So I was thinking, if
I could design a ghost/paranormal conference, how would it look? Like the
writing conferences, we’d need speakers. So there would be whatever big names
in the field that we could get. Ghost hunters (actual Ghost Hunters if we could
pull it off), paranormal investigators, researchers, anyone and everyone
dealing with documentation, verification, and problem solving in the world of
the supernatural.
We’d need panel
discussions. I could see topics starting with the basic haunted house and ranging all the
way through monster sightings and cryptids, demonology, tools of the trade,
history and cross-cultural information on the paranormal, Spiritualism as a
religion, haunted items, and supernatural legends, for starters.
We could even have
experts on hand to talk to people having paranormal problems.
Of course we’d have
to have some demonstrations. A room for people to learn about the Oculus, the
ghost box, EMF detectors, infrared cameras, Mel meters, and the best recorders
possible for capturing EVP’s.
And vendors? How can
you have a conference without the people who sell tee-shirts and souvenirs? And
in this case, probably also candles, sage, salt, iron, holy water (is it okay
to sell that?). reference books, fiction books, guide books, maps of haunted
and supernatural sites, related movies and documentaries, and probably all of
the equipment being demonstrated as listed above.
Love is Murder
provided meals. We could maybe provide dinners and let everyone handle
breakfast and lunch on their own, with either food vendors on site, or by picking
a conference location close to local eateries.
For me, though, the
highlight would be the room, or rooms, where there could be round-table
discussions and sharing of experiences and personal ghost stories among those
who would just like to talk to other like-minded people. I think that is where
I would spend the majority of my time. I’m curious enough about ghost-hunting
equipment, but don’t feel the need to do investigations myself. I’d attend lectures
and panel discussion that were interesting to me and not so likely to freak me
out, especially when I got back home. I’d probably buy a tee-shirt, or maybe a
candle. But stories are what fascinate me the most and I think I would be content
and happy just to sit in a room and listen to others share their stories.
What do you think? If
someone threw a ghost conference, would you go?
(By the way, the
Midwest’s Biggest Paranormal Convention is held every August in Sault Ste.
Marie, Michigan, and it does indeed have all of the above. Well, it has the
names and the celebrities and things like that. I should attend and see if they
have a room for people to share their ghost stories. I’d be thrilled with that…)
