Extended programming is now essentially complete – pending last-minute issues. Feast your eyes!

For the list of 2026 core programming, go here.

2026 EXTENDED PROGRAMMING

Please note: Some events will be open to the General Public (as noted below). Unless otherwise noted, events require a convention pass – either single day or full pass.

REGISTRATION – Registration during the convention will take place at the GRADUATE Hotel, second floor landing. Please print out your Eventbrite pass or ticket (which will be automatically emailed to you) or have it on your smartphone, ready to scan, and bring to the registration table to redeem for your badge, etc.

Registration is Thursday Noon – 5pm, Friday 8am – 6pm, Saturday 8am – 5pm, and Sunday 9am – 3pm

VENDOR HALL – Over 60 vendors await you in the Omni Hotel’s Narragansett Ballroom, Friday and Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 11am-5pm.  Check out the full list of 2026 vendors here – coming imminently!

For the list of 2026 core programming, go here.

Grab a downloadable 2026 schedule grid, right here: TBA

ALL ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING 2026 — now locked in…

WEDNESDAY – August 12 2026

Noon to 5:00 pm – ARS NECRONOMICA: A Call into the Abyss Group Art Exhibition – AS220’s Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street, 2nd floor, 02903  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free to all)
Over 20 artists are featured in this three-week showcase of some of the finest in weird art. More information can be found at the Ars Necronomica page. The opening reception will be Thursday night.

7:00pm to 10:00pm – NecronomiCon Welcome PRE-PARTY – Narragansett Brewery (271 Tockwotton Street – India Point – Providence, 02903)   OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC
This is a welcoming party for early-arriving NecronomiCon attendees. It’s also a special launch of Narragansett’s re-released Colour out of Space IPA, a perfect summer brew. We may even have a little open-mic where folks are encouraged to share their own pieces, covers, and fan fiction. Come and take part or just have a drink and hang out with friends old and new. ‘Gansett will be providing special weird food dishes, as well as great beers and a special place to hang out right on the Providence harbor. The brewery is ~2 miles from the Graduate Hotel – a five minute drive or 30 minute walk along the Providence River.
GENERAL PUBLIC welcome. 

THURSDAY – August 13

Noon to 5:00pm – ARS NECRONOMICA: A Call into the Abyss Group Art Exhibition – AS220’s Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street, 2nd floor, 02903  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)
Over 20 artists are featured in this three-week showcase of some of the finest in weird art. More information can be found at the Ars Necronomica page. The opening reception will be Thursday night, from 6-8pm.

All day – FILM SCREENINGS – see separate schedule! – RISD 20 Washington Place Auditorium.  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC ($10/day for general public)

All day – WALKING TOURS of Lovecraft-related sites around Providence – Separate ticket $15 – see Walking Tour page for details

Noon to 5pm – REGISTRATION open at the Graduate Hotel, 2^nd Floor landing. Beat the crowds and come early!

1:30 to 3:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, The Call of Cthulhu LIVE performed by Andrew Leman and Chris Bozzone – Black Box / AS220, 95 Empire Street, Providence 02903 
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu,” acclaimed voice actor Andrew Leman delivers a gripping live reading accompanied by an original score performed by soundtrack composer Chris Bozzone. Blending atmospheric narration with haunting live music, this special performance brings Lovecraft’s landmark tale of cosmic horror to life in an immersive experience. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

3:30 to 4:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, “Casting the Runes” by M.R. James – Black Box / AS220, 95 Empire Street, Providence 02903 
Meet the unforgettable Abbot of Lufford, Mr. Karswell – magic lanternist, historian of the occult, and scourge of the academic establishment. M R James’s classic tale of terror is perhaps best known for being the source for the classic 1950s horror film ‘Night of the Demon.’ Performed by Robert Lloyd Parry. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

5:00pm to Midnight – Weird GAMING – Graduate Hotel, 17th and 18^th floors. See separate schedule

5:00 to 6:00pm – WELCOME CEREMONY – The First Baptist Church in America, 75 N. Main St. 02903   OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)
Guests of Honor, and local historians and luminaries, will welcome attendees to this historic and symbolic Providence landmark. Barnaby Evans, executive director of WaterFire, will emcee, and world-renowned organist Gigi Mitchell-Velasco will provide a musical accompaniment to the ceremony.

