Here is the Haunted Attraction Industry News for January, 9th.
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Conventions & Mixers
The seminar lineup has been announced for TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show (St. Louis, MO), occurring March 7th – 10th. Top industry professionals host these educational presentations & workshops and cover many facets of the industry – from makeup to safety to business and more. Highlights include the Haunted Attraction Association presentations: C.H.A.O.S. Safety Seminar on Thursday, March 7th, from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and Covering your Assets: Protecting Your Show, Emergency Action Plans and Safety Checks on Thursday, March 7th from 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Check back regularly on their website for updates and additions. Tickets for seminars are on sale now. Individual classes range from $55 – $75 presale ($65 – $75 onsite), and seminar packages start at $250 for 5 seminars or $550 for a Seminar Super Pass.
TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show (St. Louis, MO) has announced its Saturday Night Costume Party Theme. This year’s theme will be “Dia de los Muertos – Party with the Dead.” Join your fellow grave ghouls and rancid revenants for an evening of undead entertainment as everyone eagerly awaits the upcoming Season of Screams. Experience a live DJ (Psych Jam Music from Basement of the Dead), dancing, a cash bar, appetizers, and more. Tickets are on sale now for $45 in advance and $60 on site.
Applications are now being accepted to be a House Host at this year’s Spooky Swap Meet (Los Angeles, CA). House Hosts will be assigned one of the Heritage Square Museum’s historic manors to decorate (exterior only) in the spirit of Halloween, where guests will trick-r-treat throughout all three days of the event. Both haunters & businesses with the resources to decorate a house are welcome to apply. If selected as a decorator, the haunter/business will be given a booth space adjacent to their assigned house to sell any Halloween inventory they are ready to part with. The Spooky Swap meet will take place April 26th – 28th. Learn more on their official website.
Creep It Real OC (Santa Ana, CA) announced their 2024 event lineup. Their flagship Creep It Real OC will return to the Heritage Museum of Orange County on September 14th – 15th. Come back for Creep It Real Festive on November 22nd – 23rd for spooky holiday fun. Vendor applications will open in February and attendee tickets will go on sale in the spring. Visit their official website in the coming months for more information.
HAuNTcon & Indie Horror Show is coming to Daytona Beach, Florida for three days of frightful fun on February 9th – 11th, 2024. This annual convention features educational seminars, networking opportunities, and a trade show floor with the latest products and services for haunted attractions. This year, HAuNTcon has broadened its horizons to encompass the haunted attraction industry and the indie film and immersive events sectors. The event will host four private screenings of independent horror films and educational programming focused on the horror film industry. Other seminars & workshops will focus on haunt & immersive entertainment topics, including makeup, set design, scare acting, social media, and more. For even more spooky fun, The Ultimate Haunt Tour will take place on Thursday, February 8th, taking guests to four Florida haunts: C. Greens Haunted Museum, Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail, Mortem Manor Haunted Attraction, and Krush Brau Park. HAuNTcon tickets are on sale now starting at $30 for General Admission, $60 for General Admission + Indie Horror Movie Pass, and $195 for VIP Admission + Indie Horror Movie Pass.
Haunted Attraction Association
New membership tiers are coming to the Haunted Attraction Association. For 2024, haunters & industry members may sign-up for one of 6 membership tiers: Individual ($50), Home Haunt/Charity Haunt ($75), Small Attraction ($200), Large Attraction ($300), Vendor ($300), or Multi-Attraction (2+- $400, 5+ – $700). A full breakdown of benefits can be found on the HAA’s official website.
The HAA Board of Directors recently approved revised By-Laws. The new version has several changes including that it now provides for the HAA Members to approve changes in the future, changes the Membership Tiers, and adds a section for “Temporary Suspension” of a Director in advance of a removal. You can read the full version of the HAA By-Laws here.
U.S. Haunts & Events
The critically acclaimed SCISSORHANDS: A Musical Tribute has four final performances (January 11th, 12th, & 14th) at The Bourbon Room in Hollywood, CA. Experience this joyful, hilarious, and touching Juke-box musical production as Edward, Kim, and Peg reimagine the beloved tale of Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, featuring music from Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Scissor Sisters, Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Florence + The Machine, and more. SCISSORHANDS: A Musical Tribute is a unique full evening experience. Doors open 90 minutes before show time, for guests to come and enjoy a curated dinner menu and full bar, and then experience the performance. Tickets are still available starting at $55 for general admission, and $75 for VIP admission. Please note all tickets have a two drink and food minimum. Tickets for the January 11th performance will include an exclusive after-party hosted by Lance Bass and DJ Ryan Kenney.
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group (North Hollywood, CA) is kicking off their 32nd season January 20th – 22nd with three nights of brand-new plays as part of their 21st Annual 50-Hour Drive-By Theatre Festival. Prepare for an hour of original works based off a unique prompt – all written, directed, and performed in a speedy two days! Who needs sleep when you’ve got plays to perform? Tickets are on sale now starting at $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Field of Screams (Mountville, PA) spread holiday cheer this season by giving away 150 Christmas trees to local families. The haunt first held a Christmas tree giveaway ten years ago. “The last few years have been rough for a lot of people with COVID and things like that, so we thought it was an appropriate time to kick this back in gear and reestablish it this year and just give back to the community this year again,” co-owner of Field of Screams, Jim Schopf, said. The trees (ranging in height from 5 – 9 feet) were given out on a first-come, first served basis just before Christmas.
Education
The Haunted Attraction Network’s Philip Hernandez appeared on December’s Haunters Toolbox Master Class. He discussed ways to improve your haunted attraction in 2024. Listen to the full podcast on HaunTopic Radio. Sign up for Haunters Toolbox Membership to access each month’s live session, past recordings, and more.
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Upcoming Events: January - March 2024
January 23 – 25: Halloween & Party Expo (Las Vegas, Nevada)
February 9 – 11: HAuNTcon (Daytona Beach, Florida)
March 7 – 10: Transworld’s Halloween & Attractions Show (St. Louis, Missouri)
New Videos
Podcast Episodes You Might be Interested In
Santa’s Haunted Coal Mine at Nightmares on the Rogue in Medford OR
We’re on-location at Nightmares on the Rogue in Medford, Oregon, for their third annual Christmas event – Santa’s Coal Mine. I sat down with owner Devin Price to hear about his journey creating the haunt and where he sees it going. Nightmares on the Rogue just wrapped its third season and is planning to relocate in 2024 to a much larger space. Devin’s background is in business, and we discuss the impact of relocating so quickly.
Partner Stations
Craving more haunt goodness? We’re thrilled to be partnered with HaunTopic Radio, ScareTrack, The Scare Factor, and A Scott in the Dark. Give them a listen.
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