This was the fourth year we've attended the National Haunters Convention (formerly called the Eastern Haunters Convention). If you haven't attended yet, GO! Each show is full of great seminars on everything from prop building, make-up, actor training and recruiting, haunt safety, marketing, and all the other important aspects of either an amateur or professional haunted attraction - there really is something for everyone.

This year our visit was shorter than normal. Since we splurged and attended HauntCon in Louisville the weekend before we shortened this trip a bit. We also skipped the haunt tours this year since the price had gone up considerably and we had already toured Scare Factory in one of the previous convention tours and weren't all that impressed; it was a high volume very low detail haunt with good actors but depended almost entirely on startles. The few pneumatic props they had weren't well finished and seemed to be placed without much consideration for the scenes.

Our main goal this year was the costume ball and hoping to find a few good buys on the trade show floor. The trade show floor was noticeably smaller than previous years (though still larger than HauntCon) and we did find several items worth bringing home. Note to self; save the shopping for Sunday afternoon as vendors are getting packed up - you really get some GREAT deals then on stuff they don't want to haul home!

We enjoyed the show very much (as always). The food, giveaways, contests, and entertainment were wonderful - as was the crowd - but the DJ really didn't have a clue on tunes to play to get people dancing. Most of the crowd took off immediately after the last giveaways about 10:30 and only a few inebriated individuals braved the bizarre "music" and ventured out onto the dance floor.

Just a couple shots from the show floor:

And one of the great deals we picked up ($17):

For me (and apparently many others - they won an award from the conference organizers) the COOLEST stuff on the trade show was from a company I'd never seen before - and a new spin on technology that I think we will start seeing in EVERY commercial haunt that uses pneumatics within the next few years! The company is called All Scare - www.allscare.com - and they were showing off interchangeable pneumatic prop parts based on channeled aluminum. Components attach with simple bolt-on hinges and braces - as do any cylinders for movements - and can be easily adjusted - or completely interchanged by simply unscrewing a few bolts!

They sell both parts (for do-it-yourselfers), dozens of "kits", as well as fully assembled props. They're going to getting some orders from me!

Also a shout out to NY Digital who took some excellent pictures at the show - and photoshopped them onto t-shirts, mousepads, and other fun items. Here's a shot they took of us at the ball which we had put onto both a shirt and a mousepad! www.nydigitalservices.com

And how about this? Did I inspire a $600 prop? See the picture below of the prop/costume for sale on the show floor (new this year); and compare it to the next picture of the costumes Catherine and I wore to the costume ball at NHC in 2010! 

And pictures from the Cadaver Cotillion (Costume Ball):

The couple that got married at the convention that morning shares their first dance at the ball:

And the lovely bride throws out the bouquet to the ladies:

Our gracious hosts / conference owner/organizers:

Is it just me or do these guys freak you out? :-) Heeeere's Johnny...

The costume contest:

The zombie girls put on a concert: