Haunt Show Events

[Gore Galore]

So,
We now have our own industry show all by itself.
Love it or hate it this is the way it is.
So, how do we go about making this the best tradeshow this industry has ever had and will ever have.

Your input is needed.

We need to determine what events need to happen to make the majority happy without making it a convention rather than a tradeshow.

We will be finding a "Crowne"
Mark Mcdonough is working on this right now since it is his home town/ I am sure Kip will help him find a supportive locale. He said he already had a great bar for this.

And we need to get the Darkness tour, IAHA, Leonard, and Barry together to work on developing some things that are both informative and entertaining. We are trying to bring everyone in on the development of this show. We have been split way to long politically and it is time for that to end. If we don't pull together we are going to loose everything we have worked so hard to achieve.

THE HHVA would love to have the buyers input on this and we will present it to transworld at our next Advisory board meeting.

Here is looking forward to your contributions.

And yes, we can put shane in a cage with one of his tigers.
Ummmmmmm,
How about a Shane dunk tank?

Seriously,
It is your time to make this the event of the century.

[Barry]

After reading all of these threads I am more confused than ever as what is a "tradeshow" and what is a "convention". The definition seems to be a shifting target. LOL

Supposedly a "convention" focuses more on social events than on a tradeshow. If you look at MHC's schedule, we have one social event that happens during show floor hours and that was during the last 30 minutes on Saturday.

MHC's seminars run concurrently with the show floor but so did TW's.

So, Kevin, it is hard for me to give suggestions when the end goal has not been defined. LOL

[UndeadProd]

At the risk of stirring-up controversy, my only real concern with the new direction and location of TW (other than the lack of young women dressed as sleazy storybook characters) is that TW might further reduce some of the restrictions on access to the event so that more non-qualified buyers get in.

This may have been mentioned elsewhere in the floods of messages and comments, but will the general public be allowed to access the show?

As for haunt tours and outside events, I personally prefer a variety of options rather than a few mega-events.

I loved what DreamReapers did in Chicago -- staying open for a couple nights and offering bus service back & forth - which allowed us to visit the haunt when it best fit our schedule.

The only downside to the larger scale events (such as last year's haunt tour in Vegas) is that once you start including meals and entertainment or other options, it can turn into a full-night commitment ... and with so many people to see in such a short period, that really takes us out of the mix for a big hunk of time.

I also think it wouldn't be a terrible idea for some kind of structured socializing event (perhaps a progressive lunch or speed-networking kind of thing) that would allow haunters and vendors to meet a whole slew of new people over the course of an hour. I've attended several events like this that were organized by the local chamber of commerce, and have always come away with fistfulls of new business cards and contacts.

I'm very excited about the possibilities and potential of this new show which is, let us remember, still 9 months away... unlike the month of October, which is less than a 100 days away.

[drfrightner]

Scott,

It is my full understanding that in the past Rocky Point for example opened up for Hantcon but also the general public, as did many other attractions. As of right now I have no plans to do that. I see this as an industry only event. Additionally as to who can or can't come into he show, that would be up to Transworld not myself, but they know as well as all of the vendors we don't want the general public...period! We want QUALIFIED BUYERS for our products and services that means YOU SCOTT!

Since this is being started from scratch this is something that can be discussed and addressed and a policy in place without offending anyone as happened in the past. This needs to be a buyer seller show.

Barry,

I think the show is clearly defined. Transworlds show has always had seminars, and if a haunt opened they did, as we saw last year in Vegas and in Chicago. I doubt there will be anything more to this show than a tradeshow floor, seminars and haunted happenings after the show is over. Nothing different than any other year. As you know TW had tried things like the haunters pavilion and stuff like that I doubt any of that stuff will happen unless people like yourself helped them.

As you know they ended that feature last year. So this show in my mind is clear... same as always just better.

So you know where I stand, I'm not in favor of letting anyone in the show, I'm not in favor of activities going on during the show like make up wars and all of that stuff, I'm not a fan of monster balls, and people walking around trying to do business in costumes and what not. But the show becomes what it becomes this is a buyers seller show first and foremost.

Larry

[UndeadProd]

Actually, I think having the haunt(s) open to the public along with haunters could be lots of fun. I know that PHOBIA did that during Hauntcon and it really created a nice vibe to mix in civilians with the haunters.

I would just prefer to keep the general public out of the actual tradeshow and seminars, as would most of the vendors I would imagine. Limit attendance to current and potential haunt and business owners and other qualified buyers.

[drfrightner]

MARCH 28, 2009

The Darkness will open its doors to the hanted house industry from 7pm until 12am. Tickets will be sold through an online ticketing company, and all tickets will be sold TIMED TICKETING!

There will be TWO HAUNTED HOUSES OPEN... The Darkness and Terror Visions.

The Darkness will be a revamped haunt, meaning ready to go for 2009 season, not the same show people will see this year in October 2008.

We are also building a new haunt in our addition we're adding onto our building... TERROR VISIONS in 3D will also be open.

The haunts will run back to back and end up in a Darkness retail shop that includes pinball games, monster museum and more.

The initial cost of this event will be $50.00 per person.

We will probably provide a bus service from the convention flap ship hotel to the Darkness running from 6pm until 1am, however there could be an extra charge for this..don't have any details yet.

The Darkness is rougly one mile maybe 2 from the convention center and is located in one of the cities best area's...called Soulard.

http://www.soulard.org/ Soulard hosts the second largest Mardi Gras in the nation...second to New Orleans.

