Join us for an evening celebrating everyone’s favorite Alpine monster, with author and Krampus expert Al Ridenour and friends. Ridenour is the author of The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas (Feral House, 2016), the only in-depth English-language study of the folkloric creature. Now in its second printing, it has been praised by critics including the LA Times’ Elizabeth Hand, who found the book “gleefully erudite,” remarking that it “deserves to become a classic.”  He’ll give an illustrated presentation revealing how the often-misunderstood figure of the Krampus is connected to centuries-old witchcraft beliefs and an older, darker understanding of the Christmas season as a time offering access to the spirit world.

COSTUMED KRAMPUSES A contingent of horned and switch-wielding devils will also be on hand to sniff out exactly who has been naughty this year! Photo ops galore! Mind the switches!

VIDEO SHORTS Ridenour will also present a quirky collection of short European Krampus videos, featuring DIY horror shorts crafted by Krampus troupes, Krampus disco shows, Krampus music videos for metal bands, workshops for those traumatized by the creature, and other oddities. Alongside the Krampus clips, a short excerpt will be included from the rare 1955 German film Der Struwwelpeter. Based on the 1845 children’s book by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, Der Struwwelpeter presents charming tableaux precisely mirroring Hoffman’s original illustrations of naughty children meeting terrible ends.

LIVE MUSIC The evening will also feature an appearance by renowned singer Christina Linhardt performing traditional St. Nicholas songs associated with the Krampus.

CRAFTS AND VENDORS In addition to the auditorium presentation, attendees will enjoy a pre-show cocktail hour during which they can peruse the wares of local artisans crafting Krampus candles, chocolates, and related items.

BOOK SIGNING Signed copies of The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas will be available before and after the event. Author Ridenour will be available for personal inscriptions immediately after his presentation.

COME IN COSTUME We encourage attendees to don their finest creepy apparel and folkloric costumes, with crowd favorites receiving prizes.

Bios:

Al Ridenour has lectured on Krampus traditions (and related) topics at the international Goethe-Institut, The San Diego Art Institute, New Americans Museum, Tucson Museum of Modern Art, The Bowers Museum, and in the UK at London's Last Tuesday Society and Whitby's Winter Ghosts conference. Ridnour also created Krampus masks and suits, which have been exhibited at the University of Southern California’s Doheny Museum and provides Krampus suit rental for film and television and events. He discusses dark folklore topics similar to the Krampus in his podcast Bone and Sickle and has recently published A Season of Madness: Fools, Monsters & Marvels of the Old-World Carnival (Feral House, 2025) on folk customs of Carnival, a topic intimately intertwined with the Krampus tradition.  Since 2022 he’s presented an annual sold-out Krampus Night event at The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles.

Christina Linhardt has enjoyed an eclectic and versatile career as a concert singer, writer, and actress. She is most known for her "Classics to Cabaret" act (which was the headliner for the opening of the Grand Concert Hall in Saxony, Germany). As well as being a regular entertainer at the Hollywood Magic Castle. Ms. Linhardt is a recommended chanteuse for the coveted Southern California Chamber Music Consortium. She has performed for the 2010 Los Angeles Opera Ring Festival, the House of Blues Gospel Brunch, The Grove, The Brand Plaza Concert Series and even down in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Christina was the lead singer of the acclaimed Angels of Venice (Windham Hill Records) and The Honey Lulus Tiki Trio.

KRAMPUS LOS ANGELES In 2013, as co-founder of Krampus Los Angeles, Ridenour helped gather a troupe of Krampus performers, crafted suits and went on to organize an ongoing series of parades and themed shows known as LA Krampusfest. Over the years, Krampus Los Angeles has appeared alongside the first Europeans visitors to appear stateside in traditional Krampus costumes (2014), hosted an entire 15-person troupe from the state of Salzburg (2015), and presented a 19th-century Austrian Krampus-Nicholas play (2015-17). Many of the current troupe members now wear suits obtained from European artisans and appear at the annual Krampus Nights at PRS in Los Angeles.

Ticket Price:  $25 advance / $30 at the door.