Slowly the door is closing on summer and fall is awakening. Slowly the schools have commenced and anxious children are getting back into the routine of early bedtimes and homework.  Slowly the leaves will start to fall and the air will turn brisk.  Slowly Halloween is coming!

Halloween, one of my favorite holidays of the year! Who doesn’t love a holiday geared to bringing out the child in all of us.  Halloween is made up of costume parties, trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, pumpkin patches and of course, the haunted house.  The holiday has become so huge that is second only to Christmas in popularity.

Did you know that The National Retail Federation projected that in 2008 an estimated $5.77 billion (yes, that’s billion with a “B”) was spent on Halloween, an increase from 2007.  Every year the amount of money spent by consumers on Halloween costumes and decorations rises.  Even with the economy the way it is, experts predict spending for this Halloween will leap by double digits.  With everything going on in the world today with politics as usual and the economy, the fun and youthfulness of Halloween is just what the good, or evil, doctor ordered!

Knowing this, the seasonal Halloween stores started stocking their shelves months ago and their doors are now open.  One such store is Halloween Express. In business since 1990, Halloween Express is one of the most aggressive and dynamic Halloween costume and costume accessory chains in the United States.  However, Halloween Express is also one of the few stores that also has a year-round internet site as well, so they’ve been busy for quite some time.  By leveraging the combined buying power of www.HalloweenExpress.com and their 200+ seasonal retail Halloween store locations, they’re able to offer the absolute largest selection of Halloween costumes, accessories, decorations and special effect props you’ll find online anywhere.

With that in mind, make it easy on yourself when looking for a Halloween costume this year.   No dragging the kids around rushing from store to store at the last minute looking for a certain costume in a certain size that your daughter just has to have.  With their online store you’ll find the costume you need in the size you want without even leaving your house.  Believe me, my children spend hours browsing their easy to follow website through all their children’s, tweens and teen costumes. If you have a question about a costume or anything on the website simply click “live chat” and a customer service representative will be right there online to help you.  I’m sure my kids drive those poor people nuts, but they’re so nice about answering any questions they have.

Just like my kids I could spend hours just looking at all the adult costumes they have online.  They have everything from individual costumes to couple and group costumes.  Sexy (which are very popular by the way), humorous, horror and the good old classics – no matter what you’re looking for HalloweenExpress.com has it!  Not sure what you want to be?  Want to know the most popular costume trends for 2009?  Don’t worry; besides giving you hundreds of ideas to put together the perfect costume they also have a list of the Top 10 Costume picks in every possible category AND a whole section of new 2009 costumes!  Plus they have Virtual Gift Cards you can buy online.  I get them every year and give them to my family and friends as gifts.  They love it!

Believe me when I say that HalloweenExpress.com has the largest selection of any Halloween store!  You’ll find everything you need to make this Halloween the best ever!

Many of us use credit cards as a payment method when obtaining supplies and products for our haunted attractions.  The federal regulations governing the use of credit cards to purchase merchandise from a vendor are pertinent information.

There are quite a few rules to delineate the way credit card transactions and disputes may be handled legally.  If you have problems with any aspect of credit card purchases, vendors not performing according to a sales agreement, or products being faulty, the following is where you can look for the federal regulations:

12 CFR – Code of Federal Regulations –

Title 12: Banks and Banking

Special credit card provisions from Chapter 11, Subchapter A, Part 226, subpart b, that apply to credit card holders can be accessed on the internet here. Some of the potentially relevant provisions are as follows:

• A vendor has 7 days to credit back your account when a shipment is returned to the vendor.
• The credit card company has 3 days to send you a notification that the credit has been received on your account
• The credit card company is prohibited from issuing an adverse credit report until a dispute has been resolved satisfactorily or a judgment received.

Billing errors are defined and regulated in the laws.  There is a process by which the consumer’s rights are protected by the credit card company.  These can be found by clicking here.

States have their own laws in place for dispute resolution.  When checking on the internet for state laws, do a search for “credit card billing disputes”, “credit card billing error laws”, and “credit card withholding laws”.  The withholding laws search is a little more difficult to get to the germane references because of the synonymous use of the terminology with tax regulations.

Hopefully no one will need to utilize these references in a dispute with a vendor, but it is always helpful to know your rights and responsibilities.

All IAHA Members should have received the 2009 IAHA Member Directory/Buyer’s Guide by now via mail. If you have not yet received your directory, please contact Jim Smith at treasurer@iahaweb.com.

Thank you to all who worked on this year’s book:  Julie Pawlowicz, Deanna Morton, Jim Smith, Kelly Mckelvey, Eric Pigors and Dan Faupel. The IAHA Directory is a valuable resource every haunt owner keeps on their desk as a reference year-round.

Thank you to all of our advertisers and sponsors, new and returning, for helping the association to continue keeping the book a valuable benefit of IAHA Membership. Please remember to support these vendors whenever you can. They are supporters of the haunted attraction industry!

Beth “Creepy Kiwi” Watson of Spookers Haunted Attraction in New Zealand brings an international perspective to the International Association of Haunted Attractions.

Beth was recently elected to the IAHA Board of Directors at the annual meeting at Transworld in St. Louis last March, and has wasted little time in jumping into her responsibilities as a Director.

