Get your head out of the gutters you pervs! 

If you’re familiar with Kathy, then you know she is one of the founders of the Midwest Haunters Convention in Columbus, Ohio, but what you may not know is that she is also a home haunter.  As a fellow home haunter, whose site is devoted to home haunting, I thought it would be interesting to look at the other side of Kathy, but since MHC is a big part of what she does, I also wanted to look at MHC from a home haunter’s perspective. 

So, check out my interview with Kathy, as I find out more about the home haunter!

Haunt on the Hill: Kathy, everyone knows you as one of the founding members of MHC, but what people may not know is that you also have a home haunt.  What can you tell us about that?

Kathy: Yes in addition to running MHC my family has a home haunt.  It is a two section graveyard divided by an arched gate.  We  have tombstones, skeletons and two moving props.  We have haunted music and thunder and lightning.  My 10 year old son has started doing his own scenes and dressing up scaring kids by chasing them with a chainsaw. We start setting up in early October and our neighborhood cheers us on!  We love doing it and the neighborhood kids and adults love it. Isn’t that why we do it?  Plus the scares on Trick or Treat night of course!

HotH: As a home haunter, I’ve always assumed that MHC was only for the pros who run professional haunted attractions.  What can a home haunter, such as myself, get out of MHC?

K: The Midwest Haunters Convention started out as a gathering of pro haunters but over the  years home haunters have come to love the show as much as the pro haunter. We all love to get dressed up and scare people. That’s what we do best!  A home haunter can learn from the same classes as pro haunters.  We build props, use make up and design scenes.  In addition, the show has a large costume ball with body art and costume contests.  Home haunters can also compete with other makeup artists in our Monster Make up Wars. Each team has 30 minutes to make a monster on a victims face and head using the makeup and supplies we give them.  Our tradeshow is the BIGGEST reason that home haunters come to MHC. We had over 2000 people on the tradeshow floor this year!  Where else can you find 50 Halloween vendors all in one location? 

 HotH:  My first and only experience at MHC had me both consumed with interest and terrified all at the same time.  (Scary clown chased me all day.  Turned out to be someone I know!)  What advice do you have for someone coming to MHC for the first time?

 K: If you are coming to MHC for the first time it can seem a little overwhelming. There are so many things to see and do in three short days.  My advice would be to go over the website carefully looking at the classes and events that you really want to do. Then add in some time to shop and make new friends. Another way to make it seem less scary is to talk to me about the show and get to know other haunters say on facebook BEFORE coming to the show. That seems to be the big thing for the show and why they come back year after year……FRIENDSHIPS.  Home haunters or pros we all have the same passion for scaring people.  It seems to bind us together in a strange and wonderful way.

 HotH:  I know MHC 2011 is a long way away, but are there any secrets and surprises we can expect? 

 K: The 2011 show is not really that far away. We are already planning the pre-convention tours to the Indianapolis area haunted houses.  More good news is that we have signed a two year contract with the Columbus Convention Center!  So come see what the haunters are talking about when they say what goes on at MHC stays at MHC..until it hits facebook.  Mark your calendars now for June 3-5!  Come scare with us!  Scaring the mortals in the hotel is FUN!

Check out these awesome pics of Kathy’s home haunt:

Thanks to Kathy of MHC!  Check back on Friday for an update on my own home haunt!

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