Chicago 2009 looks solid....

[toothtwister]

There is more than one issue regarding the TW show being in Chicago next year.

Yes the weather in Jan. is one of them, but that's just the 'tip of the iceberg'. {bad pun}

Many in the Halloween, Costume and Party end of the industry (and some haunters) have perceived TW's actions of setting the show date in January (moving the date up to be more accurate) as to discourage vendors in particular (and buyers in general) from participating in the Houston show.

It seems that this has had the opposite effect that TW wanted. Nobody, after all, wants to be told what show to go to.

I have only been vending at the TW show for the last 4 years and so I don't know all the history. However, I do know that many vendors and buyers are not happy with how TW is running their show.

It seems that many (if not most) of the Halloween, Costume and Party people are done with TW for the time being. Next year, they will be vending at this new Houston show while the Haunters will be at the TW show in Chicago.

Keep in mind that this is 1 year way and a lot can change in 1 year.

Perhaps this will be a good wake-up call for Transworld so that they can organize a show properly suited for everyone- Halloween, Costume, Party and Haunt.

Thad
Dental Distortions

[Neena]

TW Alternative: MHC

Hi Everyone,

Kelly Collins and I have been attending Transworld for several years; and always have a great time! We have had a modest budget at our haunt: Terror Park at Cooper Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Next year we are moving into a brand new facility in a great new location in beautiful downtown and we expect record crowds to attend; providing us with increasing purchasing power in the future. We are Consultants: Designers, Constructors, Operators and Makeup Artists.

The following is a shameless plug for the MHC. Either don’t read the following or forgive me for being brazen. Thank you. You can contact me at anytime offline at Neena@MidwestFantasyShow.com or Barry at Barry@MidwestHaunters.com.

We make most of our haunt purchases now at the MHC (Midwest Haunters Convention). A great part of our team’s conspiracy (me, Kelly, Barry and Kathy) has been to bring a fantastic show to us (for selfish reasons) ~ that is complete with wonderful vendors, great education and exciting (kick ass) social events. We started it primarily because we wanted to serve an audience of ALL Haunters; which Transworld didn’t want at its primarily wholesale show.

The MHC is the best alternative tradeshow in the country which features a 25,000 square foot trade show and over a 100 vendor booths, and most of our vendors feature cash and carry. Columbus, Ohio, is located within 500 miles of 80% of the US population and 50% of Canada. It’s also the home for Scarefactory - and in breaking news - they will be one of our featured destinations on our Friday night Midsummer Night’s Scream Bus Tour, along with the House of Nightmares and Outland. This event is truly shaping up to be outrageous along with our incredible showcase events on Saturday night and is not to be missed.

We hope to see you in June!

Neena

[mindtumor]

You know what?
For 39 years I have been in Chicago during January.
Sure it's cold, it might snow.......so what?

You get off the plane or out of your car and use the habitrails to get around the hotels and convention center.

Yes I will hear an earful but I promise to turn the heat up at Dream Reapers if we are open.....ok? Maybe if we pay a little extra they will heat the buses!!!

Not to get off topic but I actually love Chicago, I have wanted to move there for a number of years. I live in Michigan so the weather doesn't bother me. You are lucky to have lived around there for so long!

[drfrightner]

Let me address everything I've read here...

1) Weather in Chicago SUCKS period, be it January or March or whenever. Chicago is located on the Great Lake and just like Buffalo the winds blow off that water and cause a lot of snow and a lot of bad weather. I do NOT want to go to Chicago PERIOD in January!

Do I like Chicago as a City...yes its a super cool city, however I'm not a Rosemont fan because there isn't anywhere to eat, the hotels RAPE YOU, and overall there just isn't much to do in Chicago during the winter. So overall I love Chicago just not in January.

2) MHC, I think Neena yourself and Kelly are very very awesome people! I think you are both doing a great job, and its a pretty much thankless job so good for you guys. However I do not think having ten million regional shows as the way to go for our industry. This industry needs ONE MAJOR buyers seller show.

I don't think hardly anyone understands just how much time and money it takes to exhibit at all these shows. If vendors are flying all over the country to go to tradeshows they're never building anything, hence we have all that rants about 'I DIDN'T GET MY STUFF' for weeks on end...no make that months on end. LOL

MHC is GREAT for exactly what it is trying to accomplish, and there is a great many people who love these shows, or more specifically the MHC. Vendors who exhibit make money and you guys keep the costs LOW, which is unreal!!! Good for you guys!

But at the end of the day THIS INDUSTRY MUST HAVE A REAL BUYER SELLER ONLY SHOW... no frills, no hearse rallies, no make up wars, no t-shirt contests, none of that stuff, just bring your check book and vendor bring the new stuff. I told TW for years to STOP doing all the make up wars stuff, all the home haunter stuff. I told them let MHC do that stuff, they are good at it...TW is or was or still is a BUYERS SELLER SHOW, and that is the ONLY thing they should focus on. PERIOD!

