Anyone looking for even more scares this Halloween season should stop by Bleedingham, Bellingham’s annual horror film festival. From Oct. 24-26, attendees can enjoy horror to the max with fun events happening throughout downtown Bellingham. Run by Gary Washington, Michelle Barklind, and Langley West, Bleedingham has been a passion project since 2012.
Photograph courtesy of Bleedingham
“We decided, hey, there’s a lot of stuff in town, but there’s no horror,” Washington says. “It’s not like we want just horror and blood and stuff, we just wanted to be able to have fun and joke around and do something.”
The festival has since expanded, now garnering almost 150 film entries each season. And as it’s grown, Bleedingham still hasn’t forgotten about its community. Audience members who attend any of the film screenings have the chance to receive prizes from local Bellingham businesses.
Photograph courtesy of Bleedingham
The festival spans three days, beginning with the Night Gallery, a gothic-themed masquerade party, with some vendors mixed in throughout. The next two days are filled with film screenings, award ceremonies, and panels with experienced filmmakers.
Diehard horror fans should also make sure to check out Bleedingham’s “Beyond Washington” set, where filmmakers from out of state get the chance to showcase their work on the last day of the festival.
“There is some really scary stuff in there, year after year, consistently,” Washington says. “It’s the best of everything that’s not in our state.”
Dates, times, and more information about Bleedingham can be found on their website. Bellingham, bleedingham.com
