A new convention to me, but one that
has apparently been around for a while, Days of the Dead is all about
Horror. It’s a unique boutique style of convention that travels from city to
city rather than making a single yearly appearance in only one place. Las Vegas
was the start of this year’s convention tour that appears to make 6 stops
between June and November 2019. For show dates, locations, and times, check out
their website.
As you can see, they aim to bring
all your childhood horrors to life. With headlining guest, Clive Barker leading
an amazing assortment of talent, I’d say they did their job!
The nice thing about these boutique
style events is the close knit feel they give you. Wandering around the
convention space I felt like everyone was approachable and willing to chat
about their passion for scary things. Large events that take up entire
convention centers can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. While this one
certainly boasted a fabulous vendor floor with many unique booths to browse, it
didn’t feel so large that you lost track of a booth the moment you passed by.
And the assortment of booths were far more niche than anything I have seen at
larger events. An additional treat I had not expected, but absolutely loved.
For those looking for the
familiarity of large-scale events, Days of the Dead did not skimp on content.
It offered many fan -based meet and greets with celebrities, signings, and panel
content geared toward the horror aficionado.
Days of the Dead also made sure to
cater to the local talent as well . The local Las Vegas chapter of the Horror Writers Association
lead by Tim Chizmar
and Mercedes
Yardley, in conjunction with the House of Indie Horror organized two
panels during the convention weekend. Joining them were writer, director, and
producer Mark
Savage, and myself, local author and web host Katie Salidas .
Both were an intimate gathering that
allowed the audience and panelist alike to really dive into the topics of
writing as it relates to horror! Attendees of the panel Sunday were treated to
an extra special guest appearance. Clive Barker himself stopped in for a few minutes to chat
and share his wisdom and poetry with the room.
Being its first show in Las Vegas,
it had a few growing pains to deal with. We’re not the easiest town to break
into. That said, I’d love to see this convention return for another year and
look forward to when it does.