As a recent convert to the convention scene, I was THRILLED to be invited to check out last weekend’s Fantasm Orlando – a haunt and horror conference at the Rosen Shingle Creek. Taking place October 1-3, this convention featured fascinating panel speakers (from all sorts of horror-related professions), spooky authors/artists, celebrity signings and premium entertainment such as burlesque shows, The Nightmare Chamber haunted house, and more! What an awesome opportunity to get to know more people in the Orlando horror community! A big thank you to Fantasm Orlando for inviting me out!
Panel Discussions
One of my favorite pieces of any convention is the panel discussions. I LOVE hearing passionate experts talk about their given subject or field. While I wasn’t allowed to take pictures during these sessions, I did visit plenty of them during the weekend. Here were some of my favorites!
Paranormal Existence – Ghosts – “Real Evidence Vs Fake”
As someone who’s hugely interested in the paranormal, I was excited to learn more about the technology and science of ghost hunting. Led by Bill Slevin, founder of the Paranormal Existence Research Society, this panel was a fascinating combination of actual photos and video evidence plus personal stories of encounters with the beyond!
The Beast Comes at Midnight – Tampa Based Werewolf Movie Coming Soon!
Regular readers of my blog will recognize these names: Terry Jarrell and Steve Gray, friends of Orlando Decoded and accomplished artists, gave an awesome panel about their TWO upcoming indie films, The Beast Comes at Midnight and Bestial! While I have covered these movies in previous articles, I had not had the pleasure of meeting this power team in person. It was great to meet face-to-face and hear more stories from behind the scenes!
Joe Davison’s “STRANGE” Panel on Directing, Producing, and Acting
The first panel I attended was led by Joe Davison, accomplished filmmaker and “nerdy tech” in Stranger Things. While Mr. Davison discussed many aspects of his entertainment career, what I found most fascinating were his stories about securing funding for his movies. Who wouldn’t be inspired by someone with the guts to ask for a million dollars?
Spooky Vendors
I LOVE vendor halls – especially horror-themed ones! And like most conventions, Fantasm Orlando did not disappoint! A wide variety of individuals and small business were represented with products ranging from toy collections, visual art, Christmas ornaments, and even puppets! While I can’t highlight them all in one blog post – here are just a few of the awesome vendors I met during my visit.
Convention Comforts
Specializing in handmade, fandom-themed goods, Convention Comforts creates beautiful pillows (that turn into blankets!), face masks, pet scarves, and more! You can find them on Etsy or follow them on Facebook!
Primo Cardinalli
An inspiring story of recovery and resilience, Primo has overcome divorce, depression, injury, and financial challenges to finally find a true passion and purpose in horror artwork.
Always focused on monsters and mayhem, I particularly enjoy his Scrabble and game board art pieces!
Follow Primo Cardinalli on Facebook and Instagram for his latest works.
Horror Stop N’ Shop
And finally, the Horror Stop N’ Shop makes custom-made home decor like Christmas ornaments, vanity organizers, patches and more. While they create a variety of designs, much of their current collection consists of Disney Villains, Beetlejuice, and Michael Meyers. All great crowd pleasers!
You can find them on Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram.
Author’s Alley
In addition to the vendor hall, Fantasm Orlando included a special section for horror authors! As a writer, I was pretty much starstruck seeing all these creative, accomplished people.
One of my favorite encounters was to finally meet Jackie Sonnenberg! Having interviewed her for a past local profile piece, it was a real treat to introduce myself in person!
Phantasmagoria Dramatic Readings
If you’re the type of person that appreciates Author’s Alley, then you would have also enjoyed Phantasmagoria’s (a Victorian Horror – Storytelling Troupe) dramatic reading sessions! Formatted as an interview, these sessions were punctuated with a selection of readings from the author’s published books. What a super unique way to celebrate a writer’s work!
While I wanted to see them all, we only had the opportunity to visit one of these sessions. We chose Mark Muncy – the author of Eerie Florida, Creepy Florida, and Freaky Florida – to hear real local folklore and spooky stories from our home state. It was the perfect panel for a couple of actual Florida natives!
Other Entertainment
If all the panels and dramatic readings aren’t enough for you – Fantasm boasts a variety of both included and premium entertainment. Each day contained a selection of acrobatic shows, dark carnivals, burlesque performances, and more! Read about our experience at the pop-up haunted house, The Nightmare Chamber here!
Freaky Thoughts: Fantasm Orlando
As a horror genre enthusiast and super fan of the individual artist, this event was a great fit for my interests. I loved listening to field experts at the different panels, meeting other likeminded locals, and chatting with accomplished artists, authors, podcasters, etc. I hope to see Fantasm return to the Orlando area, and I look forward to watching the event evolve in future years.
Wanting to visit in 2022? No information has been released as of yet, but stay tuned to Fantasm’s website, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates!
Another big THANK YOU to Fantasm Orlando for inviting me out! Hope to see you next year!
