Convention Time!

One of the most important things you could do if you're hoping to make haunt your career is to network. You will want to talk to as many people as you can in the industry. You will want to learn as much as you can from other haunters and really get your name out there. If people know you, you can't fly under the radar and vanish into the background. When I first started out in the haunt industry, I thought this would be a hard thing to do. With only a handful of haunts in the area, it seemed impossible to network unless The Powers That Be invited me to haunt conventions. At Ravenwood, being invited to a haunt convention...that is the most chased after opportunity that everyone is dying to be chosen for. (I'm pretty sure a few people, including me, would literally kill to be invited.)

Throughout the year, there are four major conventions that you will always hear about: HauntCon, Transworld, Midwest Haunters Convention, and Legendary. Of course there are a few West and East coast conventions, but these are the ones I want to focus on. These are the most well known where big names in the industry are most likely to be. These are the best places to talk to haunters and make a name for yourself and your haunt. 

This year, I took the initiative and bought a ticket to go to HauntCon in New Orleans, La. This is one of the few shows that you don't have to be a owner or accompanied by an owner to attend. So, I hightailed my ass to the convention to get a taste of that convention life. I never understood why Blake and Cain would complain about convention, saying they didn't want to go to class and wanting to sleep in instead of partying. I would have guessed they would've been thrilled to spend a whole weekend taking classes, seeing the sights, and mingling, but boy, do I understand now. Since I was only able to be there for one day, I tried to cram as much into my schedule as I could. I was going to take five classes, back to back, and only give myself half an hour to either eat or visit the showroom floor, where haunters have booths to sell and demonstrate some pretty amazing stuff. After the second class...fatigue hit me. I mentally debated if I really needed to go to anymore classes. Couldn't I just walk the showroom floor? Do I really need to learn about haunted hayrides when I don't even work at a haunted hayride? Do I really need to stop to eat? Isn't food just for the weak? What am I doing with my life? Is this real life? Of course I dragged myself to finish all my classes, because I was NOT going to let $80 go down the drain, but it really shed a light on how conventions aren't just a game. Sure, it's fun and exciting, but it's still work. (Luckily, I'm a workaholic, so this just fed into my stressful addiction.) 

So, the overview of HauntCon is this: the classes were pretty okay. They focused more on behind the scenes stuff rather than acting (which is what I was really wanting, but I'm not complaining). The showroom floor was shared with a party convention as well, so once you finished walking down the two and a half aisles of actual haunted attraction booths you were bombarded by party store and rink-dink costume booths.  The only other cool things about the convention were the day and night tours of RISE Haunted House in Tickfaw, La, a visit to The Mortuary's escape rooms, and a few bar crawls before a costume ball, but all of these extra activities come for an added price. If anything, the visits to RISE Haunted House were the most worth it since the other attractions can be visited outside of haunt season. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit any of these extra attractions, but next year I'm definitely spending the extra money. 

The next convention coming up will be TransWorld in St. Louis, Mo. This is the biggest convention there is in the haunt world. (I would sell my first born child to have a chance of going.) To attend, you must be a owner or be invited by an owner. They don't just let in anybody attend. TransWorld is usually filled with classes, tours, a showroom floor, and a massive costume party. Big names in the haunt industry can always be spotted at TransWorld (still praying that one day I can go and meet Zombie Army). If you are invited to TransWorld, that's it. You've made your mark in the haunt industry. Period. 

After TransWorld is the Midwest Haunters Convention in Columbus, Ohio. It's not as massive as TransWorld and it also allows non-owners to attend (so, technically, I could attend this convention as well, but I'm poor. Please donate to my GoFundMe...haha...no. I'm desperate but not that desperate.). It's filled with the usual classes, tours, and parties as well, but from my understanding TransWorld is where you go to party while Midwest is where you go to take classes. I wouldn't really know since I'm only regurgitating what I've been told, but maybe one day I'll be able to give you more information from attending these events myself (hint hint, oh mighty Powers That Be). 

Finally, the big daddy of conventions, Legendary. I didn't even know this convention existed until this year. Legendary is a convention that takes you to the best of the best of haunted houses and tours. I got to see some footage of the convention and all I have to say is that it is intense. There are parties, there are extreme haunts, hell, I'm pretty sure I heard about a demonic sacrifice taking place at one of the attractions they visited. I know very little about this convention and will definitely do my best to learn more (since their site is bare for it being outside of season). All I know is that this is a very high scale event filled with big names, fancy dinners, "legendary" haunts, and a whirlwind of parties.

If you're planning on attending a convention, the best tips I was told was to pace yourself, bring a backpack, organize which classes you're attending, and get there early enough to find where everything is. I would also say pack a lunch, simply because I was so busy I didn't have a chance to eat and left the convention center starving. Make sure you bring cash with you since some of the booths ONLY accept cash. Bring business cards! I can't tell you how many people asked for business cards and I had none to give. (Still kicking myself in the ass for that.) If you are planning on drinking  (since it was open bar everywhere I went and parties are a must at these things) please drink responsibly and have plans of how to get back to your hotel once the sun comes up. Parties are the best place to network, but are also the best places to get yourself in trouble. Know your limit. Remember to look your best and act professionally if you are wearing your haunt's merch. You are representing YOUR haunt when you wear their name. Do not act a fool, your bosses WILL find out. (Everyone knows everyone at these conventions.) Also, make sure you use your free time in between convention days to plan meet ups and get togethers with fellow haunters. This will be the best way to have one-on-one time to talk and really make a lasting connection with the people in your industry. Don't say, "No, I'm tired," if anyone invites you out after convention. You only have three days to network. You can sleep when you're dead. If you aren't going to represent your haunt and are going just for the love of haunt...then you do you, boo boo, and have fun. 

Stay scary and happy hauntings!

-Jaz