Archive for the ‘St. Louis’ Category

Open Haunts: TransWorld’s Halloween & Attractions Show 2013

Friday, March 8th, 2013

logo

Haunt convention season has officially begun with the TransWorld Haunted Attraction and Halloween industries show now open and in full swing this weekend through Sunday, March 10, 2013. If you’re near the St. Louis area you must be there!

For the last 17 years, TransWorld’s annual Halloween & Attractions Show featuring the Haunt Show, Holiday and Special Occasion Merchandise has been a “must attend” event in the Halloween & Haunt industries. This year is no exception! During this weekend, the Halloween and Haunt industry will gather to network, get new ideas and approaches, purchase products, compare horror stories and have a great time!

“Whether you are opening a haunted attraction for the first time, or are a seasoned veteran, the Transworld Halloween and Attractions show is a must see event. This is the only trade show that features vendors, from across the nation and overseas, that cover every aspect of our business, from ticketing to makeup and sound FX to giant animatronics. If you are a pro haunter, or want to become one, you cannot afford to miss this event.” –Randy Bates, owner The Bates Motel haunt

Take a look at what you can expect to see and experience at TransWorld this weekend.

Here’s a list of more Haunt Conventions taking place across the U.S. this spring!

16711410523083217943

 

Tags: , ,
Posted in Conventions, Haunt News, Haunted Happenings, Missouri, Open Haunts, St. Louis | No Comments »

HAuNTcon Brings the Fright to St. Louis

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Hauntrepreneurs® Pioneer Brings Legendary Brand to the March Halloween and Haunted Attraction Show

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Feb. 24, 2012 – Haunted industry pioneer, Leonard Pickel, brings global fright brandHAuNTcon® to booth #940 at the TransWorld’s National Halloween & Haunted Attractions Show in St. Louis, Mo. at America’s Center, March 8-11.

Open to the public, the 9th Annual Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention, HAuNTcon® 2012, takes place May 3-7, 2012 at the Monroeville Convention Center near Pittsburg, Pa. “Designed by Haunters, for Haunters,” HAuNTcon® will host over a thousand haunted professionals and Halloween fans of all ages for a not-to-be-missed conference and trade show. Attendees can enjoy over 50 hours of seminars, hands-on workshops and product demonstrations of the latest scare props, techniques, and effects and a program packed with unforgettable networking events, local haunt tours, a decadent costume ball and much more.

“HAuNTcon helps haunters around world the take their vision to the next level by bringing together top industry experts, artists, owners, operators and haunted house fans together to share, learn and inspire each other,” explains HAuNTcon Founder and haunt industry legend Leonard Pickel, “It is the best investment you can make for your haunted event no matter how big or small.”

Leonard Pickel is notorious for his unique and visionary approach to professional haunting called the “Pickel Theory,” covered in literature and media worldwide. Over a million people in the U.S. alone have experienced his work. At his specialized haunt design company, Hauntrepreneurs®, Pickel has developed over 100 attractions for entertainment giants such as The Playboy Mansion, Universal Studios, Madison Scare Garden, Morris Costumes, Six Flags and Paramount amusement parks. His 30 plus years of experience in the haunt entertainment industry have earned him the undisputed title of “The Original Hauntrepreneur”. Pickel is an accomplished author, speaker, innovator, designer, and haunter.

This March, Pickel will be bringing three of his greatest contributions to the fright industry to the St. Louis America’s Center – HAuNTcon®, the premier haunted attraction trade show and convention (at booth #940),Hauntrepreneurs® Inc., leader in design and consulting for dark themed attractions, and FindaHaunt.com, the next generation haunted event locator (at booth #938). Pickel is available in St. Louis for questions and in person meetings .

Showcasing products and services in the haunt and attractions industries, TransWorld’s National Halloween & Haunted Attractions Show brings together buyers and exhibitors from across the nation to the America’s Center in St. Louis.

