(Photo credits to Mandie Stevens)
Written by Mandie Stevens, Staff Writer
Spokane gets into the Halloween spirit early. People are sipping pumpkin spice lattes by August, and some stores have Halloween decorations on their shelves almost as soon as the Fourth of July is over. By October, that excitement has another place to go: Halloween X-SPO. The fourth annual event returned to the Spokane Convention Center October 10–11, bringing celebrity guests, artists, vendors, and cosplayers together for a weekend celebrating the spooky season.
With so much happening throughout the weekend, there were plenty of reasons to explore the convention floor. For many attendees, meeting the celebrity guests meant coming face-to-face with the people behind some of their favorite films. Fans have screamed at them, rooted for them, and watched them survive—or cause—some of the genre’s most memorable nightmares. Attendees could collect autographs, snap photos, and meet guests including William Vail and Allen Danziger of ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’, Eugene Clark, who played Big Daddy in George A. Romero’s ‘Land of the Dead’, Felissa Rose of ‘Sleepaway Camp’, Dave Sheridan of ‘Scary Movie’, Lochlyn Munro of ‘Freddy vs. Jason’, and stunt performer Allen Robinson, known for his work in ‘Scream 2’.
Of course, there was more to explore than the celebrity guest area. The convention floor also brought together artists and creators whose work ranged from animation and special effects to original artwork and horror publishing. Animation artist Dave Warren, whose credits include ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Pinky & The Brain’, joined special-effects artist Joseph J. Schultz, associated with ‘Hellraiser’ and ‘Candyman’. Other creators included Chad Scheres, Ara Gotham, Derek Landers, Brendon of Neon BoneYard, and Kevin Glover of Scary Tales Publishing.
Cosplay brought beloved characters to life throughout the convention, and the adult costume contest was a highlight. The room was giddy with anticipation as contestants took the spotlight, showing off incredible costumes packed with exquisite detail and personalities to match. If this had been a real horror movie, the audience would’ve been in trouble! The children’s contest gave younger fans their own opportunity to participate, bringing even more Halloween spirit to the event.
There was more to do than browse the show floor. Panels covered everything from ‘Ladies of Horror’ and the art of writing horror for the stage to special makeup effects and the paranormal. Fans could also catch guest interviews, watch the Dungeon Dorks bring a horror-themed Dungeons & Dragons adventure to life, or take in magic and live stunt shows. With so much happening throughout the weekend, there was more than one way to get into the spirit of the event.
At its heart, Halloween X-SPO was about more than the movies, the costumes, or the celebrity photos. It was about a community of fans coming together over the horror genre, the stories and characters they love, sharing their creativity, and making room for others who love the same things. That spirit extended beyond the convention floor, too, with 25% of official merchandise sales benefiting the Spokane Fires Disaster Relief Fund through the American Red Cross, while nonperishable food donations supported families in need through Our Place Community Outreach. Even in a world filled with things that go bump in the night, Halloween X-SPO showed how a shared passion can bring people together for something good, even the spirit of Halloween.
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