Writing at Frightmare in the Falls
Frightmare is an annual horror convention that takes place in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It began in early 2017 as an offshoot of Niagara Comic-Con when co-owners James Ponce and Chris Dabrowski decided to create a horror-only event for Niagara Falls. Each year horror fans, icons, and celebrities gather to celebrate the scary side of fiction. This 3-day event takes place at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre each year featuring more than 50,000 square feet of “all things horror” including panels, photo ops, displays, celebrities, cosplay, memorabilia and more.
What did I think of it?
Frightmare 2023 ran from Friday October 27 to Sunday, October 29 and this was my first time attending Frightmare. I was surprised by the scale of it. Long line-ups full of eager horror fans spilled out into the street as they waited to get inside. The star of Frightmare is definitely the large convention room full of vendors, displays and celebrities. The displays included the Green Goblin head, recreated scenes from movies such as Evil Dead, Muppets, and a haunted house. I was especially impressed by the vendors and the artistic talent on display. On the second floor overlooking the main room is a hallway leading to various panels and celebrity Q&As.
Is this an event for writers?
As I walked through the vendor room, I did see a few writers/publishers selling their books. I spotted several authors selling books, including Eerie River Publishing, and Clair McIntyre (no relation), a writer of paranormal fiction. There was plenty of foot traffic on the Saturday when I attended, so if you have horror books to sell, there were lots of people to potentially buy them.
Along with selling books, there were several panels hosted by Eerie River Publishing and the Ontario chapter of the Horror Writers Association that would appeal to writers. Horror Author Sèphera Girón hosted a writing workshop where participants could sketch out the beginnings of a scary story. Authors C.M. Forest, Jody Swannell, and Liz Worth read some of their work to the audience. Other panels included Diversity in Horror, a Newbies Guide to Reading Horror, and Future Ghosts and Monsters, a panel about the next generation of horror authors.
I participated in a panel on Redefining Canadian Horror, along with Jody Swannell and C.M. Forest. Unfortunately, Caitlin Marceau (whose work This is Where we Talk Things Out, I have reviewed on this site) was ill and could not join us. Forest and Swannell were excellent panel-mates and kept the conversation engaging and full of insight. I learned a lot and had an excellent time while we discussed what it means to us to be Canadian horror authors. I came home with a long list of reading recommendations for my overflowing to-be-read list.
Should I attend Frightmare as a Writer?
There is plenty to see and do for any horror fan, but if you are looking to attend specifically as a writer, I would recommend getting your hands on a list of panels ahead of time to see if there are enough that interest you. The panels that were offered were great and definitely worth checking out, but writing isn’t really the main focus of Frightmare. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re in the neighbourhood and a horror fan.
“Join us at Frightmare In The Falls for three days of the most intimate and interactive Horror Festival in North America at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre in majestic Niagara Falls, Canada on Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29, 2023.
The event will feature more than 50,000 square feet of all things horror including memorabilia, panels, celebrities, movies, autographs, displays, movie cars, cosplay, special effects props & much more!
Sources:
- Frightmare Official Website: https://frightmareinthefalls.com/
- Passport to Horror: Talking to the Orgaziners behind Frightmare in the Falls by Patric James in CGM, October 25, 2019 https://www.cgmagonline.com/interviews/passport-to-horror-talking-to-the-orgaziners-behind-frightmare-in-the-falls/
- https://www.clairmcintyre.com/
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Melody lives in Ontario, Canada and writes short, dark fiction. She has been published in several anthologies and online publications. In university, she studied Ancient Greek and Roman Studies and often infuses her work with elements of Greek mythology. She also loves reading, embroidery, and martial arts. You can follow her homepage at: https://www.blog.melodyemcintyre.com/
Homepage: https://www.blog.melodyemcintyre.com/MelodyEMcintyre.com
Twitter: @evamarie41.