Other links to Soulard http://www.slfp.com/Soulard.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulard,_St._Louis


You could actually go straight to Soulard which features over 30 bars and resturants and then just walk over or eat dinner afterwards there. Very Nice place!!!!

We will create a website just for this event...coming soon!

Larry

[xxxdirk]

1)Haunt tours and busses are a must. 2) Time for socializing/drinking at night at a designated bar 3)Lots of Vendors, seminars but keep the prices with haunters budgets in mind. None of this $400 per seminar nonsense, even $75 per seminar seems like a lot. Maybe $90 gets you into all the seminars you want to go to. I realize education costs a lot and speakers want $ but if they are selling DVDs afterward, or product cash n carry and they get a couple of bucks per person that attends the seminar, they should be cool.

[JamBam]

Charge admission and badge the buyers !!

Badge all people. The events, competitions, socials, seminars should all have badged attendees.

When TW failed miserably a couple of years ago trying to "show me the vendors I need to see" according to the TW expert at the time, I had tried to suggest that the event be badged very obviously. The vendors would know the buyers immediately so their time and catalog/flyer money would not be wasted. Have only one or two buyers allowed from each event. Have the event type ribboned under the badges to go even further for the vendors and others to recognize who is who in front of them.

Charge admission, but allow the vendors to rebate it back through verified sales. TW would pay the vendor just as coupon companies do for the food stores do. Issue the coupons to the people paying admission and the vendor turns them in at the end of each day or the show. Any extra money generated by the enthusiasts ( money not rebated) could pay for socials, seminars, buses etc. or even a charitable donation with maybe 20 % kept for managing the rebate program.
Quick numbers:
2000 admissions x $ 20 = 40K
1000 vendor rebates = 20k,
20% handling fee = 8k,
left to pay suggested items = 12k

$ 20 is a cheap entrance fee, and the buyers would get their money back anyways.

And tell TW I will volunteer to manage the coupon program, so they wouldn't have to.

[Haunted Illinois]

Maybe we should re-read the official Press Release from Transworld Exhibits Inc.. ..

The complete schedule of activities for the 14th National Haunt & Attractions Show in St. Louis will be announced in the coming weeks. Highlights of the show will include:

• New product introductions from the industry’s leading companies
• Extensive seminar programming
• Networking events and competitions
• Special events and tours, and much more

Competitions? Like the Make-up wars they had at MHC? Networking Events, Special Events? Hopefully none of that will be during show hours and distract from the “trade show”.

[drfrightner]

Adam,

Transworld JUST decided to do the show,so I think the press release was just general... I doubt they have any specific things in mid what will or won't happen.

I think it is more of a case of being very general. However for several years they had a t-shirt competition, so they could be refering to this. Who knows! But I can assure you that they didn't mean make up wars.

The thing you have to remember is this...this show is for buying and selling and NO VENDOR WANTS make up wars, NO VENDOR wants anything like that going on while they are trying to sell products.

Larry

[lurker]

No vendors want make-up wars....except maybe make-up vendors? I can't see any vendor having a problem with any event, as long as it occurs after show hours.
How about a haunted potato sack race? lol

[Gore Galore]

Again,
I will keep monitoring this thread.
Thanks to all who are helping by participating.
You are most certainly helping to create OUR show.

Adam and Barry,
I understand your criticism of this show, but it will develop. With your input.
We are in charge of developing the details of the show.
And yes the press release was kind of a general statement of activities so that can be determined later with buyer and vendor input. They are not making any more decisions without the participation of the Haunt community.
I know that many are upset with Transworld for not listening to us, but they seem to be listening.
So, when someone apologizes for being wrong do you spit in their face, or do you forgive and move on.
No one said you had to forget. You protect yourself, and get everything in contract.

As Larry said,
No makeup wars
We want to be able to coordinate with the other regional shows so we can can grow together. Maybe they can share some events somehow.

And I think the seminars might be set up so the schedule does not interfere with the show floor.

There will be a charge at the door, but we are not sure what it is. We don't want to offend anyone but we have to charge. All the regional shows and conventions charge for all activities so we should learn from that. Every Horror show charges at the door.

Brett,
I like the coupon idea and that has been discussed. And thank you for offering to help with that. I can suggest it.

Thanks again,
Your input is important

[Barry]

Kevin,

My post was not meant to be criticism in any way. It was meant to point out the fact that before you can plan "events" you need to define the parameters.

[Gore Galore]

Barry,
Understood.

We should NOT be afraid of criticism. we need it anyway. It helps build character. Constructive criticism is a must, so I hope you didn't think I was being nasty about it.

Well I think the tradeshow definition is going to be something like this.
And it is very reflective of what Larry has been saying.

It is a serious Buyer Seller show.
That is the focus.
I think the definition is reflective of what Transworld has always done: with seminars, a haunt tour, and serious networking sessions involving all the best vendors and buyers a market has to offer, and qualifying the buyers to some extent.

But just not too many social activities.
However, They are open to what the buyers want.
And if the buyers indicate they really want something then I am sure Transworld will accomodate. They do seem to be trying to show this industry they want to keep this show alive.

[graystone]

Kevin

With you involved I think things will work for the best. So with that good luck man. One problem I have is it was said Transworld is listening. Transworld listens to no one just the select few that they so called polled. So lets start this show off with honesty and say TransWorld listens only to the ones they want to. As far as the rest of us the hell with us. It appears the buyers are of no interest to them if so we would not be where we are now. Anyway Kevin you know we don't always agree but I do respect what your doing. If you need any help just let me know and I will try to do what I can to help you. Shane