The East Coast Haunters Convention Returns to PA!
OAKS, PA — The East Coast Haunters Convention (“ECHC”) returned to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania this past weekend for its second annual showcase following the profound success of its inaugural event in April 2024. Produced by the same team behind the TransWorld and the Midwest Haunters conventions, ECHC is a specialized trade show that brings together professionals and enthusiasts from all corners of the haunt industry. This event offers a space for vendors, creators, and performers to connect, collaborate and celebrate all things grim, gory and spooky - and this year, the event was bigger, badder and more monstrous than ever!
Above: The convention floor was plagued by ghouls and goblins of all shapes and sizes as ECH drew professionals and enthusiasts from all corners of the haunt industry to one event - haunters such as Becky Hawk from the Hera’s Nightmare haunted attraction.
Admission to the 2025 East Coast Haunters Convention included access to both the main Haunters convention floor and the adjoining Christmas Show floor, which allowed for some overlap between cross-compatible industries. The Christmas area catered to attractions looking to enhance their holiday offerings, featuring large-scale props and elaborate lighting setups. While the holiday wing of the convention hall was fairly small, the haunt floor’s layout was expanded from the previous year to include more vendor booths, interactive displays and live makeup demonstrations than ever before. Although ECHC is open to the public, its primary audience includes haunt operators, actors, and industry professionals. Many vendors on the floor display and sell large animatronics, projection systems, and special effects equipment. Others focus on costume pieces, masks, makeup and props for performers looking to build or improve their characters. The event also serves as a discovery space for haunt fans to learn about attractions from across the East Coast.
Stage programming takes place throughout the day at the “Pit”, the central area of the show floor surrounded by haunt booths. Presentations feature demos, guest panels and the fan-favorite “Haunt Olympics”. This lighthearted competition includes costume assembly races, slider contests and the notorious hot sauce challenge. The Pit also features booths from many of the region’s biggest haunted attractions, including a few of the haunted attractions we’ve worked with closely over the past few years - Field of Screams, Dark Nights at Hersheypark, Laurel’s House of Horror, Markoff’s Haunted Forest, and Lincoln Mill, to name a few. The show floor also offered scare actors and operators a chance to debut new costumes, characters and monster makeup to the public as they stalked the convention center, giving a whole new meaning to “they who walk behind the rows”. Although a seasoned walker could likely canvas the whole of the convention center in about thirty minutes, haunters found themselves utterly immersed in the atmosphere and stopping every few feet to talk with a fellow actor or operator, buy a new prop or indulge a demonstration of new hydraulic or light projection technology.
In addition to the main convention and any afterparties that might be announced as the convention weekend gets closer, attendees can opt into a pre-convention bus tour experience(s) for an additional fee. These tours take place in the days leading up to the weekend and offer participants the chance to visit several professional haunted attractions throughout the region. Each year features a different lineup of haunts, with past tours including stops at both indoor and outdoor venues known for their high production value and immersive experiences - 2025’s tours included stops at Fright Factory, Brighton Asylum, Field of Screams and Hersheypark Dark Nights. Offerings at each location may include behind-the-scenes tours, Q&A sessions with staff, lights-on walkthroughs, or full show experiences depending on the host attraction. Seating is limited, and advance registration is strongly recommended for those interested in this unique opportunity.
As for the convention experience, parking at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center is complimentary and widely available. Early arrival is encouraged, as closer spots near the entrance fill up quickly. The convention typically runs Saturday and Sunday, with limited registration hours available on Friday evening for early wristband pickup. Attendees arriving Saturday morning should always be prepared for long lines during check-in and the potential for outdoor queuing. Food is available for purchase inside the venue, but wait times can be long and quality may vary; visitors looking for a more satisfying meal might prefer nearby off-site dining options. It is also important to know that while general admission grants access to the main trade floor and stage shows, breakout seminars require separate tickets and often sell out quickly due to limited space.
ECHC continues to grow as a key gathering for the haunt community in the eastern United States. The event offers valuable networking opportunities, creative inspiration and a celebration of year-round spooky culture. Whether you're a professional, a performer, or a passionate fan, ECHC provides an unmatched atmosphere to connect with others who share a love of all things haunted. We’d like to thank our dear friends and found family at Laurel’s House of Horror for inviting us along to the event, and invite you to check out the video below for our coverage of the weekend’s programming. East Coast Haunters Convention will return to Oaks, PA for its third consecutive year on April 23rd-26th, 2025 with “Pre-Con Haunt Tours” taking place on April 23rd-24th, 2025 - visit https://eastcoasthauntersconvention.com/ for details and ticket information.