6:00 to 8:00pm – ARS NECRONOMICA Art Exhibition, OPENING RECEPTION – AS220’s Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street, 2nd floor, 02903     OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)
This is the official reception for the 2026 Ars Necronomica exhibition, A Call into the Abyss Group Art Exhibition. The gallery will be open all day, and other days of the convention, as well as to the end of the month, so you won’t have to worry about missing this remarkable exhibition of world-class weird art, featuring the works of over twenty artists. Visit the Ars Necronomica page for more information.

8:00 to 11:00pm – BLACK LODGE PARTY – a secret and undisclosed location – CLOSED EVENT
A private club and small getaway spot for Golden Key and Silver Key members (please try to get your passes first). But remember – there are only three rules about Black Lodge…

8:00pm to Midnight (doors at 7pm, show at 8pm) – CONCERT: Agalloch, Obsidian Tongue & John Haughm, Fete Music Hall, 103 Dike Street, Providence, 02909 – OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ($30 advance, $40 at door – tickets available here!).

FRIDAY – August 14

Noon to 5:00 pm – ARS NECRONOMICA: A Call into the Abyss Group Art Exhibition – AS220’s Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street, 2nd floor, 02903  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)
Over 20 artists are featured in this three-week showcase of some of the finest in weird art. More information can be found at the Ars Necronomica page.

All day – WALKING TOURS of Lovecraft sites around Providence – Separate ticket $15 available now! Check the page here.

9:00am to Midnight – Weird GAMING – Graduate Hotel 17^th and 18^th floor. See separate schedule

All day – FILM SCREENINGS – see separate schedule! – RISD 20 Washington Place Auditorium.  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC ($10/day for general public)

Noon to 1:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, a special performance of Thomas Ligotti’s “The Bungalow House” – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
Experience the unsettling brilliance of “The Bungalow House,” the masterful story by Thomas Ligotti, in a rare, live performance featuring acclaimed voice actor Jon Padgett and virtuoso musician Chris Bozzone.  Padgett’s emotionally charged narration and Bozzone’s expressive, live scoring create an atmosphere of mounting dread. Experience Ligotti’s haunting story through a surreal, sonic landscapes of weird obsession, loneliness, and dark humor as the protagonist tries to find release from a heartbreaking, “killing sadness that feels as if it will never leave” him no matter where he goes or what he does or whom he may ever know. (GENERAL PUBLIC welcome, $10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

2:00 to 3:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, TL Wiswell’s The Magic Lantern “CALL OF CTHULHU”  – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
At tonight’s meeting of the Boston Theosophical Brotherhood, we have a special guest: esoteric traveller Miranda Carter, who turns her curiosity for the queer and unusual toward a more local mystery: the ghost ship Alert that washed ashore a few months ago with no crew. As first on site, Miss Carter shares with us her theory on what happened, based on clues found in the cabin. These include an undeveloped bit of film that will be shown, on stage, live, and for the first time ever. Join Miranda Carter as she takes us on a voyage of discovery… and possibly madness… with the help of her amazing magic lantern! Fresh from a series of sold out Lovecraftian shadow puppet shows, TL Wiswell turns her hand to the magic lantern, bringing “Call of Cthulhu” to life in a new and original format. The magic lantern is an early version of the slide show, with hand painted glass plates, phosphorus lighting (replaced for safety’s sake with an incandescent bulb), and a touch of the quirky. There are no guarantees that cultists may not attend this show – you have been warned! GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

4:00 to 5:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, DARK PROVIDENCE Live Audio Drama – Black Box / AS220, 95 Empire Street, Providence 02903 
DARK PROVIDENCE made its first-ever live appearance at the Necronomicon Convention nearly a decade ago. Now it’s returning – this time, as a live performance with a currently-running, 12-episode audio drama behind it. When disgraced New York journalist Gray Sheridan returns to Providence to settle his family’s affairs, a macabre ritual murder shocks the small city.  His pursuit of this evolving serial killer pulls him into an unwilling partnership with a local psychic — and a generations-old, wealthy occult society bent on awakening a malevolent supernatural force. The performance features original cast members, including Broadway and The Americans actor Reg Rogers, and Gossip Girl and The Knick actress Zuzanna Szadkowski. This is Dark Providence performed live, in the city where it’s set, for the audience it was made for. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

7:00 to 9:00pm – GUEST RECEPTION – Graduate Hotel, Outdoor Terrace 3rd Floor
A private reception for Guests-of-Honor, Guests, and Golden Key holders, with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and a stunning view of Weird Providence. The reception will feature the presentation of the Robert Bloch and the Joe Pulver (The bEastie!) Awards.