All of these regional shows should focus on the social stuff, training actors, haunt tours, and all that stuff. There is a desire for those things, and people attend them, but for those who just want to buy and sell, keep all the other stuff OUT OF THE SHOW!!!

3) Transworld Future: There is NO DOUBT at this point all of the party exhibitors are gone from Transworld 2009. There is NO DOUBT that Rubies is GONE, along with the couple other companies they own...GONE! Right now they've lost about ummmm... 30% of all the booths I'd say. Now will Rubies take anyone else away I dont' know, that is something Transworld is working on RIGHT NOW.

Personally, I feel as a haunt buyer or vendor, who cares if they ONLY lose the balloon people or Rubies, those are NOT your buyer anyway.

So Transworld won't really be effected from a haunt buyer seller aspect atleast not in 2009, but only if they can keep the rest of their show intact.

These are FACTS...

So IF the haunt vendor decides to return to TW in '09 you really won't see any drop off in sales or buyers atleast not in 2009.

So as it stands it really doesn't matter what Houston does, as long as TW can keep the rest of those vendors going to Chicago. That is in fact the BIG IF...

If TW loses the 2, 3, 4 whatever vendors, their show is done, over, finished.

Why? Because the're playing chicken with Rubies... if they wouldn't had moved their dates one week prior to Houston, and kept the show in March, Rubies would have exhibited again, and the problem wouldn't be as big as it is now.

But I understand TW had to take a stand against the big bad bully... they have to protect their show from someone trying to water it down slowly year after year.

So here you are...

Seriously, you'll have to wait another 2 or 3 weeks and find out what TW can report, or find out what the other retail vendors decide...go with Rubies and Houston or stay with TW.

It will be interesting for sure...

NO MATTER WHAT... we wouldn't even be talking about this if our industry didn't piggy back on another show. The haunt industry needs their OWN SHOW...be it Transworld manages or another group.

I think this will probably happen either in 2009 or 10.

But at this point it will probably happen!

Larry

[mindtumor]

What I was saying about the city has nothing to do with the show being there. Personally, as far as the show I don't think it should be in Chicago that early. I see no reason not to move it a little further south to help everyone. The question is can it be done for 2009 in such a short amount of time?

[AnandaHexen]

Neena,

Good Plug!!


Having been to Transworld only once helping a vendor and then numerous years as an actor/make-up artist/general love of haunted houses, I am not going to make much of a statement about the TW vs Houston show. That is something I don't have sufficient knowledge of to comment on. Being a vendor is tough and it's getting tougher, with TW, every year. I am always impressed with how all of you do it. This post is about comments about the regional shows.

MHC is my show of preference for a variety of reasons: social, proximity (I'm near Cleveland), seminars, more friendly atmosphere, QUALITY, etc.
Those of you who are all hard-core about BUYER/SELLER shows have to remember that all the social stuff and the seminars that are geared toward acting and make-up came out so big for quite a few reasons, one of which was:.
HAUNTED HOUSE ACTORS and MAKE-UP ARTISTS

Chances are that your haunt started with actors, has actors and will have actors. (if it doesn't, that is a whole different topic..... eek!)
The social events and seminars are there to IMPROVE YOUR HAUNT!!! The more you know= the more your actors will know= the better your haunt is=the more money you make.

While I don't think that an infinite number of regional conventions is at all good for the Haunt Industry, I don't think we should downplay the good that they are doing for said industry. I realize there is a limit to how many and when vendors can make it to sell at conventions in order to reach the customers they need and get the orders to them in a timely manner and I am not arguing that at all, but the customers need the stuff that helps the rest of the haunt too and while all the DVDs out there are definitely improving, they are no replacement for quality education by industry people from different regions across the country.

That said, good luck to buyers and sellers, I hope the industry can find a logical and easier resolution to the problems and move on to the fun that we all joined this industry for in the first place.

[drfrightner]

You are 110% correct about MHC...great people, who really care! They have passed Hauntcon like a speeding bullet, because they treat their guests with inredible care!!! Congrats to Neena and Kelly! And Neena is right they have become the #1 regional show without a doubt and their vendor list grows while Hauntcon on the other hand dwindles.

WHY... well again Vendors can not do 10 zillions shows, they just can't so you pick and choose.

I do feel that this new Eastern Haunters Convenion has so many pluses its not even funny and I can easily see that one climbing the latter quick!

Again as for TW, we need a buyers sellers show first and foremost and that is the debate here, not whether MHC is great or whatever.

That is the current dilema.

Larry

[graystone]

Larry...

I am confused are you for or aginst TransWorld? I know I am hearing alot about MidWest but really as of right now they are all still smaller compared to TransWorld.

[Cookie Crumbler]

January Transworld = Bad, bad, bad.

I am rooting for Kevin and company, with their new vendor coalition, to save us from this sorry turn of events.