Transworld Haunted House and Escape Room Tradeshow Coming May 6-9

Transworld Halloween Haunt and Escape Tradeshow is finally happening after more than a year of waiting.  Due to Covid the 2020 annual tradeshow was canceled which sent an entire industry into a spiral.  Many haunted houses and escape rooms closed their doors forever, while most powered thru and are ready for the annual tradeshow to return.  The tradeshow was originally scheduled for early March 2021 but due to ongoing covid restrictions it was pushed back until May 6-9, 2021 in St Louis Missouri.   You can get more details at www.HAASHOW.com 



So what should you expect at the 2021 tradeshow?  Most vendors will still exhibit because their 2020 money was rolled over to 2021.  Some vendors however will not exhibit despite losing deposits like Unit 70.  Some vendors are choosing not to exhibit because they're already totally sold out and can't take anymore orders for 2021. A tradeshow for the haunted house industry in May is basically only worth about 25% of its original value.  About 25% of all vendors orders come between November and January  taking advantage or winter sales.  Another 50% of orders are placed right around the Transworld show and the balance about 25% are placed through out the summer months.  Once Transworld announced the show was moving to May buyers started placing orders and now most vendors are nearly sold out.  Our guess is most vendors have about 25% or less capacity for new orders!  Our advice DO NOT wait until the Transworld Show call your favorite vendors and BUY NOW otherwise you may not get the opportunity to order. 

We also do NOT expect you can buy as many products off the show floor as vendors are bringing products already sold and using Transworld for pick up!  AGAIN ORDER NOW!   Most vendors we've spoken to have stated  they're already SOLD OUT for 2021 or taking orders for late Summer early September.  If you wait for Transworld show which is another full month away you might be disappointed.  

A tradeshow in May doesn't work for the haunted house industry but Transworld had no choice it was May or nothing.  The haunted house industry wants to get together, and try to get back on a path of normalcy.  Vendors need the bulk of orders to be placed long before May and haunt owners know better than to wait until May.  Even though many vendors will have limited capacity to take orders at this years show, there is still plenty of reasons to attend.  All the seminars and educations opportunities are still available with very few changes from what you signed up for in 2020.  The communication with other haunters is invaluable, and honestly walking the tradeshow gives you creative energy to take back to your business.  Transworld should be back on track in 2022 with dates in early March and hopefully by this Halloween season there are no more covid related issues.  We do however want to stress that many vendors if not most will still have some product on the show floor to sell, or ability to take some orders but do NOT take that chance... ORDER NOW.   



Escape rooms have been drastically impacted by covid, losing corporate parties, single bookings into unsold games, and having to close for a period.  Many haunted houses made the early call NOT to open for 2020 Halloween fearing a lack of interest, which turned out to be the exact opposite.  Haunted Houses that opened got overwhelming demand for customers.  No word yet if all the Christmas vendors will return because no tradeshow floor map has been updated to Transworld website.  With that being said the Christmas industry had a RECORD YEAR... keep in mind people were looking for something to do and most Christmas shows are drive thru! 

Overall i believe the show despite every curve ball thrown in its direction,will be overwhelming successfull. You should attend the show and absorb some of that creative energy, talk to vendors, place some orders, take in some education and feel great about the future!  Owning and operating Christmas, Escape or haunted house attractions is a passion based industry and the passion is there to be together surrounded by what makes them motivated to get back to work.  Even though I'm strongly advicing you to PLACE ORDERS NOW, the show floor will be FLUSH with products to see, touch and experience.  This coming Transworld show is for the now and the future of getting all these industries back on track!  Support Transworld and support the vendors! 

Despite all the hurdles the show will be a success just because it happened.  Have fun and have a great time. 

We will not be doing behind the scenes tours of our escape rooms in 2021 however they're open for bookings at  www.StLouisEscape.com 

A word of warning if you don't book NOW, our escape rooms are basically sold out just from local business every single weekend.  Since last Transworld St Louis Escape has added Frankenstein Escape, Dracula Escape, and Wonderful Wizard of Oz plus a blacklight mini golf and arcade.  Book today! 



As for haunted house tours, we initially thought about opening Creepyworld and started overhauling it the minute we closed for the 2020 Halloween season.  We have already spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to get Creepyworld ready for Transworld but over the winter temp dropped below zero and stopped us cold.  We continue to work on Creepyworld building a new pumpkin barn, funeral home haunted house, and a video mapping attraction.  Its not likely that we could get Creepyworld done in time for Transworld,  even though we're currently working on it everyday.  As we speak we have 4 to 6 people working on Creepyworld every single day.  If something changes we'll let you know.  We decided not to attempt opening Lemp because we didn't even open Lemp for the Halloween season.  Lemp is located inside a cave and needs a lot of cleaning and repair we just didn't have time.  As for The Darkness we renovated the Darkness as if we would open for Transworld and just completed the total 2021 renovation in time for a local special event called Scream Break.  We added several new scenes including a haunted conservatory, haunted pumpkin barn, new gift store, thousands dollars in upgrades, this on top of overthink we did leading up to 2020 Transworld. 

The Darkness can open however we have yet to decide if we want to attempt opening for Transworld 2021.  If something changes it would be very last minute.  If any tour is added it will be a behind the scenes tour only.  

Again have a great time at Transworld 2021! 

PS:  If you see Rich and Jen walking around the Tradeshow floor give them a HUGE THANK YOU!  Trying to get this show back on track has been an overwhelming acheivement.  Thank you Jen and Rich from Hauntworld!