Saturday, March 14, 2009

HAuNTcon 2009 : Right Next to Chicago!

Join Haunters from across the country for the Sixth Annual Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention, April 30-May 4, 2009 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center with a pre-show Haunted road trip April 29-30, less than an hour and a half drive from the Rosemont Convention Center in Chicago!

Open to the general public, HAuNTcon is a convention and expo that packs in everything a Haunter could possibly want or need to make the next Halloween season the best it can be! Designed by Haunters, for Haunters of every age and level of experience, HAuNTcon brings people together who love Haunted Houses and Halloween for a fun filled three days and nights of Haunter Education, Tours of Local Haunted Houses, jam packed Tradeshow Floor, Hearse Show and an incredible Costume Ball!

The HAuNTcon Haunt Tours starts on Wednesday April 29 with a pre-show tour. The over-night bus trip includes lights on and lights off tours of the Hartford Jaycees Haunted House, Terror on Rural Street Crypt of Terror, Bad Boy’s Scenic Design’s Terror on the Fox, Shawano Manor and Dominion of Terror.

The Thursday Night Kick-off Tour and Social on April 30 includes dinner and a tour of the Realm of Terror owned by Tom Kristof. The Friday Night Haunt Tour, May 1 is the three haunt multi-element event Wisconsin Fear Grounds, owned by Tim and Ann Marie Gavinski, and features Morgan Manor, Freaky’s Fun House and the brand new Unstable.

A key component of HAuNTcon is education! Over 50 hours of seminars, workshops and Demonstrations are included in the price of admission. Education id the key to help attendees learn tips and tricks on how-to build props and sets; how to make their lives easier and their attractions more successful.

The huge Tradeshow floor, Friday May 1 through May 3, is filled with the latest in fright services and equipment for the professional Haunted House owner and Halloween enthusiast alike. From horror makeup and highly detailed masks to static props and large animatronic creatures, everything a Haunter needs will be for sale and many at wholesale prices.

A Hearse and Parade Car Rally is planned for Sunday May 3, as the hotel parking lot fills with a collection of creepy tricked out vehicles and funeral cars.

Saturday night May 2, is the massive Haunted Attraction Magazine Costume Ball, where Haunters from across the country show-off their most creative costumes at a rocking party that celebrates the joy of getting into character for fun rather than for work. It is Halloween in May!

NEW for HAuNTcon 2009 is the Sunday Night Haunt Tour and social on May 3 of Monster Mayhem owned by Jeff Lister. The price for this tour includes a light dinner and networking social.

HAuNTcon is an opportunity for Haunters to network, share tips and stories, get fresh ideas, learn new ways of doing things and check out the latest in Haunting props,” explains Leonard Pickel, editor of Haunted Attraction Magazine and HAuNTcon event coordinator. “It is the best money you can spend on your Haunted Event.”

HAuNTcon 09 is sponsored by HauntedHouseChicago.com, Wristband Resources, Zombie Army, Sinister Visions inc. and Haunted Attraction Magazine.

Attendee and Exhibitor Registrations are available at www.hauntcon.com, as is a schedule of events for the weekend. Discount hotel rates for the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center are also available on the convention website.

If you own a Haunted House or would like to find out how to get started in the Haunt business, then HAuNTcon is a "not to be missed" convention! Even if you just like Haunted Houses and Halloween, then you are in for a rare inside look at how major Haunted Attractions across the country scare millions of people each October.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Win The Haunting In Connecticut Passes/Prizes!

Lionsgate Films has a stack of free passes and merchandise to give away for their upcoming film THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT. Contest time!

Based on a chilling true story, Lionsgate's THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT charts one family's terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner's clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover.


Now unspeakable terror awaits, when Jonah, the boy who communicated with the dead, returns to unleash a new kind of horror on the innocent and unsuspecting family.


Have you ever had an encounter with the supernatural? Spotted a specter? Seen a spook? Describe your eerie encounter and send it to darkchicago@gmail.com for your chance to win two free passes to an advance screening of The Haunting In Connecticut in Chicago on March 23, plus a bunch of cool THIC goodies!

When submitting, you *must* include your:
* Name
* Email Address
* Mailing Address (so we can send pass/prizes)

Entries must be received by midnight on the 17th so that passes can be mailed on the 18th, so you'll hopefully get them by Saturday the 21st.The Haunting In Connecticut hits theaters March 27!

DISCLAIMER: Entering the contest does not guarantee winning anything. All entries become the property of DarkChicago.com and its affiliated sites; certain entries may be posted to these sites & related social networks.