Which 2009 trade show to attend?

[robert]

With Transworld's Vegas show, Haunt show in St. Louis and The Texas Halloween expo will there be enough at any one show to warrent a three day visit? An exclusive haunt show seems a tough sell without many of the vendors found on the retail side of the old show. Without amscan's scene setters or Ghoulsih prods. masks we would be in bad shape.

[kpolley]

The St. Louis show will be THE show for the haunt industry. The Houston show will be strictly retail and the Vegas show will have little to no haunt presence either. Look at the floor plan for the Vegas show...there isn't ONE vendor signed up for the haunt section yet. Some people will still wish that the shows were together...but it was time for a change. Plus...were any haunts actually buying from the retailers? I didn't know that any of them would sell one or two of something to a haunt that wanted them at the wholesale price.

At any rate...if you want to see all the new products that are going to be available to haunted attractions in 2009 you need to be at the St. Louis show. All the major vendors are already committed and everyone else is slowly trickling in. It is going to be a great show and for the first time it is actually OUR show. This is a big step forward for the entire industry. I can't wait to see everyone here in 2009.

[Haunted Illinois]

There are definitely going to be some choices to make, if you live in the Chicagoland area. There will be three conventions, all within driving distance:

Transworld (St Louis, MO) … March 27-29
HauntCon (Milwaukee, WI) … April 30-May 4
MHC (Columbus, OH) … June 5-7

[Jim Warfield]

Adam, you forgot..

Mister Tuxedo's Cat-Claw Tatoo Convention @ The Ravens Grin Inn
Downtown Mount Carroll, Ill.
We have litter boxes all scopped out and numerous ferrel cats registered to ply their special trade.
Actually there is no set specific date, it's an all-year long convention which is very draining upon the showgirl cats in each booth next to the master cat-tatoo artists.
Don't ever imagine that non-stop purring and smiling doesn't take energy.

[kpolley]

MHC and HauntCon ARE choices that you have...but you're not going to find Scare Factory, for instance, at either of them. If you want to see the major vendors showing off all their new animatronics and other props and equipment you can ONLY see it all in St. Louis. If you aren't interested in any of that then you can look into the other shows as well.

[Barry]

but you're not going to find Scare Factory, for instance, at either of them.

LOL No, you did not find Scarefactory at MHC '-08 but David did open up his new facility for us exclusively.

What does 2009 hold for MHC? Stay tuned....

[Frighteners Entertainment]

I am eager to know and will be there vending again for the 3rd year.

LOL No, you did not find Scarefactory at MHC '-08 but David did open up his new facility for us exclusively.

What does 2009 hold for MHC? Stay tuned....

[Haunted Illinois]

Kip,

Don’t discount those other conventions, please. They play a valuable part in the Haunted Attraction Industry and they all have value. They are all different and benefit the Haunt Industry in different ways, so just because they aren't labelled by YOU as "#1", that doesn’t mean that they aren’t beneficial.

Of the three events I listed, MHC had the most Haunt Vendors last year. In 2007, Transworld had ~70 in the Haunt Section, HauntCon had ~35 and the Midwest Haunters Convention had more than 80. Before you jump down my throat, yes, I understand that some of those at Transworld were “crossover vendors”, who were in the Halloween section.

While Transworld has traditionally been the end-all, be-all of Haunted Attraction conventions, this year they will have to deal with some serious issues. In 2009, they will be without the “Halloween Section”, which will be a crippling blow. To claim that TW will be “THE show for the haunt industry” is quite presumptuous. We’ll just have to wait and see how this year turns out, before anyone can claim that. It’s a little early to declare a winner when the title fight hasn’t been fought yet. LOL.


I also understand that most people who are posting on this board (who may very well be in Larry’s back pocket. LOL) will not only be promoting Transworld, but belittling all other “competing conventions”, as well.
The thing we need to realize is that all of these events are different. Transworld is known as the event that pulls all the high-end vendors (even though this year they won’t have many of them, due to the removal of the Halloween Section), HauntCon has become famous for its great Haunt Tours and the Midwest Haunters Convention is the event that has the largest growth rate in recent years, as well as its legendary ever-growing Haunt Social.

So, if you only care about seeing the Scarefactory, check out Transworld. If you want to experience awesome Haunt Tours and take advantage of outstanding social networking opportunities, by all means please check out the other events.

