7)  Music -  Conventions provide a variety of musical entertainment.  Most of the bands I have seen are very worthwhile.   I first saw Ghoultown (pictured below) at a horror convention.  This “Spookhetti Western” rock band is now one of my favorites. 

Ghoultown

 6)  Side Events – An extra but separate event during the time of the convention.  Parades or separatley ticketed concerts are good examples.  A horror convention I attend here in Orlando  has a very entertaining  Zombie Walk where a couple hundred undead walk down a portion of International Drive to the hotel where the convention is being held. 

Zombie Walk Orlando

5)  Art – Meeting the artists that attend conventions is fun because I am a big fan of horror comics and graphic novels.  Other artists from varying genres advertise and promote their art here as well.  My home is filled with unique conversation starting prints that I have purchased from  different conventions.  Having the opportunity to speak to the artist who created something you enjoy is beneficial because you can ask questions and learn what the artist was thinking and trying to convey during the creative process.  I intend on featuring some of my favorite artists in future posts.  

Callalilly by Christy Kane

4)  Camaraderie - It is always enjoyable spending time with others who have similar interests.  At my first horror convention I met Christy Kane the artist who created the doll Calalilly.  Calalily is a one handed piano playing doll with a bad temper who is featured in a short film and a series of books.   During a Q & A Christy Kane was asked “What demographic are you trying to reach with Callalilly?”  Before she could answer someone in the audience shouted out “It’s for people who like weird shit!”  The similarities between me and people who like weird shit never seem to end.

 3)  Vendors - You never know what unbelieveable treasures you will unearth!  I always find some collectible that I didn’t even know I couldn’t live without.  My most beloved treasure is a dead doll head whose eye is a pencil sharpener and the shavings come out of her mouth.  Most of the vendors you encounter are willing to bargain.  This is especially true if you are buying several items or it’s the last day of a convention.

Night of the Living Dead Zombie Bill Hinzman

 2)  Q & A with Celebrities – These are always fun!  The quality of the questions that come from the audience are sometimes more entertaining than the celebrity answering them.  A couple of my personal favorites include “Who are you going to vote for?” and “What is your favorite kind of pie?”  Just so you know James Marsters voted for Obama and Malcolm McDowell is fond of both apple and cherry pie.

1)  Meeting Celebrities – I am not even going to try and save face here.  I tend to get a little star struck.  Especially when it’s someone I really admire.  I mean I’m cool and everything during my celebrity encounters but afterwards I get really….lets just say excited and leave it at that.

William Forsythe The nicest guy you will ever meet!

In my experiences the nicest people are always at horror conventions.  Michael Berryman told an entertaining story at a Q & A last year about a nervous mother who was accompanying her teenage son to a horror convention.  Michael noticed the mother seemed uncomfortable in her surroundings and asked her how she was doing.  She told him that she was afraid she would see someone eating a baby before the day was over.  Michael replied “We don’t eat babies….unless they’re on the menu.”