Read "10 Things to Know About Poe Fest Int'l"

Poe Fest International 2025 marks a milestone year: the 180th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven and his equally chilling tale, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. Evermore, we also commemorate the 176th anniversary of Poe’s mysterious death in Baltimore—a city forever bound to his legacy. 

This all-ages festival of the macabre unfolds over three thrilling days, filled with FREE and ticketed programs. The revels begin Friday, October 3 with bus tours and a special Movie Nite! The street faire runs October 4 & 5, 2025, from 11AM to 4PM each day—and it’s free to enter!

The Poe Fest International Main Stage is where the party begins—live music, gothic grooves, and Poe brought to life through performance. This year we welcome nerdcore lit-hop star MC Lars, thrilling new acts, and the return of beloved performers who’ve haunted our stage before. From heart-pounding concerts to dramatic readings of Poe’s immortal words, the stage is the beating heart of the festival—louder, darker, and more unforgettable than ever. See the lineup.

The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum is a treasure unlike any other—just 620 square feet where Poe once lived and wrote. This tiny National Historic Landmark can only welcome a limited number of visitors at a time, which is why tickets are required and not included with general festival admission. Tickets sell out quickly, so reserve early if you want to step inside Poe’s chamber door.

As beloved as Poe House is, its size cannot contain the ever-growing audience for Poe. That’s why this year we’re unveiling plans for a new expanded museum campus. Visit our new outdoor gallery during the festival to explore the vision for Poe House’s future—and learn how you can help us bring it to life.

Poe Fest International stretches across Baltimore City with a weekend of unforgettable experiences. On Festival Eve, gather at the Lord Baltimore Hotel for Movie Night hosted by Chad the Bird, featuring Roger Corman’s 1963 cult classic The Raven. At Carroll Mansion, the haunting Poe Death Exhibit returns, while Westminster Hall becomes a hub of remembrance with hourly readings of The Raven on Saturday , an exhibit marking the 150th anniversary of the Poe Monument, and a special Raven Anniversary concert in Poe’s honor.

Guided tours are also a cornerstone of the weekend. The ever-popular Death Weekend Bus Tours return, alongside tours of Poe House and—for the first time—a special Green Mount Cemetery tour, exploring Baltimore’s other haunting graveyard where Poe family members and infamous Baltimoreans rest.

 The Black Cat Ball, the official party of Poe Fest International, is a Mesmeric Masquerade at historic Westminster Hall with a triple invocation: 180 years of The Raven, 180 years of Valdemar, and 150 years of the Poe Monument. Guests in Victorian mourning or mesmeric finery will enjoy a RavenBeer & wine reception, the Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards, a mesmeric dance party with DJ Marty, tours of the Westminster Catacombs, and a graveside toast to Poe. VIP packages include velvet seating and signature cocktails. 21+ only; ID required. 

Step inside the world of Poe with the Red Masque Festival Pass, your key to the festival’s most exclusive experiences. The pass unlocks access to our immersive performance tents on the festival grounds, where you’ll find Poe Toaster Cocktail/Mocktail Tastings, an Old Hollywood Murder Mystery, and intimate theatrical performances like One Man Poe. Nurse that post-Black Cat Ball hangover at the Bloody Mary Brunch on Sunday. Westminster Hall & Carroll Mansion included in this package!

Best of all—you’ll save $60 compared to purchasing each event separately. Prince Prospero himself would approve: the Red Masque Festival Pass is the ultimate way to enjoy Poe Fest International.

 The historic Lord Baltimore Hotel is once again the host hotel for Poe Fest International. Located in the heart of downtown and just a short ride from the festival grounds, the hotel offers special rates for festival guests. Reserve your room through our festival booking link to make the most of your Poe-filled weekend.  Dates of stay | Lord Baltimore Hotel 

The Poe Festival grounds are just three blocks from Baltimore Street & Poppleton, easily reached by public transit and rideshare. The Charm City Circulator (Orange Line) is free and will bring you close to the festival entrance.

For Lyft, Uber, and other rideshares, use W. Lexington & Schroeder Streets for drop-off/pickup. Limited street parking is available, and a secure paid garage is located at the corner of Baltimore & Poppleton Streets, three blocks from Poe House.

 Winners of the 2025 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards—honoring a new generation of writers and artists inspired by Poe—will be announced during the Black Cat Ball. Several nominees will also be vendors at the street festival, so you can meet the creators, explore their work, and then raise a glass as we celebrate the 2025 award winners in gothic style. Winners of the Saturday Visiter Awards, an honor recognizing a new generation of artists & writers inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, will be announced at the Black Cat Ball! Meet the nominees at the festival, then join us the night of October 5th as we toast the 2024 winners!

This festival includes programming from other “Poe Places” around the United States, including The Poe Museum (Richmond,)The Poe Cottage (NYC,)  The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, Westminster Hall & Burial Ground (Baltimore,)The United States Military Academy at West Point, and The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum (Baltimore.) 

Poe Baltimore invites you to darken Poe’s chamber door at the seventh annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival and Awards, October 3 - 5, 2025.  The festival is family-friendly, three-days of programming with several FREE and ticketed events. Programming will take place at locations around Baltimore, and street faire at Poe House will be open Saturday and Sunday from 11AM to 4PM! The outdoor faire will feature Poe-themed performances, art, vendors and food, celebrating Poe’s life, works and his influence in the arts. If you enjoy Poe Festival programming, please consider donating to support this event. 

