Milwaukee Paranormal Conference

Friday the 13th Fest!

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We’re happy to announce what we hope will become an annual tradition: a Friday the 13th fundraiser for the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference. We will be celebrating all things eerie with horror, rock n’ roll, burlesque, and other performance! Friday the 13th Fest will raise funds to help pay some of Milwaukee Paranormal Conference’s operating expenses.

This is a 21+ show and will take place Friday, May 13th at the Riverwest Public House Cooperative, 815 E. Locust St. $7 admission. Raffle tickets are $1 each or 10 for $7.

Featuring:

Ratbatspider

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Genre: Horrorpunk

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Ratbatspider
ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/Ratbatspider

Recommended track: “Night of the Sharksquatch.”

Nadoula

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Genre: Metal
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NadoulaMetal
Bandcamp page: nadoula.bandcamp.com
Recommended track: “Firebrand”

The Dead Morticians

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Genre: Horrorpunk
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/deadmorticians

YouTube videos: www.youtube.com/channel/UC_25tuxx2kMPC5nSrypwqVQ

Recommended track: “Old Dark House”

Brain-Bats (First show! Ex-Burning Sons, Cry Coyote, and Jones Island Flood)

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Genre: Bloodwave
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/brainbatsmke

Reverb Nation page: www.reverbnation.com/brainbats
Reccomended track: “Roadkill from Outer Space”

With special burlesque, sideshow, and bellydance performances by:

Skully Sati

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Meet the mystical Skully Sati of Midnight Bazaar Productions, proud producer of variety act shows in Milwaukee. When she’s not telling fortunes through the Art of Tarot, she’s performing a new take on old school burlesque with her collection of ventriloquist dolls or dancing with props such as veils, canes, or her straight razor. Skully Sati beckons your full attention as she seduces and charms with her wicked and unique musings…

Miss Claira Bell

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Miss Claira Bell is a resident of Chicago, but has traveled all over the United States bringing her blend of circus, sideshow, burlesque, and vaudeville to the masses. An accomplished performer, Miss Bell utilizes every skill set she has to keep the audience amazed. Versed in aerials, tight wire, tap, acrobatics, fire performing, various sideshow, burlesque and clowning this girl is always a hoot. Producer of Second Saturday at the Stache, Dinder Brothers traveling circus, and Cirq du Swing this gal is pumped up and ready to strut her stuff!

Jezzibel Bates

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Jezzibel is the founder and producer of The Devil’s Playground, a monthly metal burlesque event, and one of the co-founders of neo-sideshow burlesque troop Misfit Carnivale. Jezzibel performs all around the Midwest bringing her grinder, fire and sideshow routines to the masses. Welcome to the twisted mind of Jezzibel!

Nina Nazir (bellydancer)

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Introducing Nina Nazir, a belly-dancing beauty who has charmed audiences for multiple shows around the Milwaukee area, including Dead Man’s Carnival and Skully Sati’s Midnight Bazaar Productions. This mesmerizing performer entrances onlookers with her ability to perform effortlessly to any type of music including traditional belly dancing, rock, and modern fusion. Prepare to be transported to wherever this talented performer takes you…she’s worth the trip.

Hosted by Colleen Gore (Rockabilly Girl Productions, Horror-O-Rama)

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Photo: Destructive Images

Colleen Gore is Milwaukee’s own Lucille Ball of cosplay, horror, and comedic burlesque. This ginger hopes to tickle your funny bone and your libido!

PLUS a special guest appearance by JASON VOORHEES!
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Raffle items include:

Milwaukee Paranormal Conference tickets  * two tickets to Milwaukee Ghosts- Tours and Investigations * tarot reading by Skully Sati * Signed copy of Monster Hunters by Tea Krulos * weird art * Ratbatspider CD and patch * The Dead Morticians CD and 45s * Friday the 13th lunchbox * custom vest from 3rdEyeOpen * Blu-ray copy of Bloodsucking Freaks from Twisted Dreams Film Festival * More TBA!

Feeling anxious about your luck? We will have lucky rabbit’s feet available for $1. Don’t worry, animal lovers, these are mock rabbit’s feet!

Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/861555187288322/

Milwaukee Paranormal Conference tickets will be available at the event and we will give you $7 (the cost of show admission) off of 2 Day Super Passes ($23- $7=$16!) and VIP Passes ($75-$7=$68), and $2 off our 2-Day passes ($13 instead of $15). If you can’t make it, tickets available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

 

Guest announcement: Katrina Weidman of Paranormal Lockdown!

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paranormal-lockdown

We are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker on the subject of paranormal investigation, Katrina Weidman, star (alongside Nick Groff, formerly of Ghost Adventures) of the hit new show Paranormal Lockdown.

Paranormal Lockdown premiered at the beginning of this month and was the Destination America channel’s highest rated series premiere. The show features Katrina and Nick staying for 72 hours in some of the nation’s most notoriously haunted locations, with guest appearances by a variety of famed paranormal investigators. The first two episodes have aired and both featured some rather frightening evidence!

Katrina also appeared on A&E channel’s popular docu-drama Paranormal State, which lasted 5 seasons and followed Katrina and her Paranormal Research Society teammates and their cases. She was also the host of Chiller channel’s fan favorite show Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies and is also an actress, lead singer of a band, a producer, and a lecturer.

Find out more at her website: www.katrinaweidman.com

We have a few more conference announcements coming up and will be listing a full conference schedule later this spring.
You can keep updated on announcements on this website or on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/milwaukeeparanormalconference, FB event page HERE.

Tickets prices range from $10 for a one day pass to $75 dollars for a VIP pass and are available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

 

 

Vendor of the Week 02: WPI Hunts the Truth

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WPI Hunts the Truth was established in 2007 by Jay Bachochin and his wife Katie. They were both intrigued by the paranormal evidence they’ve seen in their lives from ghosts, UFOs and unknown creatures.

They believe there is more to their normal everyday lives. Do ghosts really exist? Are those lights in the sky just a plane? Is there really an 9′ tall hominid hiding from everybody in the deep dark woods? Or is this all simply suggestive thought or mass hysteria?  They needed to find the answers for themselves first and foremost. This is how their mission Hunt the Truth was born.

The only way to Hunt the Truth is to know where to find it. We encourage those people who have had a strange encounter to contact us. We will try to help that person validate their claims by Hunting the Truth. We will map the encounter in our data base and try to connect the dots of other similar claims. We share our findings with likeminded researchers to help further educate us all in this strange field.

Contact us:  ReportIt@wpihuntsthetruth.com

Website: www.wpihuntsthetruth.com

Check out the CHRONICLES: WPI Hunts the Truth 2007-2016 video for a retrospect on the group, including captured evidence on YouTube here: CHRONICLES: WPI Hunts the Truth 2007-2016

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We still have vendor tables left! Find more info and a list of who we’ve signed up so far here:milwaukeeparacon.com/activities

Con tickets available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

Vendor of the Week 01: Blurry Photos Podcast

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Welcome to our new weekly feature, posted every Thursday. This is a chance to check out who will be tabling this year in our exhibition hall. We’re kicking it off with our friends from Blurry Photos podcast.
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Blending comedy and the unknown, Blurry Photos is a podcast that aims to humorously shed light on the more shadowy topics the world has to offer. From cryptozoology and the paranormal to conspiracy theories and the unexplained, Blurry Photos will help educate and entertain you in a decently informational and whimsical way.

BlurryPhotoArtWebsite: www.BlurryPhotos.org

Here’s a fun podcast they did from last year’s Milwaukee Paranormal Conference: www.blurryphotos.org/bp-bonus-2015-milwaukee-paracon/

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We still have vendor tables left! Find more info and a list of who we’ve signed up so far here:milwaukeeparacon.com/activities

Con tickets available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

Volunteer!

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MkeParaCon_Logo-01

We have a good list of gorgeous, witty, smart, hard-working volunteers already– thanks to everyone who has offered to help out. That being said, we can use a few more. We need volunteers not only for the conference itself, but the related after con activities.

