Inside HorrorCon Los Angeles: Where Evil Never Dies

HorrorCon LA is a relatively new horror convention that started in 2022. It happens in Los Angeles annually, typically around the fall. But this year, the event moved up its dates and took place during summerween. While it’s been going on for a few years, this was my first time checking it out. Here’s a closer look at the frightful festivities!

HorrorCon LA happens at the Los Angeles Convention Center. If you ever attended ScareLA or read my coverage of it, it looked like this event was set up in that same space. It spanned across 100,000 square feet, and everything happened in this area. The majority of the space was taken up by vendor booths, and the main stage was situated at one end where all the panels and performances occurred.

HorrorCon LA describes itself as “a modern twist on the classic horror genre event” that zeros in on horror cinema entertainment. It features panels, celebrity photo ops and signings, live entertainment, and several spooky vendors. It’s a weekend-long event, and I attended on Sunday.

I enjoy sitting in on panels and listening to discussions, so I sat in on “Based on the Original Film Night of the Living Dead.” It’s a new horror film directed by Christopher Douglas-Olsen Ray and inspired by the OG George A. Romero classic. Members of the cast and crew were present, including actress Vivica A. Fox, actress Brittany Underwood, writer Jared Cohn, and others. It was a fun interview, and the insight into the making of this project was interesting. I loved Vivica A. Fox’s enthusiasm and hearing her talk about her experience on set. Her energy was so uplifting. I’m looking forward to checking out this movie.

I walked around to browse the booths. There were so many amazing vendors selling all kinds of horror-inspired merch, from tees to home décor. Authors, entertainment companies, and other dark creatives were also present promoting their work. Although I wish I could name them all here, I want to spotlight a few that caught my attention.

I stopped by the Final Girl Fitness table and talked to the founder who creates horror-inspired online workouts. An artist by the name of Scourge was showcasing his beautiful dark art pieces. He was formerly incarcerated for several years and now dedicates his time to painting. He has a true gift. His fine art paintings looked exquisite and had a gothic aesthetic. He was also doing live painting at his booth.

Since I have two cats and a dog, I was smitten with a small business by the name of Bloody Knife Pet Toys. They arrived in their “crime mobile” and were selling the cutest, blood-splattered toys and accessories for pets. I also discovered goodies by DJ Creates Boutique who crafts humorous skeleton figures in various positions, and they were fun to look at.

There were horror-inspired characters walking around, like the Krampus gang from Krampus Los Angeles, Ghost Face from Scream, and other nightmarish creatures. In one corner, there was a setup featuring cursed Annabelle doll look-a-likes, a guillotine, and an electric chair.

Imaginerick, a visual development studio located in Hollywood, had an impressive display. They specialize in special FX makeup and masks. They had some of their creepy figurines exhibited, but what really caught my eye was The Chair of Ed Gein. The chair looked like flesh, and of course I sat in it to take a photo! I don’t know who else saw Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, but as disturbing as that series was, this was a neat piece to see.

HorrorCon Los Angeles delivered some good thrills. Now, if you haven’t checked it out, I want to mention that it’s not as big as other spooky-themed events in LA, like Midsummer Scream and Monsterpalooza. Those events include more attractions and activities than this one. There wasn’t a large crowd on the day I went, and it was a bit quiet. I’m not sure what the action was like on Saturday.

I do think that the event could have benefitted from establishing a spookier atmosphere. There were DJs at the main stage handling music, which was great, but I wish there was a macabre soundtrack playing continuously to set the mood. I feel that things like smoke machines and/or more Halloween and horror decorations could have made the ambience more festive. The hall where it’s set up is really big, so there were spaces that seemed empty and took me out of the horror vibe.

Having said that, I will add that HorrorCon LA is a newer horror convention that’s still establishing itself. I can only imagine the time and energy that it takes to organize an event of this scale, so I give major credit to the team behind it. Plus, I’m pretty sure this was the first year it happened during summer. I don’t know what previous years have been like, but I do know that HorrorCon LA typically happened during spooky season when there’s more action surrounding these types of events. I’m only speaking to what my experience was this year.

What I do feel HorrorCon LA does really well is highlighting independent horror filmmakers and creators. It’s an awesome way to discover talent in horror that’s not just focused on the bigger, mainstream productions. It’s a more intimate space for true horror fans, and I’m sure that this horror convention will continue to deliver on that front.

I’m interested in seeing what HorrorCon Los Angeles has planned for the future and would like to return next year. Overall, I enjoyed myself, appreciated what it had to offer, and am grateful that I experienced it during summerween.

Where to Stalk

HorrorCon Los Angeles official website