The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Connecticut’s paranormal conventions start in July
Last year’s ParaConn was the first of its kind in Connecticut — offering a spot where paranormal fans and experts could come together to discuss supernatural findings in the state and beyond.
“We were blown away. We anticipated maybe a few hundred people. Nick was a lot more optimistic than I was,” said Charles Rosenay, who puts on the event. “Having produced other events, I had no idea what to expect in an armory in Ansonia. When we had over 1,500 people, we were blown away.”
ParaConn is the brainchild of Grossman and Rosenay, who go by the moniker of “The Shaman and The Showman.” Grossman is a clairvoyant paranormal researcher who operates the Connecticutbased paranormal research team, Ghost Storm. Rosenay is the founder of Stratford’s Fright Haven, operator of Dracula Tours to Transylvania and author of “The Book of Top 10 Horror Lists.”
Since last year, the event has grown to include more vendors and special guests, with the event’s 80 vendor tables already selling out for this July. Some of this year’s special guests include “disciples” of the Warrens including Jason McLeod, Larry and Debbie Elward and Jim Petonito.
Most notably, the convention’s first announced “guest of honor” is John Zaffis, esteemed paranormal researcher, nephew of the Warrens and “Godfather of the Paranormal.”
Other happenings at the festival include seminars, psychic readings and other “surprises.”
However, nothing quite goes as planned in the supernatural community, as evident at last year’s ParaConn when someone brought Grossman a supposedly cursed artifact from occultist Aleister Crowley that is said to contain a demonic entity. Grossman said the guy ran away as he took the item to a secure space in the middle of the convention.
“[It] was something straight out of Stephen King,” said Grossman. “I speak for all us paranormal investigators — we’ve seen weird. We’ve seen it all.”
“I used to do the Beatles conventions and people would come in with rare memorabilia but I didn’t ever equate that something like that might happen at an event like this,” Rosenay added.
For the founders of ParaConn, events like their convention only raise awareness to Connecticut’s reputation as a “haunted state.”
“Connecticut is one of the most paranormal states that you can be in. It’s just very appropriate for paranormal events, ghost tours and ‘paracons’ to go on. That was one of the main sparks for me and Charles doing ParaConn last year,” Grossman said. “It’s definitely bringing a lot of credibility to the state of Connecticut because this is a very haunted place that we live in.”
In promoting the “haunted” nature of Connecticut, there is also a sense of building a community. That community has only expanded as a new paranormal convention has entered the foray as well as a legion of people just getting into the community in Connecticut.
“If we all have similar likes and interests, we can bring those out in a positive way. I want there to be three or four conventions. The more that there are, the more that they’re accepted,” Rosenay said. “We’re honored that we were able to do the first one ever in the state.”
“We’ve had a rough few years in this world. I think we’re at some type of spiritual evolution where the veil is open to the paranormal like it’s never been,” Grossman said. “If you like the paranormal and pizza, Connecticut is the place.”
ParaConn will be held at the Ansonia Armory in Ansonia from July 16-17. Advance tickets are available starting at $14.99 plus fees. VIP tickets are also available starting at $19.99 plus fees.
The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Paracon
“Annabelle Comes Home.” The phrase is not only the title of the 2019 movie in “The Conjouring” universe of films, but it’s also a descriptor for The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Paracon at Mohegan Sun on Oct. 29.
The supposedly “haunted” Raggedy Ann doll, which has launched its own film series and become a staple in pop culture, will be on display at the convention as well as number of other items from the Warren’s Occult Museum including a “Shadow Doll, Satanic Idol and a Haunted Dinosaur Toy.”
“Nobody else has Annabelle. We want to show her off. We want to show that evil exists,” said Chris Gillorean, lead investigator for the Warren-founded New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) and a founder of TCD Paracon & Entertainment, LLC, who is hosting the convention. “We’re pretty much going to open the museum at [the convention].”
This is the second year of the convention, which debuted in Waterbury last October. The convention is also officially linked to Ed and Lorraine Warren through NESPR, even featuring the Warren’s daughter Judy Spera and her husband Tony Spera, who serve as co-directors of NESPR.
The name of the festival is also based on a 1980s cable access show called “Seekers of the Supernatural” that was created by Ed and narrated by Tony.
“This is a tribute to Ed and Lorraine Warren. This is something that Ed would’ve wanted,” Gillorean said.
Building off the Warren legacy, the convention will also feature a number of guest speakers with ties to the Warrens including demonologist brothers Keith & Carl Johnson, A&E’s “Paranormal State” star Ryan Buell and veteran members of the NESPR team such as Petonito and Rick Clark. The convention will also host more than 60 vendors that specialize in oddities and the supernatural.
For those who fear Annabelle being moved around, Gillorean said there is nothing to be worried about as they have taken her out on a number of other occasions.
“We also understand that people are concerned that we’re moving Annabelle. People don’t have to worry. We’ve taken extra precautions with all of the items. They’re all blessed and they’re still blessed in the museum regularly,” Gillorean said. “When we move here, we are going to be taking even more precautions. We have a priest that’s with the group and he’ll be there blessing the items once they get there, before they leave and in the car. We’re not stingy with the holy water either.”
The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Paracon will be held at Mohegan Sun on Saturday, Oct. 29. Tickets are currently on-sale with prices starting $35 plus fees. Tickets to see items from the Occult Museum are priced at $89 plus fees. There are also tickets available for the Supernatural VIP party on Oct. 28.
Connecticut HorrorFest
While not a paranormal convention, the Connecticut HorrorFest delves into the macabre while spotlighting some of the most famous faces from the genre.
Guests at this year’s convention can expect to bump shoulders with Keith David (”They Live,” “The Thing”), Kate Siegel (”The Haunting of Hill House,” “Midnight Mass”) and Milly Shapiro (”Hereditary”). Even members of the cast from George A. Romero’s revolutionary 1968 horror movie, “Night of the Living Dead” will be in attendance.
Guests are still being announced ahead of the convention in September. Previous years have seen guests such as Matthew Lillard (Stu Macher) and Skeet Ulrich (Billy Loomis) from “Scream,” Kathy Najimy (Mary Sanderson) from “Hocus Pocus,” Sid Haig (Captain Spaulding) from “House of 1,000 Corpses” and aforementioned filmmaker Romero.
Aside meeting horror icons, the convention will also boast a number of horror-themed vendors that cover everything from the paranormal to the extraterrestrial.
One such vendor is Vinegar Syndrome, a boutique film label in Bridgeport that specializes in B-movies and other forgotten films.
The Connecticut HorrorFest will be held at the Naugatuck Event Center from Sept. 16-17. Tickets are available starting at $20.