Experience the Spooktacular Festival of Frights at Sinnissippi Park

One of the Rockford area's favorite Halloween traditions, the Festival of Frights, returns this weekend, and the chance to help families in need returns with it.

What Is the Festival of Frights?

The Festival of Frights began in 2018 with the mission of providing free Halloween entertainment for Rockford area families, and since that time it has grown bigger and better every year.

Just like the massively popular Christmas tradition, the Festival of Lights, businesses and organizations throughout the Stateline area donate money or time to turn Sinnissippi Park into a spook-tastically decorated drive-through Halloween light show that is completely free to attend.

If seeing cool Halloween displays isn’t enough reason to go, consider this: all donations received during the event are used to provide Halloween costumes for kids in the community who need them.

When Is the Festival of Frights Open?

The Festival of Frights at Sinnissippi Park opens for the 2025 season on Friday, October 24 and runs nightly from dusk until 9 p.m. through October 31.

In addition to light displays lining the one-mile-long trail, (including several new things to see this year), the Festival of Frights features straw displays and is a great place for kids to grab treats on Halloween night.

One word of warning before you go: lines of cars waiting to drive through the display can get long. Please be patient and allow extra time. I've found packing treats and playing fun Halloween tunes in the car keeps my kids happy while we wait.