Ghouls Night Out: Silver Scream Con 3
Hannah Hughes - Rotted Pumpkin Editor-In-Chief
Credit: Silver Scream Con FB Page
The streets of Worcester were filled with goblins, ghouls, and creatures this past weekend as Ice Nine Kills rolled into town with their third annual Silver Scream Con, a horror convention hosted by the Massachusetts natives.
The band's appreciation for the horror genre is all over their songs and music videos, and the convention is no exception.
As lead singer Spencer Charnas says on Silver Scream’s website: “This is the chance for our loyal psychos [what INK calls their fans] to not only interact with the band, but to meet the stars of the very films that our music pays tribute to.”
Damien Leone meeting a fan in Art The Clown cosplay
Credit: Silver Scream Con FB Page
Their goal is clear; is to bring a quality experience to the Northeast for hungry horror fans. For me, it was wickedly successful.
I had only attended Silver Scream Con one time previously, at the suggestion of one of my close college friends. It was my first experience at a horror convention and it did not disappoint. It felt special to be surrounded by such kind people who shared a similar interest, and to be able to meet some of my absolute heroes and inspirations in horror media was incredible.
The convention floor proved to be top-notch this year, with the DCU center offering so much more space for more vendors, and therefore, a lot of cool handmade horror goodies. I interacted with many cool artists, writers, and entrepreneurs over just a single afternoon at the convention. Rough House Publishing, The Country Witch, and The Vintage Skull were just a few I would urge my readers to check out!
My door sign from The Vintage Skull
Credit: Hannah Hughes
The celebrity line-up was also incredible, with much of the cast of the Terrifier movies present, which is especially exciting ahead of the highly-anticipated release of Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3, which is coming to theaters in just a few weeks.
Some other guests included Filmmaker Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Thanksgiving), Jamie Kennedy, David Arquette, Lee Waddell (Scream (1996)), Sean S. Cunningham (Friday The Thirteenth (1980)), Devon Sawa (Idle Hands & Final Destination) Bonnie Aarons (The Nun & Conjuring 2), Shawnee Smith (The Blob (1988) & The Saw Franchise), & PJ Soles, Nick Castle, and John Michael Graham (Halloween (1978)). And that is just a small list of the almost 40 guests that attended this year’s convention, whose careers and accolades span the horror genre.
PJ Soles & I at Silver Scream 3
Credit: Thank you to the Silver Scream employee who took this picture!
The professional photo-ops with these celebrities were quick and efficient! I felt like I spent minimal time waiting and had my picture printed in seconds. Getting my picture with Nick Castle in front of the screen-used Halloween car was a memory I’ll treasure forever!
Although the meet and greets, photo ops, and the sales floor were impressive all on their own, what sold Silver Scream Con for me was the fans.
Awesome Jason cosplay at Silver Scream 3
Credit: Silver Scream Con FB Page
With the convention moving to the much larger DCU Center this year, I feared that the experience would feel less intimate and more corporate than the previous year, but the event shattered those expectations immediately. I was floored by the kind attendees, staff, and vendors I enjoyed filling my day with. Everyone there was passionate, present, and attentive, and that was clear from the start.
I saw young people, couples, and even entire families there to show their love and appreciation for Ice Nine Kills, and the horror genre. I’ve always said that despite the blood, guts, and gore, horror fans are some of the most genuine, down-to-earth people you will ever meet. Those at Silver Scream Con could not have proved me more right!
There is no doubt that Silver Scream Con 3 proved to be a screaming success, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year. See you for Silver Scream 4 psychos!
