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 Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2011 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. 21 - 22, 2011 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 Feb 18 -19, 2012   creationent.com
   
• Downey Late Night Horror Film Festival Sept. 28 - 30, 2011 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 Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival Oct. 23 -25, 2011 hollywoodawards.com
  Hollywood Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Festival features both films from emerging filmmakers and film masters, and special events and parties that will celebrate and honor genre filmmaking. The Film Festival is hosted at state-of-art Arclight Theatres in Hollywood for a 13th annual, weeklong series of screenings, competitions, awards, and other unique festivities.
   
• Hollywood Shock Film Festival November 12 -13, 2011 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 14 - 23, 2011 screamfestla.com
  Grauman's Mann Chinese 6 Theatres, Los Angeles, CA
  Festival pass $200 -300
  Screamfest sees Rose McGowan, Katherine Flynn in new horror films, Ten fright-filled days of films. Screamfest is one of the greatest contributors to the horror film industry. 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 Sept 29-Oct 2, 2011 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.
   
• Los Angeles Midnight Black International Festival of Darkness   midnightblackinternational.com
  It's so dark, we can't figure out if there's a festival.
   
• Los Angeles Bleedfest Film Festival September 25, 2011  bleedfest.com
  Not necessarily horror films, this event is about women producers, but the name ties in with the blood and horror theme.
   
• North Hollywood ZedFest Zombie Film Festival Nov. 7, 2011 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 Oct. 20 - 23, 2011 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.