El Paso, Texas (KFOX14) — Okay, this one is going to be loud!
We met members of El Paso rock band The Roulettes at San Jacinto Plaza to talk about FrightFest El Paso 2026, a full afternoon and night of live music, costumes, food, local vendors and family Halloween activities. The event takes over downtown El Paso on Saturday, October 17, from 3 p.m. to midnight.
FrightFest is only in its second year, but it already has a bigger story behind it. The Roulettes told us the first festival grew out of a celebration for their debut album. They brought in other live music acts, trick-or-treating, a costume contest and the kind of Halloween party that could work for families earlier in the day and music fans later at night.
“It went so well that we decided to do it this year again,” one band member told us. This time, they said, “It’s year two, and it’s bigger, better and louder.”
This year’s event also lands on an important milestone for the band.
“We’ve been a band for 10 years, actually,” they said. “This FrightFest is also special to us because we’re going to be celebrating our 10-year anniversary as well.”
The official lineup includes a special anniversary performance by The Roulettes, industrial rock band Filter and Josey Scott, formerly of Saliva. FrightFest is also creating room on the stage for local and emerging talent, including young musicians representing Let There Be Rock.
The part parents should know is that FrightFest is designed as an all-ages event. Kids 12 and younger receive free admission, and families can find free trick-or-treating, Halloween activities, food trucks and local vendors. Costumes are encouraged, and the event will include a costume contest with prizes.
That means families can arrive earlier for the Halloween fun, while rock fans can stay for the evening performances. The festival is scheduled to continue until midnight, so there is a lot packed into those nine hours.
There is also a local giveback built into every ticket. The official FrightFest website says $1 from each ticket sold will benefit Apple Tree Creative Center, an El Paso nonprofit that provides music, arts programming, workshops and a safe, all-ages creative space for young people and the community. FrightFest also lists support for Mothers Against Drunk Driving among its community efforts for this year’s event.
Organizers told us tickets were $20 at the time of our interview, with children 12 and younger admitted free. Tickets are available through the official FrightFest El Paso website.
We came to San Jacinto Plaza expecting a Halloween event preview. What we found was a hometown band turning its 10-year milestone into a bigger stage for national acts, young musicians and El Paso families.
Bring the costume. The quiet part is over.
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