About HAuNTcon®
HAuNTcon is an acronym for the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention. Founded in 2004 by haunted attraction legend Leonard Pickel, it has become a mecca for a lively global community of Halloween, haunted attractions and horror enthusiasts. HAuNTcon’s expo features the latest in fright services and equipment for professional haunters and enthusiast alike often at wholesale prices. To register and for more information, visitwww.hauntcon.com

About Hauntrepeneurs®
Hauntrepreneurs® booth (#942) specializes in design and consulting for dark themed attractions. From concept to completion, it is a full service company that can handle a project of any size and budget. Using a storyline as a road map, Hauntrepreneurs® develops haunt experiences from the inside out giving customers the best value while creating unique high impact attractions. From detailed architectural drawings and storyboarding through construction and set dressing to management training and support, Hauntrepreneurs®, turns haunting dreams into a reality. Visit www.hauntrepreneurs.com to request a bit or for more information

About FindaHaunt.com
The next generation haunted event locator, FindaHaunt.com (booth #938), is first to put the power of Internet mapping to work for haunted business owners and operators nationwide. The user friendly website allows visitors to quickly search and find top haunted destinations in their area. With detailed event descriptions including hours of operation, pricing, directions and more, FindaHaunt.com makes it easy for attraction owners and fans to connect and grow their community. Venues of all sizes get a fair chance without the need to purchase expensive banner ads. Visit www.FindaHaunt.com or e-mail sales@findahaunt.com for details, savings available prior to May 10, 2012.

About Leonard Pickel
The “Original Hauntrepreneur,” Leonard Pickel, opened his first haunted house in 1976 to become a ground-breaking visionary and legend in the haunted attraction industry. At his specialized haunt design company, Hauntrepreneurs®, Pickel has designed over 100 attractions for entertainment giants such as The Playboy Mansion, Universal Studios, Madison Scare Garden, Morris Costumes, Six Flags and Paramount amusement parks. Over a million people in the U.S. alone have experienced his work firsthand, earning him high acclaim and a passionate following worldwide. A true pioneer, Pickel constantly experiments with new techniques, pushing the boundaries of the art of haunting. Pickel is an accomplished author, speaker, innovator, designer and haunter.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Conventions, Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, Pennsylvania, St. Louis | No Comments »

13 Haunt Stalking Destinations for 2012

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

It’s a  new year so it’s time to start planning our 2012 haunt stalking. With the haunt industry booming, there’s going to be even more ‘scare-tivities’ to endure… err enjoy in the new year. Looking at our past experiences and the highly anticipated haunt events of  the new year, we’ve complied a list of 13 haunt destinations for 2012. So count up those frequent flier miles, put in for vacation time and keep your resolutions to set out on some terrifying travels. Remember this may be the last year any of us will get to haunt stalk.

 

1. Friday the 13th Haunts: Friday the 13th occurred only once in 2010 and ’11. However, this year, we get 3 unlucky Fridays in January, April and July! A few haunts will be open this month on Friday the 13th and we only hope that even more will be open during the other ‘Friday the 13th’ dates to give us some continuous mid season scares.

2. Valentine’s Weekend Haunts: More haunts are sharing the fiendish love with special openings Valentines weekend. Here are a few of  the top haunts offering Valentine’s day massacres: Sinister Pointe (Brea, CA), Moxley Manor (Bedford, TX) and Blood Manor (New York, NY)

3. TransWorld Haunt Show (March 8-11, St. Louis, MO): For the last 16 years, TransWorld’s annual Halloween & Attractions Show has been a “must attend” event in the Halloween & Haunt industries. This year is no exception! This is the only trade show that features vendors, from across the nation and overseas, that cover every aspect of the business, from ticketing to makeup and sound FX to giant animatronics. In addition, local St. Louis Haunts open their doors to attendees. If you are a pro haunter (want to become one) or a True Blood haunt stalker, you cannot afford to miss this event.

4. Monsterpalooza (April 13-15, Burbank, CA): This is an annual convention featuring Hollywood’s award winning FX Artists, Monster and Horror related art work displays, presentations and special guests from horror and Sci-Fi. For us the highlight is the Walk-thru Monster Museum!

5. HauntCon (May 3-7, Monroeville, PA *Pittsburgh): We attended this event last year and believe it’s worth a visit if you’re a haunter or stalker living on the east coast. This is the first year HAuNTcon will be in a convention center rather than a hotel in Monoroeville, PA which just happens to be next to the Monroeville Mall, most famous for its appearance in the George A. Romero horror film Dawn of the Dead.

6. Midwest Haunters Convention (June 8-10, Columbus Ohio):  This is the largest Halloween show of its kind in the US serving a primary audience of Haunted Attraction Producers, Actors, Artists and Home Haunters.  It provides regional businesses and residents the opportunity to shop for professional quality Halloween related products along with educational seminars and workshops and networking activities for haunted attraction industry professionals. Of course, the main reason to go is for the world’s largest haunted attraction bus tour.