Last I checked the HauntShow.com website (one minute ago. LOL), looking at the show floor diagram, there were only 34 vendors. That’s a far cry from the 80+ that were at last year’s MHC. Per the latest screen shot….



Being late November, along with the fact that this show is supposed to be the “end-all, be-all” of Haunt Shows, you would think that more vendors would have committed and reserved their booths at TW by now. Just my two cents…

[robert]

As posted above this is what is giving me pause about going to the HauntShow and why I have yet to go to a hauntcon. I have not missed the previous Transworld events for the past 19 years and for the first time I have my doubts as to whether ALL the usual resource will be at our finger tips this time around. We may not buy items from the retail side on a regular basis but the research it provides is priceless. Masks, Costuming...even webcaster guns. Also as a new location we now have the problem of the lack of a central social gathering place. Just like Vegas. Also I have not seen any indication of other after hour events comprable to the Chicago "Fashion Show". The Vegas version was a disaster. Do you think this show be big enough for the usual min. 3 day visit or peter out after a day and a half? Just curious.

[xxxdirk]

Adam just gave a VERY good summary af all the events. Having been to all three myself, I agree with Adam and would like to add to it. TW USED to be the big show and the reason I say USED to be is cause they had the costume side of the convention so many more people would trickle through the haunt side even if they had no intention of buying LOL< that is how I got in the haunt industry cause I used to go just to buy costumes and ended up falling in love with the haunt industry. I never went to any of the haunt classes at TW. Too expensive for my blood. The only thing TW had was a good number of vendors, early in the season, good networking cause of the shere numbers going, and a great place to hang out at night, and a great haunt to visit to get our fix in the off season. Now everything is up in the air and we will have to see if they can stay top dog.

Personally, I like Hauntcon cause they go to a different city every year and you get a chance to visit some great haunts and good seminars and a nice party. (Make sure to mark it down this year cause they are coming to Wisconsin, and we have some great haunts in my state!!)

My personal favorite out of all of em?? Midwest haunters convention. I was actually looking at the footage I filmed of MWHC in 2008 and they really did have a large number of vendors, great seminars at a reasonable cost, many tours to go to and a great party. And the whole thing is VERY reasonably priced. If I had to pick one convention to go to, MWHC would be #1, Hauntcon #2 and TW #3. The only knock against MWHC is the fact that it takes place in JUNE which to me is way too late to place an order for the season.

[Jim Warfield]

I Hope Nobody Notices..

That trade show floor map Adam posted...that one little guy in that one aisle is me...they caught me peeing on Larry's curtain around his booth!
Oh, wait, this hasn't happened yet, I'm seeing into the future!
There I am, standing around the corner from Adam, he distracts Larry, while I pee.
I guess this means that I have to go to Transworld, since I'm seeing into the future of peeing.
But I just can't hold it that long!
Or can I?

[drfrightner]

I think Transworld's shows have proven over and over again that the buyers only show up for this show in full force. I don't know many if any haunt owners who are not coming to St. Louis and that is a fact.

Hauntcon has proven itself to be more of a hang out type show not a show to bring a checkbook. Several vendors have backed out on showing at this show last year and I would assume even more will back out again. Tradeshows cost money, from the space, to hotels, travel, food, and most importantly YOUR TIME.

More and more people are learning going to endless tradeshows doesn't pay... no one is saying a Hauntcon isn't fun or whatever but its not a buyer seller show like Transworld.

To answer the question however I would say go to all of them if you can afford to both money and time wise, but to really answer the question it depends on who you are and what you are trying to accomplish.

I personally think Hauntcon in specific will be way down this year because he's going to Wisconsin. There was already a VERY successful tour of those attractions just 18 months ago and to be honest I think picking that city will help MHC. For those who can't go to all three but maybe two of them I think they'll end up at MHC because they'll say 'I already went to Wisconsin two TW's ago'.

I know MHC has a new city the plan on touring and that is good news for them a new terroritory, unlike Hauntcon which is going back to a city which has already been toured.

Hauntcon type shows depend on the haunts which they tour for visitors, where Transworld does not as it depends on buyers and sellers bringing checkbooks.

For years their event was in the same city 'Chicago' with the same haunts being toured year after year but to the buyer and seller it didn't matter because it was a primary buyer seller show.