7:00 to 7:45pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Séance Lecture and Demonstration – Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2^nd Floor
You are invited to join the award-winning husband-and-wife performance team, Judas and Magnolia, for a lecture and séance exploring the mysteries of communication with the dead. Discover the fascinating history of the séance, from medieval necromancy and genuine Spiritualist traditions to theatrical performances, before witnessing the dark art firsthand. Through a series of comedic, strange, and unexplained occurrences, the audience is invited to experience (and even participate in) an unforgettable theatrical encounter with the dead. Is it history, psychology, illusion… or something far more troubling? We invite you to decide for yourself.

8:00 to 11:00pm – WATERFIRE!
A famously unique event in Providence, WaterFire sees braziers alight at sunset all along the city’s riverway. This night is a “partial lighting” around the central basin, just a couple blocks from the center of the convention. Wether you’re just wanting to take a break from gaming, or prepping to go to the Eldritch Ball, this is well worth the diversion and experience.

8:00 to 9:30pm – HPLHS’s Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: “The Temple” – Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2^nd Floor
The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society presents a special performance of Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Temple – on stage, with live accompaniment, and brimming with audience interaction. As the Great War drags on, German U-boats prowl the North Atlantic, torpedoing military and civilian vessels alike. When a shipwrecked man is recovered at sea, he tells a strange and disturbing tale of his experience on a German submarine. Has the experience driven him mad, or did his voyage reveal unseen monstrosities at the bottom of the ocean? Join the HPLHS crew with special guests John Softcheck, Liz Stanton, and live accompaniment by Gary Grundei.! (Convention attendees and guests only, please)

9:00 to 10:00pm – The Outer Dark Reception Party – Next Wave of The Weird: Readings from Rising Authors – Outdoor Terrace, Graduate Hotel, 3rd Floor
Participants/readers: Prema Arasu, Ari Mnemonic, Victoria Nations, Millie Price, Andromeda Ruins, Sarah Walker. Moderator/Host: Anya Martin. Immediately following the guest reception, but open to all con attendees, this party/gathering organized by our friends in The Outer Dark podcast features community-building, mingling, and readings by authors who represent the future of the vibrant literary mode of Weird fiction.

9:00pm to Midnight – ELDRITCH BALL – Graduate Hotel, Biltmore Ballroom 17^th floor –
The return of the Eldritch Ball – NYARLATHOTEP, THE CRAWLING CHAOS! Sure to be a night of epic celebration and ruin you won’t soon be able to forget!  The ball is a fancy-dress, costume, masquerade, cosplay, semi-formal affair. OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (see below)
Ticket cost for convention pass holders (including off-duty minions) is $40 advance / $35 at the door (if space is available), and includes two drink tickets (21+ ID required for alcohol). The cost for limited number of general public tickets is $35 advance / $40 at the door. Golden Key-holders and Guests of Honor are provided passes. Capacity is just 300 souls, so act fast. Tickets available on our passes and tickets page!

…and don’t forget about WATERFIRE!

SATURDAY – August 15

Noon to 5:00 pm – ARS NECRONOMICA: A Call into the Abyss GROUP ART EXHIBITION – AS220’s Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street, 2nd floor, 02903  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)
Over 20 artists are featured in this three-week showcase of some of the finest in weird art. More information can be found at the Ars Necronomica page.

All day – WALKING TOURS of Lovecraft-related sites around Providence – Separate ticket $15.

9:00am to Midnight – Weird GAMING – Graduate Hotel, 17^th and 18^th floor – See separate schedule

All day – FILM SCREENINGS – see separate schedule! – RISD 20 Washington Place Auditorium.  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC ($10/day for general public)

Noon to 12:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Witch Hunt Theater presents CORPS(E) – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
(Note, this brief performance repeats at Noon and 1pm) On their first day working at corps(e), the parent company overseeing the world’s evil, new interns (i.e. audience members) discover their onboarding packets contain individualized profiles that seem to be ranking them for something. By the end of the “welcome session,” one intern will be offered up as the ritual sacrifice required to fully activate the others’ contracts, and the audience realizes that being an overachiever has its consequences. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

1:00 to 1:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Witch Hunt Theater presents CORPS(E) – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
(Note, this brief performance repeats at Noon and 1pm) On their first day working at corps(e), the parent company overseeing the world’s evil, new interns (i.e. audience members) discover their onboarding packets contain individualized profiles that seem to be ranking them for something. By the end of the “welcome session,” one intern will be offered up as the ritual sacrifice required to fully activate the others’ contracts, and the audience realizes that being an overachiever has its consequences. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