Volunteers are expected to work a couple of short shifts at the con or after parties.

 

 

Volunteers get:

-Free admission to the conference and our Masquerade Ball after party.

-A free t-shirt and sticker.

-Free lunch each day.

There is a range of needs that we have, helping set up and tear down, helping direct people where to go, attending to our ticket/merch/will call, helping organize and promote, and lots more.

If you’re interested, please e-mail us at: milwaukeeparacon@gmail.com and we will add you to the list. A group e-mail will go out in March with more specifics.

You can be…a VIP!

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VIP tickets to the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference are going to be a key element of our fundraising. We have 100 VIP tickets available, when they’re gone, that’s it!
You not only get admission to both conference days (Sat. Oct. 15 and Sun. Oct. 16 at the UWM Campus) but you get a lot of added perks with the VIP ticket:

VIP Dinner Party

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Our VIP dinner party will take place the evening of Friday, October 14, the night before the conference, from 5:30-8pm.

We’re happy to announce the venue for our VIP dinner party, which will be the Mitchell Park Pavilion on the Lagoon (524 Layton Boulevard.). Mitchell Park will be a nice place for you to take an autumn stroll before dinner, if you choose, or visit the iconic Mitchell Park Domes, which have been closed due to structural damage, although the Show Dome is anticipated to reopen soon.

Our venue is a nice pavilion located right on Mitchell Park’s lagoon. We’re still working on a menu, but it will include vegetarian and vegan options. We will have alcohol and non-alcohol beverages available. We will give you a short presentation on the conference and there will be a special performance renowned cellist and composer Janet Schiff (of the amazing group Nineteen Thirteen.)
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Guest speakers are all invited (but that doesn’t guarantee all will be there) to the dinner party and will be divided up so we have at least one guest speaker (and probably more than one) at each table. We will also be having a party at a local bar after the dinner, which will be open to VIPs, other con attendees, and the general public. That venue is yet to be determined.

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Tote Bag

The cloth tote bag will feature our 2016 logo screened on the side and will contain your VIP pass, a conference program, and we’ve given our vendors and sponsors the option to include swag to stuff into these limited edition (only 100) bags. For example, one vendor is providing us with 100 magnets, another is having stickers made. We’re also hoping to include coupons, postcards, and whatever else shows up! Inside, you’ll also find your conference program.

The Raven’s Masquerade Ball

Our big bash is going to take place Saturday night after the conference. The venue and entertainment is TBA, but will feature music, performance, and a costume contest (in several categories). The event has an Edgar Allan Poe theme and is free to VIP pass holders. More details will be announced in spring. 800px-Edgar_Allan_Poe_2_retouched_and_transparent_bg

 

Get a VIP Pass today!

All of this is available with the VIP Pass, which is just $75. Hurry and get yours, once they are gone, there is no turning the wheel back! Again, these are strictly limited to 100 and available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

 

Guest Announcements, Round 2

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Milwaukee Paranormal Conference is happening October 15 and 16 at the UWM campus. In our last post, we announced our first round of guest speakers, including Loren Coleman, Chad Lewis, Mary Marshall, Allison Jornlin, Celesté Contreras, Summerwind Restoration Society, and Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee. We also announced two panels, “Searching  for Wisconsin’s Sasquatch” and “Haunted Road Trip.”

We’re excited to reveal our second round of guest announcements.

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First, special guest speaker Chase Kloetzke. Chase is an author, radio show host, and frequent guest lecturer at UFO conventions. Chase has been a member of the Mutual UFO Network since 1996 and is currently MUFON’s Deputy Director of Investigations and Special Case Manager, leading a team of high performance and highly skilled investigators to special assignments in MUFON.

She is also the host of Fate Magazine Radio on KGRA, co-author (with Richard Dolan) of Admissable: The Field Investigator’s Manual and the children’s book Are Aliens Really Real?
Here’s her website: chasekloetzke.com

Additionally, we are happy to announce:

Ursula Bielski, author and Chicago ghostlorist.

