The East Coast Haunters Convention is a must-see for horror hounds and Halloween lovers

Whether you're a seasoned haunt actor or simply a horror fan, the East Coast Haunters Convention is a can't miss event. This year's convention will take place from April 23-26 with guided tours of local haunts and a floor show next weekend at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. It'll feature roughly 150 vendors, a first-ever "learning lab," including workshops on a slew of different topics, and other spooktacular events.

Here's a preview of some of this year's main events.

The East Coast Haunters Convention features several haunt tours

Since its creation, the East Coast Haunters Convention has worked with semi-local haunts to provide tours. There are several happening this year, which we've listed below. These require ticket packages that vary in price.

• Thursday haunt pre-show: this will include tours of Kim's Krypt Haunted Mill and Lehigh Valley Scream Park.

• Friday's haunt tour will head to Philly's infamous Pennhurst Asylum. This is, by far, one of the most famous haunts in the state, maybe even the country. Located on the historic grounds of The Pennhurst State School, the attraction includes an immersive experience within an actual abandoned asylum. There are four distinct attractions - The Asylum, The Morgue, The Tunnels, and The Catacombs.

• Friday's haunt tour will also include a trip to Lincoln Mill Haunted House, a story-driven attraction located in a historic textile mill in Philly.

• Saturday's haunt tour entails a trip to Shocktoberfest, a scream park, followed by a party.

The East Coast Haunters Convention includes plenty of vendors

If you're looking for a ticket that's more affordable, then consider just partaking in the floor show, which provides access to all of the vendors. Even if you don't plan to purchase a major Halloween decoration, it's a heck of a lot of fun to just walk around and look at the wide variety of props, from homemade tombstones to rotting zombies to creepy skeletons. Some of the vendors also sell gnarly horror movie merchandise.

If you are looking to upgrade your home haunt or if you're part of a commercial attraction, there's likely something that'll catch your eye on the floorshow. Additionally, the prices vary. If you're on a budget, it's likely you'll find one-two decorations that are quite affordable, but if you're looking to purchase something more expensive, there will be plenty of options.

A photo of some of the homemade props for sale at the 2025 East Coast Haunters Convention

The East Coast Haunters Convention will offer its first-ever learning lab

For the first time ever, the convention is hosting a hands-on learning lab. Organizers describe it as "an interactive environment designed to get you involved." While not every single session is hands-on, several do include participatory components, along with opportunities to "participate, observe, and learn through real-world application." Each session will be led by industry professionals.

Some of the topics include Monster Maker: Building Your Signature Look, Perfectly Ruined: The Art of Distressing Haunt Costumes, and Aging Rot and Rust: Inexpensive Tips and Tricks to Creep Out Any Set or Prop. The full list of these interactive workshops and the times are listed on the website.

Additional highlights

Besides the haunt tours, floor show, and learning lab, the convention will feature paid seminars from industry pros, ticket giveaways, and games. For more information and to check out the full schedule, visit the East Coast Haunters Convention's website.

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