2:00 to 3:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Arcane Americana: Two Tales of Folk Horror by Manly Wade Wellman – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
Storyteller Lynne Cullen and musician Kurt Kish perform two musical tales of folk
horror featuring John the Balladeer: Manly Wade Wellman’s laconic hero, who
wanders the hills and hollers of Appalachia with only his silver-stringed guitar to
stand against the forces of evil. The Desrick on Yandro, and Vandy, Vandy were
adapted with permission from stories by fantasy writer Manly Wade Wellman
(1903-1986). GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

4:00 to 5:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Cargo out of Space – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
Cargo Out of Space is a one-hour live performance presented as an episode of a fictional overnight radio show. Created by longtime collaborators Jimmy Mac (formerly on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking) and actor Justin Welborn (Justified and Final Destination), with producer/performer Adriana Luciano joining the creative team, the performance blends Lovecraftian horror with the rough magic of old-time radio, using actors, practical sound design, and the audience’s imagination to conjure strange encounters along America’s highways after dark. Part theater, part audio fiction, and part cosmic nightmare, Cargo Out of Space is a specially crafted live experience offering the NecronomiCon audience its first glimpse into a larger universe of stories, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Mac and Welborn’s tradition of creating peculiar worlds together, where every mile marker hides another haunting story. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220).

6:00 to 7:30pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, DARK PROVIDENCE Live Audio Drama – Black Box / AS220, 95 Empire Street, Providence 02903 
[Note: this is a repeat of the Friday 4pm show] DARK PROVIDENCE made its first-ever live appearance at the Necronomicon Convention nearly a decade ago. Now it’s returning – this time, as a live performance with a currently-running, 12-episode audio drama behind it. When disgraced New York journalist Gray Sheridan returns to Providence to settle his family’s affairs, a macabre ritual murder shocks the small city.  His pursuit of this evolving serial killer pulls him into an unwilling partnership with a local psychic — and a generations-old, wealthy occult society bent on awakening a malevolent supernatural force. The performance features original cast members, including Broadway and The Americans actor Reg Rogers, and Gossip Girl and The Knick actress Zuzanna Szadkowski. This is Dark Providence performed live, in the city where it’s set, for the audience it was made for.
GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

7:00 to 11pm – NecronomiCon PARTY UNDER THE STARS – The Red Door, 49 Peck Street 02903 OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free, 21+)
An even more full-blown block party concert, with The Viennagram (local psych punk madness), The Deep Ones (local horror surf rock), Hunchback (gritty dark rock from Jersey) and a special set by NIMF (ambient weirdness from Ireland)!! There will be beers and cocktails by our sponsors and friends at The Red Door and Narragansett Brewery as well as special foods to feed your cultist belly. More plans still in the works! GENERAL PUBLIC welcome (free, 21+, unless accompanied by parents/guardians). 

7:30 to 9:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, HPLHS’s Dark Adventure Radio Theatre The Blood Red Sphinx – Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2^nd Floor
The team from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society presents a brand new, all-original episode of Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: The Blood Red Sphinx performed live on stage.  In the midst of the Great Depression, a Los Angeles detective lands a case that seems too good to be true. But his client is connected to a big-budget motion picture, “The Blood Red Sphinx” and the odd mystic behind the production. Can one man make a stand against a web of Hollywood intrigues, or is the world doomed by rising shadows? Don’t miss this show’s live debut featuring guest artists: John Softcheck, Liz Stanton, Allison Rich, and Rebecca Paiva, with live accompaniment by Gary Grundei.  Convention attendees and guests only, please.

8:00pm to 10:30pm – SPECIAL GAMING EVENT – LIVE GAME! Call of Cthulhu: If I Had A Hammer with Mike Mason – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
For one night only! Experience a new dimension in horror (and laughter)! Join Mike Mason for a special live game of Call of Cthulhu – audience participation welcome! Four intrepid investigators- including Paul Fricker, Matt Ryan, and Brian Courtemanche- will be experiencing “If I Had a Hammer!” Join us for an evening like never before. Don’t forget to pack your Sanity!  GENERAL PUBLIC welcome!

9:00 to 10:00pm – Weird Poetry Open Mic! – Trinity Brewhouse *basement floor*! (186 Fountain Street, 02903)
Our very own NecronomiCon ‘26 Poet Laureate Linda D. Addison is organizing this new addition for this year – Poetry Open Mic is a great place to read your poetry to a supportive audience and to be inspired by hearing the poetry of others. Each poet reads for 5 minutes or less. Our host will loop around the room until we run out of time. Come participate or just enjoy, and enjoy tasty beers and food while you’re at it.

