Festival of Frights is Gearing Up For a 5th Year of Scary Fun in Illinois

The Festival of Frights has become a beloved Halloween tradition for families in the Rockford area, and its fifth year of spooky fun is almost ready to begin!

What Is the 'Festival of Frights'?

Thousands of people flock to Rockford's 'Festival of Lights' during the Christmas season at Sinnissippi Park, and the 'Festival of Frights' is basically its spookier, younger sister that grows bigger every single year.

2023 marks the fifth year of Rockford's Festival of Frights and your family will be delighted to drive through cool Halloween displays of lights, pumpkins, straw figures, and more set up by local businesses and organizations throughout Sinnissippi Park.

The Festival of Frights committee has been working hard all year long raising money to make this year's Halloween display even bigger and better, but giving back to Rockford area families in need is their biggest inspiration.

Festival of Frights' Mission

The Festival of Frights began in 2019 with two main goals in mind; to provide a family-friendly Halloween experience for the entire Rockford area, and to raise money to buy Halloween costumes for children in need.

Just like its older sister, the Festival of Lights, the Festival of Frights is free to drive through and enjoy, but dropping some money in the donation bin at the end is highly encouraged.

Thanks to the generosity of the Rockford community, the Festival of Frights has been able to provide hundreds of Halloween costumes for kids in need, and they are hoping to be able to provide even more in 2023.

When Does the Festival of Frights Open?

The 2023 Festival of Frights will officially open on Saturday, October 21, and it will run nightly from dusk until 9 p.m. through Halloween (October 31).

Festival of Frights saw record attendance numbers in 2022, so you better plan on waiting in line to get in, especially on the weekends. I promise the display will be worth the wait, but you better bring some things that will entertain the kiddos so you don't have to deal with a bunch of whining on top of traffic.