Your guide to Mad Monster Party Arizona 2025: Tickets, schedule and more

It’s a killer time to be into all things creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky, especially in Arizona. Horror fandom is spreading faster than some zombie outbreak. Since the pandemic, interest in the genre has blown up like Chucky at the end of “Child’s Play.” In 2023, horror films sucked up more than $1.9 billion worldwide, according to the Washington Post, doubling their pre-pandemic earnings with U.S. box office totals scaring up $962 million.

Not bad for a genre that used to lurk in the shadows

Locally, the Valley has been embracing the macabre with gusto in recent years. Shops like Chandler’s Terror Trader and Glendale’s Evil Izzy’s Emporium have popped like a reanimated villain, catering to the ever-growing legion of horror fanatics. Events ranging from film screenings to full-blown convention has also increased across metro Phoenix, proving the desert heat hasn’t dried up the appetite for chills.

That includes the hordes of locals that haunt Mad Monster Party Arizona, the longest-running horror con in metro Phoenix. The weekend-long event at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel has become a staple of horror fandom in Arizona since debuting in 2014, celebrating the genre and bringing slasher icons like Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund to town. Its put on by Mad Monster, the North Carolina-based entertainment company co-founded by indie horror film producer Eben McGarr that has staged similar events in cities like Chicago, New Orleans and L.A. since 2012.

Mad Monster spokesperson Tony Cadwell told Phoenix New Times via email that the company began coming to the Valley due to locals' insatiable lust for horror.

“(It was) due to overwhelming requests from both fans and celebs who wanted a resident horror party in Arizona,” Cadwell told Phoenix New Times.

Mad Monster Party Arizona features appearances by a multitude of celebrity guests connected with horror, ranging from actors to musicians like Skinny Puppy co-founder Nivek Orge. There’s also hundreds of vendors and late-night programming like “scaraoke” and rock concerts. As with any con, cosplayers are also legion.
Cadwell says Mad Monster Party Arizona has doubled in size over the past 11 years to approximately 85,000 square feet and several thousands people in attendance. He credits the events success to their connection with the Valley’s horror fandom community and well as the genre’s recent surge in popularity.

“(Horror) has always been a preferred route of escapism for creative, thoughtful misfits,” he says.

This weekend, local misfits and horror fans will turn out at Mad Monster Party Arizona 2025 to pose for photos and interact with icons like Englund, “Scream” star David Arquette, Linda Blair from “The Exorcist” and renowned character actor Brad Dourif, best known for voicing Chucky in the “Child’s Play” series.

What else should local ghouls expect at this year’s con? Here’s a guide to Mad Monster Party Arizona with all the gory details.

When and where is Mad Monster Party Arizona?

Mad Monster Party Arizona 2025 is Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13 at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel, 9495 W. Entertainment Blvd. in Glendale.

What time is Mad Monster Arizona?

Here are the official hours of Mad Monster 2025:

• Friday, 6 to 11 p.m.
• Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Late-night activities like concerts and the annual "scaraoke" sessions will run until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Mad Monster Party Arizona 2025 tickets

Tickets for Mad Monster Party Arizona are available at madmonster.com/az25. (Prices at the door are more expensive and only cash will be accepted.) Admission covers entry to the event only and does not include autographs or photo ops, which must be purchased separately. Here’s a complete breakdown of Mad Monster advance ticket prices:

• Friday pass: $35
• Saturday pass: $45
• Sunday pass: $35
• Weekend pass: $80
• Children 12 and under: free with a paid adult admission

R.I.P. passes, which are Mad Monster’s version of VIP admission, are officially sold out.

Who can attend Mad Monster?

Anyone. Mad Monster Party Arizona is an all-ages event. It leans heavily into horror, a genre known for its intensity and extremes. Like the goriest slasher flicks, some content may not be suitable for youngsters, so parental discretion is advised.

Where is the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel?

The hotel is next to Westgate Entertainment District on 95th Avenue between Maryland Avenue and Entertainment Boulevard. If you're driving, use the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway and exit at Cardinals Way. Go east to 95th Avenue and then head north.

