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Your guide to Gathering of the Ghouls in Mesa: Guests, vendors and more
Celebrate horror fandom and get an early start to Halloween at the two-day event at Mesa Convention Center from Aug. 26-27.
One of Terror Trader's Sales From the Darkside events, which inspired this weekend's Gathering of the Ghouls. Courtesy of Terror Trader
Every day is Halloween for Valley resident Jason Swarr. A lifelong fan of all things spooky and scary, he binged slasher flicks while growing up in the '80s during what he calls the “golden era of horror.”
“I've been a monster kid all my life,” he says. “I grew up with iconic characters like Jason, Pinhead, and Michael Myers. They definitely don’t make films like they used to back then.”
These days, Swarr shares his love of horror with the rest of the Valley.
“I've been a monster kid all my life,” he says. “I grew up with iconic characters like Jason, Pinhead, and Michael Myers. They definitely don’t make films like they used to back then.”
These days, Swarr shares his love of horror with the rest of the Valley.
- In 2021, he and his wife Gina opened Terror Trader, the Chandler marketplace that’s become a one-stop shop for fans of slasher flicks, monster movies and other elements of the genre.
- This weekend, the couple will launch Gathering of the Ghouls, a two-day celebration of horror fandom at the Mesa Convention Center.
- Swarr says Gathering of the Ghouls grew out of Terror Trader’s popular "Sales from the Darkside" event, which are one-day horror conventions held at a location near the store.
"We were bringing thousands of people, so we decided to go bigger with it,” Swarr says.
Gathering of the Ghouls will also offer the chance to get an early start to the Halloween season, Swarr says.
- “In October, there's no shortage of [Halloween] stuff going on,” he says. “You could throw a skull and hit a horror convention or spooky pop-up market.
- But with this event, we figured ‘Let's kick off the spooky season early and do it in style with a huge horror party where people come in costume and have a blast for two days.’”
Read on for all the gory details.
When and where is Gathering of the Ghouls?
The two-day event officially runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. in Mesa.
When and where is Gathering of the Ghouls?
The two-day event officially runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. in Mesa. - An after-party will take place from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday night at the venue.
How much is Gathering of the Ghouls?
- Advance general admission tickets are $20 per person for Saturday and $15 for Sunday.
- Prices for either day will increase by $5 at the door.
- Special activities like Saturday’s screening of “The Toxic Avenger” followed by a Q&A session with director Lloyd Kaufman or a screening of “Puppet Master” with director Charles Band are an additional $20 each.
Is there an age limit at Gathering of the Ghouls?
Nope. Gathering of the Ghouls is officially an all-ages event, and kids 10 and under are free with a paid general admission ticket. That being said, the con focuses on horror, which might be a bit extreme for children. Exercise caution at your discretion.
How do I get to Gathering of the Ghouls?
The most hassle-free way is taking Valley Metro Rail. - There’s a stop within walking distance of the convention center and fares are $2 for a single ride or $4 for an all-day pass.
- If you’re coming by car, take the U.S. Highway 60 or Loop 202 East freeways to Country Club Drive. From there, drive either north or south, respectively, to Second Street in downtown Mesa and then head east.
Where can I park for Gathering of the Ghouls?
It’s free to park in the Mesa Convention Center’s enormous lot with hundreds of spaces available. The earlier you arrive, though, the closer you can park to the main building.What are the food and drink options at Gathering of the Ghouls?
The convention center has a concession stand inside the main hall that will sell food and drinks, including burgers, hot dogs and nachos. - Next door, the Delta Hotels by Marriott Phoenix Mesa features a coffee bar (AZ Brew) and a sit-down restaurant (Café Azul).
- Downtown Mesa also offers a variety of cafes, restaurants, brewpubs, and coffeehouses within walking distance of the convention center. (Check out our dining guide to the area here.)
Can I bring water to Gathering of the Ghouls? Yes.
How many vendors will be at Gathering of the Ghouls?
Swarr says more than 100 vendors will be at the event — including a mix of retailers, artists and other businesses — and they’ll be set up in the convention center’s main hall, along hallways and at other spots throughout the building. “We have this con completely covered with vendors,” he says. “And every single one of them is spooky-themed. Some will have art, others will have collectibles, and some will even do tattoos. Everything will be 100 percent themed around the horror genre or Halloween." A complete list full list of vendors is available here.
Who are the special guests at Gathering of the Ghouls?
Gathering of the Ghouls will include what Swarr calls "a fun lineup" of special guests from the horror genre. If you're looking for wall-to-wall celebrities, he says, look elsewhere, as Gathering of the Ghouls has a “less is more” philosophy when it comes to its selection of guests. "This isn’t like one of those celebrity cons where they bring in 20 or 30 stars and that's all they have. We'll have a cool collection of guests, but our focus is on the vendors, the fans, and the [overall] experience.”Gathering of the Ghouls guests will include Caroline Williams from “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,” Jackson Robert Scott from “It,” “Night of the Demons” actress Amelia Kinkade, Miko Hughes from “Pet Sematary” and “Puppet Master” director Charles Band.
- Fans of the legendary B-movie “The Toxic Avenger” will dig the fact that director and producer Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Entertainment and actor Mark Torgl, who starred as the titular character, are also scheduled to appear.
Can I wear a costume to Gathering of the Ghouls?
Absolutely. “It's almost going to be like a big costume party,” Swarr says. “We want everybody to come in cosplay or dressed in what they’re wearing for Halloween.” - Gathering of the Ghouls will also feature a cosplay contest for prizes at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday that will be judged by Caroline Williams and Amelia Kinkade.
- Entries will be limited to only 50 participants. Complete details are available here.
What films will be screened at Gathering of the Ghouls?
Four flicks will be screened on Saturday in the convention center’s theater in Building B. The 1989 classic “Puppet Master” will screen at noon and include a post-show Q&A with director Charlie Band. The 2022 horror anthology film “Dr. Saville's Horror Show” will be shown at 2:30 p.m. “The Toxic Avenger” starts at 5 p.m. and will feature a Q&A with actor Mark Torgl and director Lloyd Kaufman. The “Pet Sematary” fan film “Dylan’s New Nightmare” is at 8 p.m. Separate tickets must be purchased to attend the “Puppet Master” and “The Toxic Avenger” screenings. The cost is $20 per person, per film.What photo-ops can I get at Gathering of the Ghouls?
Swarr says there will be plenty of things to photograph yourself in front of at the event, including mockups of horror movie sets, a mix of monsters, and a few scenes from local haunted attraction Sanctum of Horror. “Your phone will be completely filled with some of the coolest scenes to take pictures of all weekend long,” he says.When and where is the after-party at Gathering of the Ghouls?
The Palo Verde Ballroom in Building B will host the con’s after-party from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a DJ spinning tunes throughout the evening. The party will be open to all ages and Swarr says beer and wine can be purchased from the bar by con attendees of legal drinking age.Keep
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