Any history buff would associate the words “Valley Forge” with the Revolutionary War winter encampment for the Continental Army where soldiers including George Washington stayed during the long cold days of 1777 and 1778. However, any horror aficionado would automatically know those words mean one thing, “HAUNTING TIME!”
No doubt you’ve heard of ComicCon, The Consumer Electronics Show and other national conventions, but did you know that there is a convention dedicated to professional haunters too?! The National Haunters Convention runs the first weekend in May every year in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania in the Valley Forge Convention Center. Dozens of grotesque and Steam Punk booths line the floor of the main hall for 3 days and there are tons of workshops for all those brave enough to be in the “haunt” business. I mean who wouldn’t like to say they have a degree from “Halloween University?”
I had no idea that literally scaring the crap out of people can be a big money maker, but according to The Haunted Attraction Association, there are 2,500 professional haunted attractions in the United States, not to mention the many non-professional or “home haunters” that are spreading like a virus across the land. According to the free copy of Fright Times Magazine that I got at the convention, even seemingly “normal” all-Americans like Dick Van Dyke have their very own home haunts that they take pride in. Van Dyke generously shares the fear he creates during the ghostly season with hundreds of people in his community.
Visiting The National Haunters Convention
I was recently lucky enough to experience this unique convention and have just a few things to say…a dress with eyeballs, a half naked woman dancing in a steam punk cage, a zombie rock band, a fill the coffin food drive raffle, a vendor who can make a model of your home in the style of creepy and enough blood and gore to give me nightmares for the rest of my life! My only regret is missing The Cadavers Cotillion, which must have been unreal and undead all wrapped up into mummy wrappings.
Below are the photo highlights from my descent into Hades at The National Haunters Convention.
Loki’s Workshop
Christopher de Troy (pictured above), owner of haunt supply emporium Loki’s Workshop and Artistic Director of The Forest of Fear Haunted Attraction in Tuxedo, New York sums up this counter culture best by ordering everyone he sees to, “Make your own monsters!” Hopefully my monster is as adorable as Robert Pattinson and sparkles!
The Coffin Cooler
If all of this haunting had made you thirsty, then just grab a beverage from this coffin-shaped cooler. That’s right, it looks like a coffin but it’s really just a very large cooler.
Woman In A Cage
Despite all her rage, she’s still just a woman in a cage. Honestly, this kind of creeped me out. It made me think of the poor woman trapped in the well in the movie Silence Of The Lambs.
Custom Halloween Costume Dresses
If you want to look and feel sexy on Halloween, then you should probably get a custom dress made. Sadly, most Halloween costumes are just cheap pieces of crap. Plan ahead and get a dress that you can wear to other formal occasions besides Halloween. For example, I would wear my custom dress to cosplay events, parties and the Renaissance Faire in addition to Halloween.
Zombie Girl Band
Instead of playing the same lame Halloween songs every year at your party, why not hire a live band? This Zombie girl band was awesome!
Creepy Halloween Dolls
Wow. These creepy dolls were so lifelike that they gave me chills. If you are looking for some extra creepy accessories for your haunted house, then definitely consider getting a few of these creepy dolls.
That’s it! Hope you enjoyed my photos from The National Haunters Convention! Please leave a comment below!!! Thanks.
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