Nick Roesler, author and host of Beyond Deep Black Radio.

Kristan T. Harris, researcher and co-host of The Rundown Live, he’ll be giving a presentation titled “The Hidden History of Giants.”

Dark Star Ministry presents: “Ouija & Tarot: Occult Tools and the Paranormal.”

Panels
Cult of Weird presents: Wisconsin’s Wildest Urban Legends: This panel will talk about one of the more fun aspects of our folklore– the urban legend. We’ll be talking about Muskego’s Haunchyville, an alleged colony of angry little people, the bloody legend of Boy Scout Lane in Stevens Point, the break out star of the 2015 Milwaukee Para Con–Goatman!–and more. This panel includes J. Nathan Couch (Goatman: Flesh or Folklore?), Charlie Hinz and Christina Rickman(Cult of Weird), and Valerie Kedrowski (Stevens Point Paranormal). Moderator: Tea Krulos (Monster Hunters, Riverwest Ghost Stories).

We will be announcing a third round of speakers in early February!

Tickets on sale now: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

We will also have a table at the Milwaukee Comic Con, Sunday Feb. 21, 10:30-4:30, at American Serb Hall. Admission to the con is $5, kids 12 and under free. You’ll be able to buy Para Con tickets from us with cash or card.

Venue, First Speakers Announced! Tickets on Sale!

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Here is our latest exciting information for the 2016 Milwaukee Paranormal Conference, October 14-16 (we are listing this as a three day event now as we will have a pre-con party on the 14th!)

VENUE

After much searching and inquiry, we’re happy to announce our venue: the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., located on Milwaukee’s East Side.

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENTS

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We’re pleased to announce that our keynote speaker on the topic of cryptozoology this year is Loren Coleman. Loren is often referred to as the world’s leading expert on the topic of cryptozoology, a field he has pursued passionately since the 1960s. He has authored dozens of books on the topic, appears frequently on programs like Unsolved Mysteries, and is the founder and director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. We are honored to be able to bring Loren to speak in Milwaukee for the first time.

We have many other speakers confirmed and are in talks with others. For now, we’ll list just a small sampling and will announce more speakers in a couple weeks.

Chad Lewis, researcher, author, and lecturer on topics of the strange and unusual. He’ll be giving our first talk on Sea Serpents and Lake Monsters!

Mary Marshall, paranormal studies teacher, founder and director of The Paranormal MD.

Allison Jornlin, Milwaukee ghostlorist. She’ll be returning with a talk titled “Milwaukee Forteana, vol. II.”

Celesté Contreras, organizer, Día de los Muertos Milwaukee.

Summerwind Restoration Society

Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee

Panels
Haunted Road Trip: October is a great month to get a tank of gas and take a short road trip to check out some haunted locations in the Midwest. You get can some good tips on haunted hotspots open to the public from our panel of ghost guide experts– Mike Hoke (Cedarburg Ghost & Dark History Walking Tours), Lisa Van Buskirk (Madison Ghost Tour), and Kathi Kresol (Haunted Rockford, author of Murder & Mayhem in Rockford, Illinois). Moderator: Mike Huberty (Minneapolis Ghost Tour, See You On The Other Side podcast).

Searching for Wisconsin’s Sasquatch: Does Bigfoot roam throughout the Northwoods, in Kettle Moraine State Forest and other locations? Our panel says yes! Hear from people who have actually spent time out in the field looking for the elusive cryptid. Panelists include author and researcher Linda S. Godfrey, Jay Bachochin (WPI Hunts the Truth), and Jen and Larry Dopke (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, Wisconsin). Moderator: Sanjay R. Singhal, RA (Beyond the Forest Radio).

Much more to follow soon!

TICKET INFORMATION

We were able to host a free event last year, but with significantly higher venue and guest speaker fees, we need your support and we need to sell tickets. We have kept our prices as low as possible to make it an affordable experience for everyone. You can buy tickets via the site Brown Paper Tickets. There are service fees, but the online tickets will still be $5-$10 cheaper than buying them at the door.

