October 13-15, 2023
A celebration of the ghost stories of Milwaukee, urban legends, Milwaukee UFO sightings, Wisconsin folklore, all kinds of paranormal and all centered on phenomena that happened in the Brew City.
Friday night party night, Saturday all-day vendors and speakers, Sunday activities all over the city!
October 13th, 2023 – FRIDAY THE 13TH FEST
Official Milwaukee Paranormal Conference pre-party with:
Delicious Monsters
Spidora
Lavish Waste
DJ Gothsconsin
Creepy cool vendors
American Ghost Walks Costume Contest
Open bowling at 10pm
$10/ doors at 7
Saturday October 14 – Paranormal Conference
At the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in downtown Milwaukee
This year, the Milwaukee Paracon has something for everyone! Horror, cryptids, ghosts, UFOs, and much more!
10am: Door and vendor floors open
Time to go check out the books, jewelry, clothing, artifacts, rare talismans, psychic readers, tarot, and so much more – a treasure trove of Weird Wisconsin vendors!
11am: PSI Phenomena in Modern Television & Film with Timothy Hughes:
Discover the intriguing connection between paranormal phenomena and its portrayal in modern TV shows and movies.
Noon: Wisconsin Legends Podcast LIVE: Mysteries of Milwaukee:
Join the hosts of the Wisconsin Legends Podcast, Mike Huberty from American Ghost Walks and Jeff Finup from Badgerland Legends, as they unravel the mysteries and secrets hidden within the heart of Milwaukee with the Brew City’s NUMBER ONE paranormal expert, Allison Jornlin.
1pm: Lunch Break:
Take a break to refuel and recharge for an afternoon filled with more captivating sessions. This year, we’ve got food onsite, so grab something to eat and let’s go hang out with the vendors and see their amazing wares!
2pm: Horror of Wisconsin: A History of Wisconsin Authors and Filmmakers panel, moderated by Tea Krulos:
Dive into the rich history of Wisconsin’s horror genre, exploring the works of talented authors and filmmakers who have left their mark on the genre.
3pm: Mystery of the Lake Monsters panel
Moderated by cryptid hunter Barnaby Jones, this panel brings together experts Shetan Noir and Terry Cullen to discuss the enigmatic lake monsters that have captured the imaginations of many.
4pm: The Return of The W-Files with Jay Rath:
Jay Rath is author of “The W-Files: True Reports of Wisconsin’s Unexplained Phenomena.” The 1997 regional bestseller collected accounts of UFOs, Bigfoot, lake monsters and more, and went through two-editions. Rath is a writer and cartoonist who has worked for The Onion, Disney, MAD magazine, MTV, Fantagraphics and Second City. He wrote several more books on unexplained phenomena in the Midwest and served as a book critic for the London-based Fortean Times magazine.
5pm: Presentation by the South East Wisconsin Paranormal Investigation Team (SEWPIT):
Gain insights into the mind-boggling work of the SEWPIT team as they share their experiences and findings from their paranormal investigations and ghost hunts!
Mark Your Calendars! Because it’s all FREE
Attendance is FREE, complimentary of American Ghost Walks, but you have to sign up in advance.
Sunday October 15 – Activities Day
Milwaukee Paranormal Conference Activities Day was founded 2017 (year 3 of the event). The idea was to provide people with a Sunday Spooky Fun-day and a chance to explore the city through a paranormal lens. Think of it as a paranormal version of Doors Open. We always have a mix of free events as well as some with a modest ticket price. We’re very happy with our line-up this year, some favorites return and we have some new activities we’ve wanted to see happen for awhile. You won’t be able to do everything on the list but you can make it to quite a few if you want to make a day of it.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2023
- 9am: Spiritualist Service (in-person or by Zoom), hosted by Church of Peace & Spiritualist Center at Morris Pratt Institute (11811 W, Watertown Plank Rd., Wauwatosa). Free, registration not required.
- 11am-4pm: Morris Pratt Institute Open House (11811 W, Watertown Plank Rd., Wauwatosa). Cookout, tours and info, gift shop open. Free, registration not required.
More info on Morris Pratt Institute: www.morrispratt.org - 12:30pm: Art and Symbolism Tour, Forest Home Cemetery. Learn how to identify symbols on gravestones and their meaning. Tickets, $20: https://milwaukeekrampusnacht.ticketbud.com/milwaukee-paranormal-conference-2023
More info on Forest Home Cemetery: foresthomecemetery.com - 2pm: Pop-up Death Cafe, Forest Home Cemetery’s Victorian Garden (near cemetery offices), led by KD Teague. This is a session where people can speak freely about death and all concepts involving it. Free event but registration required: https://milwaukeekrampusnacht.ticketbud.com/milwaukee-paranormal-conference-2023
Death Cafe Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/239129963641970 - 1-6pm: Witches Faire, Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall (1920 S. 37th St.) A variety of witch-themed vendors, organized by the Milwaukee Pagan Unity Community. Kochanski’s, by the way, is haunted! Free event, registration not required.
More info on MPUC: www.facebook.com/milwpuc - 4pm: Bigfoot Hike (Forest location in SE Wisconsin disclosed only to ticket holders) led by Barnaby Jones of Cryptids, Anomalies, and the Paranormal Society. This will be a three-hour hike into the woods, with a real Bigfoot investigator. Barnaby will explain what to look for. Pack your own food/ drink. $59 Get tickets here.
More info on CAPS: www.wisconsincaps.com - 5pm: American Ghost Walks Third Ward Ghost Walk (meets outside Milwaukee Public Market, corner of Water and Saint Paul). This tour shares history and ghostlore of the neighborhood that was once nicknamed “The Bloody Third.” Tickets, $25: https://www.americanghostwalks.com/tour/milwaukee-bloody-third-ward-ghost-walk
- 5-7pm: Krampus Open Workshop, Best Place chalet bar (next to gift shop, 917 W. Juneau Ave.) Bring your own costume projects to work on and meet members of Milwaukee Krampus Eigenheit. Free event but registration required:https://milwaukeekrampusnacht.ticketbud.com/milwaukee-paranormal-conference-2023 More info on MKE Krampus here: www.facebook.com/Milwaukee.Krampus.Eigenheit
Milwaukee Paranormal Conference 