2007 Show Review #1
I have been meaning to write about my experience at the Midwest Haunters Convention for some time now. I have finally settled in for my 4 month Terror on the Fox job in Green Bay and now have a moment to breathe!
I have wanted to attend MHC for a few years now and my schedule never allowed it, until this year! I had heard so many good things about MHC over the years and I knew it was going to be time well spent. I left Boston at 4 a.m. on Friday the 13th for a 12 hour drive to Columbus, the drive actually went by pretty fast and soon I was pulling into the parking lot of the Doubletree Hotel where the convention was held. Although I was tired from the drive there was no time to rest, classes were in full swing and I popped in to a couple of the rooms to say hello to a few friends. I grabbed my luggage and headed to my room (I shared a room with Bert and Kim Zelten from MiniSpotLight.com and Bad Boys Scenic Design) several friends offered a room to share; this was due to the fact that the Hotel was sold out!
After bringing my luggage up to the room I immediately headed down to the show floor where the vendors were busy setting up their booths, I had some time to say hello to some friends who were setting up and also had a “sneak peek” of some of the products that would be available the rest of the weekend. I was greeted with a handshake and a smile from Barry Schieferstein and a hug from Kathy Schieferstein (2 of the 4 producers of MHC) it was great seeing them again and even better seeing them at their show! Barry played a huge role in making sure I was able to experience every aspect of the show and I owe him a huge thank you for making my first trip to MHC a memorable one!
Later in the evening I headed across the street to the Winking Lizard Pub for a bite to eat and a sample of a couple of the beers they had to offer (over 100 varieties from around the globe!) After dinner we spent some time in the bar and lounge area catching up with friends and taking in some of the electricity that was in the air! I had no problems falling asleep that night and getting some much needed rest.
The next morning started off early as I attended the breakfast sponsored by I.A.H.A., it was packed! I have attended TransWorld and HauNtCon for many years and have never seen to many “morning people”, MHC was different; it seemed as though everyone was up and ready to go! I was able to answer some questions about I.A.H.A. that a couple people approached me about and I am happy to report that we had several people sign up to become members at the show.
The show floor was packed and the vendors seemed very busy all day. There were a lot of great products and before I knew it I was reaching for the Terror on the Fox checkbook and placing orders with several vendors. I had a lot of opportunities to discuss products and ideas with some vendors that Terror on the Fox will be working with, we needed some custom work for our theme this year and I was able to find some vendors willing to take on the job! (I’ll post pictures!)
During the day I met up with Kelly Collins (Kelly is part of the MHC production team) after talking with Kelly for a while I offered to be a judge for the Ms. Scary Midwest pageant that was taking place later that evening. I also spoke with Neena Collins (the fourth member of the MHC production team) for a bit. As I headed back into the show I ran into Barry where I learned a bit more on how the well oiled machine that is MHC works.
The four producers of the show each have their own areas that they are responsible for:
Barry Schieferstein – primary convention contact, speaker and vendor coordinator
Kelly Collins – marketing and sponsorships
Kathy Schieferstein – registration and payments
Neena Collins – information manager and project coordinator
It was very clear how well the show was run. I heard nothing but good comments from the vendors on how they were treated at the show, the vendors had a private room they could visit for snacks and refreshments and they were also given food coupons to redeem for food throughout the day. All four producers were very visible throughout the weekend, meaning they were very easy to find if people had questions or concerns.
After the show closed on Saturday night it was off to a wonderful dinner with great friends, great conversation and some of the funniest stories I have heard in a while!
Saturday night came quick and it was time for Brian Wolfe, Rich Hanf, and I to judge the Ms. Scary Midwest pageant! We judged on performance, appearance, costume, and make-up and let me tell you……..It was not an easy task!
Everyone who entered the pageant brought their “A” game and the judging was very close! Ophelia from Morgan Manor in Waukesha Wisconsin took first place.
The entire evening was a huge party with some very elaborate costumes, fun was had by all! (I still have the image of Taters “new additions” burned into my soul! lol)
Sunday was spent recovering from the night before (hehe) People seemed to be buying more on this day and I started to figure out how I was going to pack everything we bought in to my vehicle for the trip up to Green Bay, including a very detailed cannon for Jonathan from Rotting Flesh Radio built and detailed by Body Bag Entertainment. During the afternoon an auction took place that included a lot of props from Body Bag Entertainment and ScareParts, there were also several detailed home made props for sale.
Sunday night was a great time to unwind with friends; a large group of us met at a local Italian restaurant and we were even given a ride to the restaurant in Kelly Collins limo, thanks Kelly!
My first time to MHC was a time I will never forget! I highly recommend this convention to anyone who can make it. Great friends, great vendors, social activities and hours upon hours of education! Thank you to Barry, Kathy, Kelly and Neena for all of the hospitality and for producing such a great show for Haunters!
Take care,
Tattoo
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Bad Boys Scenic Design
Terror on the Fox
Pale Eye Productions
