The abundance of horror conventions in central Florida during the spring showcases the region’s vibrant horror community and underscores its status as a premier destination for fans of the macabre genre.
First up is Spookala in Tampa on April 5-7. Next is Sunshine City Scare in St. Petersburg on May 11-12. And finishing central Florida’s spring lineup is Spooky Empire in Orlando on May 17-19.
3 upcoming horror conventions
Spookala- Tampa
Spookala, a chilling affair set to take place in Tampa, promises an electrifying experience for horror enthusiasts. The event, which focuses on celebrity autographs and photo opps, boasts a guest list of over 30 live-action actors in attendance. Guests range from Mathew Lillard and Cassandra Peterson to Adrienne Barbeau and the cast of Killer Clowns. Fans can pre-purchase photo opps with their fav live-action actors.
Autograph prices range from $50-$100, and selfies from $30-$70.
Ticket Prices (purchased in advance):
- Friday $40
- Saturday $45
- Sunday $40
Parking: 1-day $10, 2-day $18, 3-day $25
Sunshine City Scare- St. Petersburg
Sunshine City Scare has fewer celebrity guests, and focuses on engaging franchise celebrations such as Five Nights at Freddie’s, Resident Evil, and The Walking Dead. Dive into the celebration of the franchise’s celebrity voice actors, video games, panels, and photo meetups. The event offers fan lots to do like contests (cosplay, dance, makeup, lip sync, TikTok), gaming (8 horror video games), fan-panels (2 panels each hour), cosplay workshops (pro give hands-on instruction), and, of course, movies (take a rest and watch a horror movie with some strangers!).
Autograph prices range from $25-$50, and selfies from $20-$40.
Spooky Empire- Orlando
Spooky Empire is one of the nation’s oldest and largest horror conventions, and the upcoming event is their smaller, summer version to their epic October happening. The event, like Spookala, focuses on a large guest list for autographs and photos. Spooky Empire guests include Kathryn Newton, Travis Van Winkle, Courtney Gains, and Alice Cooper. Celebrity guests are not located in the main hall, rather in a separate photo opp area that requires pre-purchase for entry. In addition, Spooky Empire has a huge room of tattoo artists who are eager to sketch your fav horror character on your body.
Photo opps range from $65-$225.
Ticket Prices (purchased in advance):
- Friday $40
- Saturday $50
- Sunday $40
Parking: Wyndham Orlando Resort parking rates.
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