshop Santa Cruz’s website.

Additionally, graphic novelist Cole Lemke will host a signing session for his work “Savior: The Day the Devil Saved the World” at Atlantis Fantasyworld from 14:00 to 17:00. Lemke, known for his distinctive artwork, will also be joined by author Philip Lindsey.

For the first time, the festival will introduce roleplaying games into its programming, inspired by UC Santa Cruz game design professor Elizabeth Swensen. Attendees will have the opportunity to play “Dread” during the conference, while the public can participate in “Blood on the Clocktower” at Game Santa Cruz on October 18. This engaging murder mystery game involves players working collaboratively to uncover a demon before it wreaks havoc.

Tickets for “Blood on the Clocktower” are priced at $20. Chemers expressed hopes that participants will gain a deeper understanding of how monsters influence various aspects of life, from interpersonal relationships to broader societal issues. “They provide us with new ways of thinking about how we live in the world,” he said, emphasizing the educational potential of engaging with these themes.

The 2025 Festival of Monsters promises to deliver a rich tapestry of events that celebrate horror and its implications, drawing interest from academics, enthusiasts, and the general public alike. For further information, visit Monsterstudies.ucsc.edu.