299641 10150421988157110 525162109 10813190 1431436499 n 1 Tides of Torture: Worlds 1st Horror Con at Sea

7.  Tides of Torture (Dates TBD): We know that seeing Kathie Lee Gifford in a bikini could be scary enough, but this Caribbean cruise promises even more terrors at sea. This cruise convention will feature a Fangoria-sponsored film festival and some of your favorite horror actors including Jason actor Kane Hodder who really enjoys being on a boat.

8. London (UK) Haunts: Last year our friends at Theme Park Tourist shared some great reviews of the UK haunts and with the 2012 Olympics taking place this summer in London we highly recommend the trip over the bloody pond to experience their renowned year round and seasonal haunted attractions.

9. New York Haunts: We now know why this is the city that never sleeps. It’s because everyone is having nightmares! NYC boasts some of the nation’s most extreme haunts and offers haunts in unique metropolitan locations all the way out to the dark woods of Sleepy Hollow in upstate. This is a “not to be missed” destination during the fall.

10. Pennsylvania  Haunts: While in NY, you might as well head down to PA as well. Pennsylvania is home to some of he nation’s most highly rated haunted attractions including; Jason’s Woods, Bates Motel, and Field of Screams just to name a few.

11. Texas Haunts: Texas is a big state which provides a lot of room for haunts. Throughout the year and especially during haunt season Haunt Stalkers can find a haunt (or two or three…) in nearly every town with the Dallas-Forth Worth area and Austin leading  the terror with their renowned haunts such as Cutting Edge, Hangman’s House of Horrors, and House of Torment.

12. Central Florida Haunts: If you’re a fan of haunts and Theme Parks then Central Florida is the destination for you. While there are only 2 major haunts, Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and Howl O Scream at Busch Gardens; these 2 offer more than enough mazes and scares to make for a satisfying trip.

13. Southern California Haunts: From Hollywood down to San Diego; Southern California offers just about every kind of haunt experience a haunt stalker would want. There are first class Theme Park haunts, hayrides, stand alone professional haunts, boat haunts, and impressive home haunts. You’ll need to plan at least a week long visit, covering two weekends, in order to sample some of the SoCal’s top haunts.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Conventions, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Florida, Haunted Happenings, Howl-O-Scream, New York, Pennsylvania, Southern California, St. Louis, Terror Tips, Texas, Travel Terrors, UK, Valentine's Day Haunts | No Comments »

Into The Darkness

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Have you ever wondered what goes into making all the gory effects of a haunt? How do you make a room float or make a zombie puke up blood, over and over again? Well, a special episode of History’s Modern Marvels takes a look at how all of this is done at The Darkness in St. Louis, Missouri. From the technology to craftsmanship behind the “perfect” haunted house, this clip will give you a glimpse into how haunt designers get us to scream into the night.

Modern Marvels: Halloween Tech

In addition, here is a review of this year’s haunt from the local CBS affiliate, KMOX:

The folks at Scarefest deserve all the international attention they get for their haunted houses. My husband and I experienced the Darkness in Soulard last night and it was AWESOME!

The special effects, the monsters, the make-up, the various rooms and themes at the Darkness make you feel you’ve stepped into a Hollywood horror movie. The 3-D funhouse was totally mind-bending (with scary clowns!).

The Darkness was featured on the History Channel’s “Modern Marvels” and Creepyworld in Fenton was featured on the Travel Channel. The haunted houses receive high praise from peers in the industry as well.

New this year from Scarefest is the Lemp Brewery Haunted Attraction. I have long wanted to get inside the Lemp Brewery and this sounds like sooo creepy! According to their website: Lemp Brewery Haunted House is DEEP underground inside real caves and caverns of the old Lemp Brewery built in the 1890′s.  Over 100 years later the old brewery’s caves and caverns are opened to the public only prepare to encounter REAL ghosts and spirits in St. Louis’ ONLY REAL haunted house.  Take an elevator several floors below street level and prepare to be dropped off inside area’s never before seen by the public where real ghost stories will unfold.  The Lemp Brewery Haunted House is St. Louis’ ONLY NEW and REAL haunted house now part of the Scarefest tour of fright.  I CAN’T WAIT! Opens September 24th.”

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Haunt Profiles, Haunt Reviews, Haunt Videos, Missouri, St. Louis | 11 Comments »