There is NO DOUBT ABOUT IT... Transworld St. Louis will be the MAIN buyer seller show and you can bet your butt that all the vendors and buyers will be here that is for sure. You should be asking yourself...

What other show should I attend outside of Transworld St. Louis...Hauntcon, MHC, TW Vegas or Houston.

And to Adam... I can tell you this the St. Louis show will sell out I know this for a fact... TW was in Orlando with a full blown team of sales people, they also had myself hitting up all sorts of vendors, and on top of all that they had like 4 or 5 big haunters all pushing vendors to show.

I know out of the 50 or so vendors I talked to almost all said 'WE ARE COMING'.

I'm talking about vendors YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN EVER BEFORE...

ALL COMING.

Food vendors!

Foliage vendors!

Theming vendors!

Insurance companies!

Ticketing companies!

People who sell animation parts, computer programs, wrapping companies, you name it and they are all coming.

Haunt vendors have not signed up in force for St. Louis show yet, because no one has pushed them to yet because of the Haunt season...now TW is after them. My only advice to all haunt vendors is to buy now because it will sell out I know it for a fact.

Not only will it sell out but they might have to add more space, they are talking about booking the ballrooms with booths as well.

MANY of the Halloween vendors will also be taking booths from Morris to a Cinema Secrets and many many more.

Its going to sell out you'll see!

I personally am considering taking a trip out to Houston only because I'm thinking about opening a major retail store inside the Darkness and I'll be looking for some of that retail stuff.

But make not mistake St. Louis will be the main show for the haunt industry.

Larry

[Tater]

Larry

Forgive me if I am wrong but youve never been to an "MWHC" or MHC however you wanna put it so you dont know what goes on, therefore, giving people advice based on what youve heard or you wanna make up....pushing them away from shows like that and into your show is not right. Now lets say all the vendors you say are coming but do we really need all of them....Why would haunts need a Food Vender? Most set up a stand where they can make more money then having someone come in and do it and take the money....Just a thought

[kpolley]

Adam,

I'm not belittling anything. I really like MHC. I showed there once and do plan to again...hopefully this year actually. The problem here is in definition. The St. Louis show is the only show that has all the major vendors showing off the hot new products they have to offer. Nothing about that changes since the split because the retail side ISN'T the haunt side. When we say "major vendors" we don't mean rubies and disguise...we mean scarefactory, oak island, distortions, etc. Haunters need haunt merchandise...not sexy sotumes from hustler and light-up pumpkin flashlights.

That being said...again...nothing against MHC or Hauntcon. Of course they're great shows and of course they play an important role but you said yourself they're different and that's an important distinction. Of course you have a choice of which to go to. The problem is that you are acting as though it't the choice between Pepsi, Coke, or RC when in fact thedifferences are quite substantial. You try to talk about the number of vendors like that's a really applicable number when again that's funny math. MHC has a lot of vendors this is true, but there are very few animatronic vendors there, as a for instance.

The St. Louis show is an attempt to bring haunt owners everything they need and nothing they don't. TW and several of us vendors are working hard to bring in new vendors who sell different products that could really benefit haunts.

The thing is, I don't see the shows as competition. I think they all complement each other and each is too different to be compared to another. Too many people here are desperate to discount the TW show and try to crash it before it even takes off. What we should be doing is getting behind it as an industry and embracing the wonderful oppurtunity we have here. I think that the same thing is true about the other shows as well. The problem is, if somebody says something that is even PERCIEVED to be negative about MHC or Huantcon around here (case and point this thread) people jump to their defense. On the other hand, if something positive about TW is said people jump to discredit it.

Lastly...I'm so very tired of hearing about how the TW show floor isn't full yet. Who cares? It's November. In years past they haven't even had the site up until a month or 2 before the show started and even then the vendors all trickled in at the very last second. It's what happens every year. Let it happen as it happens.

I hope that all the shows that take place next year go well. I really do. I just know that all of the big vendors rely on TW as the big order writing show for the industry and if it flops like some people seem to want then you might just see some of the vendors that support this industry fall away. We all make a big investment in TW and it's upsetting to see people bad mouth the show when it hasn't even happened yet. Give it a chance. I think you'll be happy you did.

[Spookyfinder]

Tater,

I think he's talking about food suppliers... not a company that would come in and take the money! -Tyler