We may have a participating store in Milwaukee sell tickets in the near future. Here are your ticket options:

1-Day Pass: Will get you into the conference for either Saturday or Sunday. $10.

2-Day Pass: Both conference days, just $15.

2-Day Super Pass (limited to 250): Both conference days, as well as admission to our Ghost Story Open Mic event and our Saturday night Masquerade Ball. $25.

VIP Pass (limited to 100…get ’em while they last!): Full access. Includes a special VIP dinner party the evening of Friday, October 14 with some of our conference guests. We are working on details of the dinner, but it will be in Milwaukee and we will have vegetarian and vegan options. Also, a special cloth tote bag screened with our logo that includes your program and swag. Free entry to the con, Ghost Story Open Mic, Masquerade Ball, (and possibly screening session.) $75.

A la carte: If you are solely interested in our activities like the Ghost Story Open Mic, Masquerade Ball, and screening session, we will have a la carte tickets to those events added soon.

All tickets available here: milwaukeeparacon.brownpapertickets.com

You will be able to pick up your passes at the con at will call by showing an ID.

Vendors: We had originally posted a deal that was supposed to be good through today ($60 one day/ $75 two days) but because it took time to confirm venue, that is extended through March.

Volunteers: We have a fantastic list of volunteers already, but definitely could use more.

Sponsors: We have a lot of great sponsorship opportunities available. Ask us for more info!

Vendors, volunteers, and sponsors can contact us at: milwaukeeparacon@gmail.com

Here is our Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/423586874516004/

Milwaukee Para Con 2016 Dates Announced!

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We will be announcing the venue and more info shortly, as well as tickets! Meanwhile, here is our first call for…

Vendors: Our vendor floor has more room this year and 6 foot vendor tables are on sale now! Today through New Year’s Day, 2016 tables are just $60 one day/ $75 two days. After New Year’s table price will increase. Last year, our vendor floor sold out months before the event, so don’t miss out! E-mail milwaukeeparacon@gmail.com for a form and more info.

Volunteers: We need a solid crew of volunteers to make this event happen. Benefits this year include free passes, a t-shirt, and lunch. We need volunteers in a wide variety of capacities: organization, guest services, tech support, operating ticket and merch booths. E-mail milwaukeeparacon@gmail.com and we’ll put you on our volunteer info list.

Sponsors: We have a variety of great sponsorship levels, everything from getting a stage or activity paired with your business, to an ad in our conference program. E-mail milwaukeeparacon@gmail.com for more details.

Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/423586874516004/

TICKETS ON SALE SOON!

Our 2016 logo (starring our mascot, Chupy) was illustrated by Milwaukee artist Catherine Palmeno. She’ll be tabling at the con with her awesome artwork! You can check out her Etsy page HERE.

2015 Wisconsin Researcher of the Year: Linda S. Godfrey

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Conference director Tea Krulos and volunteer Kimberly Poeppey surprise Linda Godfrey with her award after her talk at the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference. Photo by Wendy Schreier Photography.

Linda S. Godfrey started reporting on paranormal phenomenon in the state of Wisconsin with her initial reports of the “Beast of Bray Road” (a werewolf like entity spotted around the farmlands of Linda’s hometown of Elkhorn, Wisconsin) in 1991. Since then, she’s gone on to write over a dozen books spotlighting Wisconsin’s oddest encounters, from Bigfoot to Manwolf to ghosts, Lake Monsters, Batsquatch, and a great many other things that might make you sleep with the light on.

Some of her books on these subjects include: The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin’s Werewolf, Weird Wisconsin, Monsters of Wisconsin, Haunted Wisconsin, Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America, and her most recent book, American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America.

In recognition of Linda’s research, field work, and interviewing of eye witnesses for over two decades, we are proud to award her the first ever Milwaukee Paranormal Conference award, which is the 2015 Wisconsin Researcher of the Year Award.

Next year, we may expand this award program. We will be exploring either setting up a committee and/or having a vote for award recipient.