I had never been to the Lexington ScareFest before this year, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The last horror convention that we attended was the Days of the Dead convention in Louisville not that long ago. While that one was entertaining, I expressed my distaste for the extremely small scale of that event. You can read that coverage here.
I knew the location that the Lexington ScareFest would be showcased in and I had hopes that they intended to fill the entire space and provide a much grander experience. Luckily for me and everyone else for that matter, this was exactly the case. For those who don’t know this event took place in the Lexington Convention Center which also happens to be the happy home of the Lexington Comic Con. If you have ever attended that event, this is actually located in the exact same hall so you can get a sense of how large this event can be.
Before I really get started on anything else I must take the time out to thank the staff and media relations because this was hands down the most organized event of this kind that I have ever been invited to. Your average attendee may not notice the steps or procedures that were put into place, but let me you at times attending an event like this can prove to be difficult as a member of the press. Issues that commonly occur for me is where do you get your passes, what areas do you have access to, and where and when are the preferred times to interact with guests. Again most of these rules or procedures don’t make that much a difference to your average attendee, but what it shows me is the staff’s commitment to bringing an excellent experience to all of those involved. I feel obligated to mention all of this because every aspect of this event that I witnessed from my point of view appeared to be extremely well planned and executed about as perfectly as it could have been. Whether it was in regards to interactions with the media, guest relations or even just crowd control. I walked away feeling impressed with the execution of this event from a somewhat insiders point of view.
Whether or not an event like this is successful on a personal level depends mostly on your point of view, but I tend to think most people are after either Celebrities, the Pop Culture aspect, or a well balance of both and trust me this is harder than you would think to master. Not only did the Lexington ScareFest manage to bring in a terrific line up of stars and guests, but they managed to fill the showroom floor with plenty of booths and attractions to spend your weekend with.
This is exactly how a convention of this type should be structured. Having a wide variety of activities and plenty of them to experience without having to feel like you are settling for what is available. With this format you are sure to easily spend multiple days and feel like you are absolutely getting your money’s worth.
I enjoy meeting and seeing celebrities, but I honestly prefer making my way from booth to booth and exploring more of the event’s culture. Whether I’m looking to shop, talk with vendors or just see something new and unique… having plenty of areas to do this in really goes a long way in giving your event more depth and longevity.
With these types of events you never quite know exactly what you will see and the Lexington ScareFest is no exception. From the Mystery Machine to Christine there were plenty of fan favorite vehicles here to steal the show. The featured image showcases an amazing scene reminiscent of a vintage freak show, and if you looked close enough you would have even scene a mini camp Crystal Lake. This scene was perfectly placed in the center of all the Friday the 13th guests which was the predominant theme this year.
For you clown lovers there was even a roaming clown that terrorized the show room floor and food court with his rather obnoxious horn. I say that in passing because it was more fun than annoying hearing his horn followed by startles and screams shortly after.
Again I can’t praise this event enough for being an excellent combination of convention elements and presenting them in a way that was extremely organized and fun to experience. I would highly recommend this event and I look forward to returning next year.
For more information on the Lexington ScareFest visit the Official Site Here.
