California hosts hundreds of film festivals throughout the year but there's really no bigger fan base than those who devour the horror/sci-fi film genre. September through November are popular months  to roll out the blood-red carpet for film festivals honoring the latest and best in scare movies.

Hollywood and Los Angeles are the epi-center of the action, but there are festivals throughout California to celebrate the Halloween season's arrival.  Here's a sampling of exciting horror film festivals coming to California:

• Big Bear Horro-Fi Film Festival May 18-19, 2013 bigbearhorrorfilmfest.com
  As if three days of watching horror and science fiction films weren't reason enough to attend the Big Bear Horro-Fi Film Festival, organizers have also lined up a series of workshops during the Festival Weekend designed to teach, entertain and inspire. Drawing from various industry backgrounds including film production, screenwriting, journalism, music, special effects makeup, even the laws concerning filmmaking, the workshops offer something for everyone.
  Performing Arts Center (PAC) 39707 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 (909) 866-4970
  Cost: $15 - 99
   
• Brea Everybody Dies Horror Film Festival Oct. 12 & 13, 2012 everybodydiesfilmfest.com
  Brea Plaza 5 Cinemas
  453 S. Associated Rd
  Brea California 92821
  Everybody Dies Horror Film Festival delivers the best in indie horror to one of the most terrifying places in the world: Orange County, California. Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers, this new two-night fest presents shorts, trailers and feature films displaying everything from brain-chompin' zombies to knife-wieldin' crazy killers, all hosted by our mistress of ceremony, the super sexy psychopath Machete Betty. With heavy local and internet promotion, the festival is designed to put the filmmakers in the spot light. To paraphrase the nanny before she hanged herself in THE OMEN, "It's all for you, filmmakers!" Awards for Best Feature, Best Short and Best Trailer will be voted on by the audience.
   
• Burbank Creation Entertainment's Weekend of Horrors    creationent.com 
  Twilight Saga "The Final Journey" November 3-4, 2012 The Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel 2500 North Hollywood Way Burbank, California 91505
  They say all good things must come to an end and so it is with this three year long The Twilight Saga: Official Convention Tour.
   
• Downey Late Night Horror Film Festival Oct. 13 & 20, 2012 latenighthorrorfilmfest.com
  The festival will be held during the commencement of witching season at various venues throughout Downey, CA, and will feature over 20 horror films.
   
• Hollywood Shock Film Festival November 16-17, 2012  shockfilmfest.com
  Shockfest has always been a home for special performances of all kinds, from lyrical to super sultry. Something about the blood and gore just makes people want to strut their stuff!
   
• Hollywood Screamfest Horror Film Festival October 12-21, 2012  screamfestla.com
  Grauman's Mann Chinese 6 Theatres, Los Angeles, CA
  Festival pass $154; Individual shows $10 approx. Screamfest was formed in August 2001 by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in order to give filmmakers and writers in the horror/sci-fi genres a venue to have their work showcased to people in the industry.
   
• Hollywood Shriekfest Oct. 4-7, 2012  shriekfest.com
  Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Ave Hollywood CA 90028
  Shriekfest is an international festival and screenplay competition that receives submissions from all over the world. The festival is dedicated to getting horror thriller sci-fi fantasy filmmakers and screenwriters the recognition they deserve.
   
• Midnight Black International Festival of Darkness   midnightblackinternational.com
  It's so dark, we can't figure out if there's a festival.
   
• North Hollywood ZedFest Zombie Film Festival October 27, 2012, 5 p.m. zedfest.org
  Zed Fest was founded by Ed Stephens to support and encourage independent low budget filmmaking outside the Hollywood System. NoHo Actor's Studio, North Hollywood, CA
   
• Sacramento Horror Film Festival  sachorrorfilmfest.com
  Historical Colonial Theatre
  3522 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 9582
  Sacramento Horror Film Festival is much more an intimate experience than going to the megaplex. When you purchase tickets to a show you can potentially meet the filmmakers and cast and crew of the films you are about to watch. Other mediums of entertainment such as performance art, comedy, and live music are sometimes thrown into the mix.
   
• San Diego Horrible Imaginings Film Festival November 10 &11, 2012  hifilmfest.com
  Horrible Imaginings Film Festival | Horror Films in San Diego, CA  Horrible Imaginings Film Festival is the first horror film festival in San Diego, California. We celebrate horror and its sub-genres by showcasing new and independent artists
   
• San Francisco Star Trek Convention. Creation Entertainment  event held Friday - Sunday November 16-18, 2012 Westin St. Francis Hotel 335 Powell St. San Francisco, CA 94102   creationent.com