9:30 to 11:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, a special performance of Lovecraft’s “The Nameless City” and Bram Stoker’s “Gibbet Hill” – Capital Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 2^nd Floor
Robert Lloyd Parry reads H P Lovecraft’s “The Nameless City” and the recently rediscovered “Gibbet Hill” by Bram Stoker, with live musical accompaniment by Chris Bozzone. Convention attendees and guests only, please.

10:30pm to …? – Lovecraftian/Weird Bar Trivia! – Trinity Brewhouse *basement floor*! (186 Fountain Street, 02903) A NecronomiCon Providence tradition.  Join author Pete Rawlik and prove your knowledge (or lack thereof) of weird literature, movies, television, music, and the people that make them.  There will even be prizes  – not good prizes, but prizes nonetheless. Oh, there’s also beer (and food) – but you gotta pay for those.

SUNDAY – August 16

8:00 to 10:00am – Foraging Horrors: A NecronomiCon Mushroom Walk – OFF-SITE, at the Blackstone Park
Author and fungus fan, Rick Claypool, and the Rhode Island Mycological Society are organizing a special walking tour of a very fungus-rich park on the east side of Providence – Blackstone Park. Attendees will need to secure their own travel. Reserve your spot and get info here: rick@rickclaypool.org

8:00 to 9:30am – CTHULHU PRAYER BREAKFAST – Biltmore Ballroom, Graduate Hotel 17th Floor
The unholiest of cosmically unspeakable breakfasts, hosted by Most Exalted Hierophants Cody Goodfellow and Scott Jones. Separate ticketed event – tickets on sale via our eventbrite page. Golden Key and Silver Key members receive complimentary admission.
This will sell out in advance – don’t miss out, while tickets last.

9:00am to evening… – Weird GAMING – Graduate Hotel 17^th and 18^th floor. See separate schedule

All day – FILM SCREENINGS – see separate schedule! – RISD 20 Washington Place Auditorium.  OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC ($10/day for general public)

Noon to 5pm – ARS NECRONOMICA: GROUP ART EXHIBITION – AS220 Aborn Gallery, 95 Empire Street –   OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC (free)

Noon to 1:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, Séance Lecture and Demonstration – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
You are invited to join the award-winning husband-and-wife performance team, Judas and Magnolia, for a lecture and séance exploring the mysteries of communication with the dead. Discover the fascinating history of the séance, from medieval necromancy and genuine Spiritualist traditions to theatrical performances, before witnessing the dark art firsthand. Through a series of comedic, strange, and unexplained occurrences, the audience is invited to experience (and even participate in) an unforgettable theatrical encounter with the dead. Is it history, psychology, illusion… or something far more troubling? We invite you to decide for yourself.

 

2:00 to 3:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, TL Wiswell’s The Dunwich Horror Op’ry – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
Rural Massachusetts, 1928.  By day, a farmer’s paradise, with party line phones, group sings around the pianola, and horses pulling the plows. But by night …. a land of fear and isolation, ruled over by those who keep their secrets close. What was that strange being that terrorized the people of Dunwich that summer? Are you brave enough to walk among them? And what would you be willing to do to save your community from the unnatural thirsts … of the Dunwich Horror? TL Wiswell returns to Necronomicon with a black and white “picture show” flavored version of the Lovecraft classic, with YOU, the audience, supplying the sound effects. Don’t miss the chance to see the invisible monster … if you dare!  GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220). 

4:00 to 5:00pm – THEATRICAL EVENT, “The Residence at Whitminster” by M R James – AS220’s Black Box Theater, 95 Empire Street, 02903
Robert Lloyd Parry performs one of M R James’s most neglected masterpieces in which a dark shadow is cast over the precinct of a peaceful English church. GENERAL PUBLIC welcome ($10 at the door for the whole day at AS220).

7:00 to 8:00pm – Special musical event, NIMF and Chris Bozzone – The Red Door (49 Peck St, downtown Providence)
NIMF, Irish avant-garde composer, performs work from her Arthur Machen inspired critically-acclaimed debut album, ‘Sirenoscape,’ alongside renowned soundtrack composer and songwriter, Chris Bozzone, performing a rare set of his highly revered solo work on Yuggoth Records. The concert will culminate in a performance of material from their forthcoming collaborative album. OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC – Free!! Outdoors!!!

For the list of 2026 core programming, go here.