Additional, ticketed events and tours will also be offered October 1-11. Please see the festival program for details. Stage schedules will post September 1. 

Festival programming will begin Friday, October 3rd, with a MOVIE NIGHT, exhibit open, and special guests. The outdoor faire will be held from 11AM to 5PM on Saturday, October 4, and 11AM to 5PM, Sunday October 5, 11AM to 4PM. Check out our schedule and program here.

The stage program will post September 1.

The festival is held in front of the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. The physical address is 203 N. Amity Street, Baltimore MD 21223, and the event is in the closed intersection of N. Amity Street and W. Lexington. 

Streets in front of Poe House are closed to traffic for this event, so please use the intersection at W. Fayette and Schroeder Streets for Lyft/Uber Rideshare drop-off. 

There are additional events at locations away from festival grounds: 

• The Poe Death Exhibit is at Carroll Mansion, 800 E. Lombard Street
• Movie Night, 2025 location TBA.
• The Black Cat Ball is at Westminster Hall & Burying Ground , (where Poe is buried) at 519 W. Fayette Street. 
• The Poe Cemetery Tour and Exhibit is at Westminster Hall & Burying Ground (where Poe is buried) at 519 W. Fayette Street. 

See the entire festival map here!

Poe Fest International attendees are encouraged to book hotel rooms through the festival’s host hotel, The Lord Baltimore Hotel. For your convenience, use this link for festival rates/rooms:  https://reservations.travelclick.com/85390?groupID=4614677 

Other hotels in the Inner Harbor area provide easy access to public transportation which will bring you to Poe Fest International. 

Poe Fest International is rain or shine! However, if the National Weather Service issues an inclement weather warning within the festival area, an announcement will be made. All activities will pause until the warning has lifted.

Poe Fest International is a family-friendly event, though parents should expect gothic and Halloween-type decorations, costumes and vendors. The festival will have kid-friendly activities such as art-making and other workshops. Admission to festival grounds is FREE. We have something for everyone.

Ticketed events and tours are geared more toward mature audiences, with funeral decor and other death imagery where viewer discretion is advised. In the case of the Black Cat Ball, attendees must be 21+. There are no tickets priced for children.

No. Tickets are required to tour the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. This precious historic site is only 620 square feet, built in 1832. For the sake of preserving Poe House for future generations, we must limit access. 

There is limited street parking available at the festival. The closest paid parking garage is at University of Maryland BioPark Garage One, 1 N. Poppleton St (three blocks from the festival.) 

The use of public transit is highly recommended—the Charm City Circulator (Orange Line) picks up and drops off at the University of Maryland BioPark less than three blocks from the festival. 

Streets in front of Poe House are closed to traffic for this event, so please use the intersection at W. Fayette and Schroeder Streets for Lyft/Uber Rideshare drop-off. 

No. We encourage everyone to come on site with preferred payment option of either cash or debit/credit. We will not have ATMs on site.

Want to vend, volunteer, or perform at the festival? Please click here. 

Admission to grounds at Poe Fest International is FREE to the public. There are additional tours and other events that are ticketed, ranging in price per event. Please visit our ticket site for details.

You do not have to purchase tours or ticketed events to enjoy the festival. Festival grounds will include stage performances, workshops, vendors, and the return of the RavenBeer Garden.

No! Several events take place at locations away from festival grounds. Please check your ticket components for addresses and times. 

Tours, Bus Tours and Exhibit tickets have sold out before the festival in previous years, therefore no tickets have been available to purchase on-site. Attendees are encouraged to book tickets early to ensure access.

If tickets are available festival weekend, attendees may purchase at the festival INFO DESK. 

Attendees who register will be entered into drawings and subscribed to our festival news for last-minute updates. But you do not have to register if you are not interested in updates—attending Poe Fest International or viewing the livestream on our YouTube Channel is FREE.  

WARNING: You may have been a victim of a phishing, social media or internet scam. Please contact your credit card company immediately.

Tickets are not transferable, and we do not permit third parties to sell tickets, nor can we honor them. You can ONLY purchase tickets and/or tours via our website. 

The festival is rain or shine! All tours and fees are non-refundable. In the event tours are canceled or closed, an alternate date will be scheduled. 

Replacement tickets or changes cannot be provided for people who miss their tours.

The International Edgar Allan Poe Festival is a program presented by Poe Baltimore & The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. Festival proceeds support programming. Donate via payment method of your choice at http://poeinbaltimore.org/support.  

You can also donate via text.  Text “POEBALTIMORE” to 44-321.  

Absolutely! Checks can be mailed via post to: Poe Baltimore, PO Box 23773, Baltimore MD 21203

Poe Baltimore is a 501c3 non-profit organization created to fund, maintain and interpret The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, and to celebrate the legacy of one of Baltimore’s most famous residents.  We are dedicated to maintaining the museum as a vibrant experience for the thousands of visitors who come from around the world each year, and as part of a broader mission of city-wide events and educational opportunities. Donations to this organization are considered charitable. To learn more, visit: PoeBaltimore.org