Parking

Good news, ghouls: You won’t have to pay to stash your Munster Koach or Mystery Machine, as Westgate has free parking spaces in multiple lots. The bad news? Things are typically busy on weekends, so you may need to search for a spot.

Mad Monster Party Arizona bag policy

Any sort of bag is allowed at Mad Monster, including purses and backpacks.

2025 Mad Monster Party Arizona guests

This year’s Mad Monster guest roster includes famous names from horror, rock ‘n’ roll and even pro wrestling. Here’s the full list of confirmed celebrities scheduled to appear:

• Robert Englund (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”)
• David Arquette (“Scream”)
• Linda Blair (“The Exorcist”)
• Brad Dourif (“Child’s Play”)
• Pam Grier (“Scream Blacula Scream”)
• Kane Hodder (“Friday the 13th”)
• Ronee Blakley (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”)
• Kevin Dillon (“Entourage”)
• Bill Johnson (“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”)
• Saraya (WWE/AEW superstar)
• Fiona Dourif (“Child’s Play”)
• Ken Kirzinger (“Freddy vs. Jason”)
• Chase Williamson (“John Dies at the End”)
• Traci Lords (“Shock 'Em Dead”)
• Michael Paré (“Eddie and the Cruisers”)
• Adrienne King (“Friday the 13th”)
• Danielle Harris (“Halloween 4”)
• Toy Newkirk (“A Nightmare on Elm Street 4”)
• Nivek Ogre (Skinny Puppy co-founder)
• Amanda Wyss (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”)
• Elizabeth De Razzo ("The Greasy Strangler”)
• Brooke Bundy (“A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”)
• Wayne “The Honky Tonk Man” Farris (WWE legend)

How much are celebrity autographs and photo ops?

It varies by guest and whether it’s a professional photo op or a selfie at their table. Case in point: pro photo ops will range from $65 to $275 or more this year. Some celebrities, such as Englund, will even suit up in costume for fan photos, though those are typically more expensive. Photo ops can also be purchased in advance.

How long will the line be for Robert Englund?

Expect a wait, and a long one at that. Englund is this year’s biggest guest and a major draw for Mad Monster Party. Many congoers will be lining up for the chance to meet and snap a photo with the horror icon, so plan accordingly. Some have even joked on social media that the line already started last weekend.

Mad Monster Arizona vendors

Mad Monster Party Arizona’s exhibitor hall inside the Solana A ballroom will host a teeming horde of more than 160 vendors. Many will be of a spooky or horror-related focus, including lifestyle brand Almost Ghosts, indie studio Severin Films and local artist Crooked Jaw Creations. Others are more geeky in nature, like Tempe retailer Polar Bear’s Pop Culture Shop or Moreno’s repertory film series Cult Classics. The complete list of vendors is available here.

Elsewhere, local haunted house Terror in Tolleson will get a jump on the Halloween season with a scaled-down version of their annual attraction populated by creepy characters. Owner Isaac Pacheco says they won’t skimp on scares.

Cosplay at Mad Monster Party Arizona

Mad Monster Party is ultimately a geek event, so cosplay is guaranteed. Expect to encounter costumes inspired by horror films, video games, television shows and anime. And if the looks we’ve seen at the con in recent years are any indication, the costumes will be scary good. The weekend’s best outfits will be showcased during the annual cosplay contest from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday in the panel room.

Late night events

It’s called a “party” for a reason. Nighttime activities go well past the witching hour on Friday and Saturday, so pace yourself. The Mad Monster After Dark Show runs from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and serves as an after-party, complete with music and entertainment. Saturday will include The Phantom A.D. dishing out “ghoulish rock ‘n’ roll” (read: surf, garage and rockabilly) at 8:15 p.m., followed by a set from the costume-clad cover band A Nightmare on ‘80s Street. Mad Monster’s annual “scaraoke” sesh cranks up at midnight. Good luck hitting those high notes in full costume.