It felt good to be back at a Halloween convention.
This year marked my return to Texas Haunters Convention. I hadn’t been since their first year in 2019, which was incredibly promising. I was thrilled to have a Halloween event like this in Texas, and returning in 2022 didn’t disappoint.
The thing that surprised me most: how many people responded when I shared this event on social media saying they had no idea it existed. I hope to change that because if you live in Texas, this event is a MUST to kick off your Halloween season each July.
(And if you don’t live in Texas, check out my ongoing list of Halloween conventions around the United States to find one near you!)
Here is a peek inside my experience this year:
Texas Haunters Convention 2022
Welcome back to another year at Texas Haunters Convention! Do NOT let that name fool you. Where there IS a big focus on haunters, especially with the workshops, this is also a convention that celebrates Halloween big time.
It also does a great job of giving the TX all the spooky feels with their decor.
This year’s vendor floor was more than double what I saw in 2019, and I was SO impressed. You could find the usual fanfare of artwork, clothing, and Halloween masks for home haunts…but there were also some fun surprises!
Steve’s Haunted Props was one of my favorite booths. The black tub in the center of the photo was full of styrofoam headstones that had been pre-cut—and they were only $10! The trick-or-treating ghost you see on top of their display was also a kit available for sale. I loved that they made haunt decorating so accessible!
Check out all the tricks and treats I picked up in my Texas Haunters Convention haul post!
This year had LOTS of great photo ops too, like this giant pumpkin courtesy of Thrillvania in Terrell TX.
I’m not a home haunter (maybe someday!), but I sure love browsing the booths full of distressed clothing intended for haunters. There’s always something fun or gorgeous to find, like this dress.
I mean…I would wear that as a Halloween costume in a heartbeat!
The adorable skellie outside of the tarot reader’s booth I stopped by. That experience stays with me, but it was a fun addition to the weekend.
Dark Hour is the Dallas area’s best-known haunted house, and they always have a huge presence at Texas Haunters. I loved running into their characters roaming the floor and esp. enjoyed catching their new house band, Party of Darkness, on Sunday!
The lovely @cromwellwitch, my partner in crime for the weekend, and I opted for a visit to the Stranger Things store on Friday night instead of the haunt tours, but Texas Haunters always includes a behind-the-scenes tour of local haunts in their weekend schedule. If you’ve never done one, it’s a must for your list!
Genius. Absolutely genius.
I love going to Halloween conventions for the shopping and the sights, but I also LOVE getting a chance to hang out with my spooky friends from Instagram. How adorable are @kreepy_kate and @cromwellwitch? I had the best time wandering around with them! (As well as Kate’s little boy, Casper, and her husband Caleb who snapped our photo.)
Perhaps the highlight of the weekend, though, was the chance to see “Rocky Horror Picture Show” performed by the Los Bastardos shadow cast. We had the best time dressing up, singing along, and laughing at everything shouted during the movie. If you’ve never seen “Rocky Horror” this way…you’re missing out!
Is Texas Haunters Convention worth it?
In a word, ABSOLUTELY! I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few Halloween events since starting Spooky Little Halloween, including soon-to-be three years at the largest event, Midsummer Scream. Texas Haunters has a little something for everyone, is super affordable, and is perfect for a little escape into Halloween. You could absolutely see and do everything in a single day. I especially love that each year has featured more vendors, classes, and even panels and discussions with content creators! I can’t wait to return in 2023.
See more on Instagram:
Missed Texas Haunters this year?
It will return July 15 – 16, 2023 at the Mesquite Convention Center in Mesquite, TX, just east of downtown Dallas. I hope to see you there!
