Daily Events
Friday, June 6, 2025
Registration Opens
12:00pm | Convention Center Main Lobby
Buses leave for Abandoned Haunted House
- 7:30pm Buses load | Donald A. Stephens Convention Center
5555 North River Rd, Rosemont , IL 60018 - 7:45pm | Buses depart for HellsGate
- Tour details HERE
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Registration Opens
8:00 am | Convention Center Main Lobby
Early Bird Seminars
8:30 am | Convention Center
Kick start your day with our FREE Early Bird Seminar. Visit Seminars for more information!
Show Floor & Kids Zone
Chicago Haunt Builders’ Walk-Through Haunted House
Haunted House Chicago Row
9:30 am – 5:00 pm | Convention Center Show Floor
Saturday Seminars
9:45 – 4:30 pm | Convention Center
Show Floor Stage
11:00 am – 5:00 pm | Convention Center Show Floor
Featuring a variety of entertainments as well as hourly Chicago haunted house ticket giveaways!
Haunted House Chicago Ticket Giveaways | Ongoing throughout the show
Hourly | Convention Center Show Floor Stage
Join us for FREE ticket giveaways to all of your favorite haunted attractions in the Chicagoland area! Throughout the weekend, each haunted house/Pit sponsor will receive up to (5) minutes to bring their characters on stage to deliver a promo for their attraction. We will assist them in picking a ticket prize winner for (2) tickets to their respective attraction during the 2024 season! The tickets to enter this contest are FREE and one will be offered per attendee at the side of the stage.
Sponsored by the Participating Attractions of Haunted House Chicago Row
12:00 PM Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
1:00 PM Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
2:00 PM Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
3:00 PM Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
4:00 PM Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
Bloody Mary Monster Makeup Wars
Convention Center Show Floor Stage
One of the Midwest Haunters Convention’s signature events is Monster Makeup Wars. Five teams of three (two makeup artists and a model) have 30 minutes to create a monster from the neck up. The catch? They must do it only with the items we supply them at the start of the competition!
Details HERE
Sponsored by Bloody Mary Makeup
MHC Zombie Walk | FREE TO ATTENDEES
4:30 pm | Meet in the Convention Center Lobby
Want to participate? Sign up HERE!
The Chicago Zombie March presents the MHC Zombie Walk. This FREE event is a great way to gather with friends new, old and undead. Dress up in your zombie best (or worst) and meander from The Donald E. Stephens Center, shuffle your way into and around Parkway Bank Park Entertainment District, then shamble back down Balmoral Avenue and return to the Center. After the Zombie Walk, you can attend the annual Costume Party* later in the evening.
- 4:30 pm | Meet in the Convention Center Lobby
- 4:45 pm | Start shuffling!
Please note: All participants in the Zombie Walk will be required to sign this Release and Waiver in conjunction with registering for the event. Release & Waiver Forms will be available at the registration table on site.
*Separate tickets must be purchased to the MHC trade show floor and Costume Party, and you must be a registered MHC attendee to purchase those tickets. You do NOT have to be an MHC attendee to participate in the Zombie Walk.
**Pre-registration required for all participants. Register to participate HERE!
Sponsored by Chicago Zombie March
MHC Costume Party
8:30 pm – 12:30 pm | Convention Center | $35 Early Bird | $45 Onsite | BUY NOW
The MHC Costume Party is THE Social Event of the year for the haunt industry! Hosted by John LaFlamboy from HellsGate Haunted House & Ben Armstrong from Netherworld Haunted Attraction. Join hundreds of haunters and Halloween lovers for an evening of music, competitions, dancing, and socializing – this is your chance to have your yearly Halloween party with all your favorite industry friends! Get ready to strut your stuff: The costume contest is back and better than ever before – new categories, more judges and BIGGER Prizes!
TransWorld LIVE After Party | FREE TO ATTENDEES
12:00 am – 2:00 am | Embassy Suites Hotel, 5500 North River Rd, Rosemont IL, 60018
You don’t have to go home…you just have to make it over to the Embassy for MORE fun! The TW Live crew and the Haunted Houses in the PIT have teamed up to create some mischief and mayhem – this time we are adding MORE with some surprise “Zesty” entertainment to end the party! Games, Drink Specials, Slice Pizza will be available for purchase and of course great company as we party into the wee hours of the night!
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Registration Opens
9:00 am | Convention Center Lobby
Early Bird Seminars
9:00am | Convention Center
Sunday Seminars
10:15 am – 3:00pm | Convention Center
Show Floor & Kids Zone
Chicago Haunt Builders’ Walk-Through Haunted House
Haunted House Chicago Row
10:00 am – 3:00 pm | Convention Center Show Floor
Show Floor Stage
11:00 am – 3:00 pm | Convention Center Show Floor
Featuring a variety of entertainments as well as hourly Chicago haunted house ticket giveaways!
9th Annual Sinister Visions Costume Contest
Convention Center Show Floor Stage
Join us Sunday June 8th in your favorite ghoulish costume or as your haunted house character for our Nineth Annual Sinister Visions Costume Contest and compete for fun and prizes! All ages welcome! A metal sign certificate will be awarded to the winner (courtesy of CU Scared) in the Adult Category (18 & up), Teen Category (12-17) and Kids Category (11 & under).
2025 Judges: Shannon Hopps (Dark Hour Haunted House/Stiltbeast Studios), Katie Lane and Scott “Tater” Lynd
THERE IS NO PRE-REGISTRATION: Contestants should start assembling beside the trade show floor demo stage starting 15 minutes prior to the event. Chad Savage will be there to direct you as necessary.
Sponsored by Sinister Visions
AWARD PLAQUE/SIGNS PROVIDED BY
12:00 pm Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
1:00 pm Haunt Feature and Ticket Giveaway
HauntedHouseChicago.com Actor Showcase & Grand Prize Ticket Giveaway
2:00pm | Convention Center Show Floor Stage
As we near the end another amazing Midwest Haunters Convention, For our final stage event, attendees that received their free ticket giveaway entry will get one more chance to win – and this time for (2) tickets to each of the (10) attractions in the Pit! You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity. Sponsored by HauntedHouseChicago.com