Beth is heading the new “International Recruitment Committee” – a subcommittee of the IAHA Membership Committee. The focus will be to bring haunted attractions from all over the world into our Association.

The haunted attraction industry continues to grow, not just in the US, but world wide in nations like Canada, the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan, just to name a few.

Current International Members of the IAHA are:

New Zealand:

• Beth and Andy Watson (Spookers Haunted Attraction)

Canada:

• Dino Bartolino (Pirates Productions)
• Ian Campbell (Halloween Masters)
• Jason Matte (Screamworks Inc)

United Kingdom:

• Mark Edwards and Richard Lewney (Farmaggedon)
• Mark Harris (Fright Site for Halloween)
• Jason Karl (AtmosFEAR! Scare Attractions)

Australia:

• Marc and Paul Newman of (Dracula’s Haunted House)

The goal of the International Recruitment Committee will be to expand the International Association of Haunted Attractions across the horizons, to unify the haunted attraction industry globally, by bringing attention to international events with the focus of haunt tourists abroad, and to expose those events to the IAHA Haunt Vendors.

If you’d like to help Beth on her mission or have any leads, please email her at beth@spookers.co.nz. Or at least wish her the best of luck on her international voyage.

The Midwest Haunters Convention (MHC), in Columbus Ohio June 5-7 2009, is the largest event of its kind within the haunted attraction industry; second only perhaps to the Transworld National Haunted Attraction Show.  The MHC is sponsored by CostumeFind.com.

Over 2000 expected attendees will converge from all over the US, Canada and other countries to participate in unique shopping, intense education and premier social events.  Weekend activities include IAHA Masquerade Party featuring the “Ms. Midwest Scary Pageant”, rated as one of the Top 13 Freaky Attractions for the last 3 years by AOL Online.

The MHC provides an opportunity for haunted attraction owners/operators, actors, technicians, other professionals, home haunters and enthusiast’s to network, get valuable training and shop for items needed for their enterprises and for themselves ~ with less than 100 days before Halloween.  Please check out the promotional video by New Social Media on the home page at www.MidwestHauntersConvention.com . Sign up for the email list to receive the latest updates and announcements! 

MHC Lodging

Rooms at the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency, are sold out; MHC attendance is up this year.  Comparable special pricing is available for the MHC at the Crown Plaza Hotel and the Drury Inn and Suites – which are only one block away.   These rooms are also expected to sell out; please make reservations soon. http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com/lodging.htm

MHC Pre-Convention Haunted Attraction Bus Tour

The MHC also hosts a three-state bus tour that includes 4 haunted attractions located in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia as well as an Amusement Park, Halloween Museum and Prison Ghost Tour.   Visit our website to learn more – http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com/thursday.htm

Education

Education is the cornerstone of the Midwest Haunters Convention with nearly 50 seminars, workshops and vendor demos.  The prosperity of the haunted attraction industry primarily depends upon a network of professionals and others that share information in the interests of continual quality improvements.   The educational seminars are sponsored by HauntBots.com.   http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com/seminars.htm

Safety is a major concern – from dealing with fire codes, dealing with throughput, to handling patrons as an actor – right down to the details of costuming and makeup.   Other topics presented include business practices, including marketing and social media as well as how to get a good scare and a presentation on paranormal ghosts.  Several IAHA members are presenting including a Friday Workshop on “The Business of Haunting (aka How to Get Started)” by Tim Gavinski, IAHA Past President, and Anne Marie Gavinski.

http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com/workshops.htm

Vendor Trade Show

The Midwest Haunters Convention features a 60,000 square foot Vendor Trade Show with 100 booths offering items ranging from animatronics props to cool costumes and makeup ~ including black light tooth effects, fake blood that isn’t sticky and wound effects that look real!   Most items are offered on a cash and carry basis; others may be ordered in time for haunt season delivery.  Buyers are encouraged to support the MHC vendors that are the foundation for our show.   Admission to the weekend MHC Vendor Tradeshow is free. http://www.midwesthauntersconvention.com/vendors.htm

Midsummer Monster Bash Friday, June 5th

We’re bringing the haunt to our party with an acting competition, Scary-oke and a costumed band, Scarlet Angel. Eight performers will have an opportunity to join the band on stage and sing.  Special performances by Chuck Williams, Frank N Stein aka Ben Armstrong and Psycho Doc Swan. Check out some of the newest props available on display throughout the party at the Frog Bear & Wild Boar bar. Advance tickets are only $7 for this awesome haunters party. Suggested attire; wear your favorite haunt or scary T-shirt. Special prize for the largest group with identical haunt T’s at the party.

IAHA MASQUERADE PARTY Saturday, June 6th, 8:30 pm – 1:00 am

The largest haunters masquerade party of the year; starts with the Wolfe Face Art & FX, Body Art Fashion show, followed by the Ms Midwest Scary Pageant and the Scariest Character Contest.  Chuck Williams and Crazy Bob Turner will be our celebrity hosts!

Join over 1,000 of your haunter brethren in costume for a party like you’ve never seen before.  Terror Within will be decorating the room including an entry passage and more!

$40 per-person admission includes the following:

• Heavy Hors d’ ovres
• DJ w/dance floor
• Entertainment
• Prizes
• A place to party with hundreds of your costumed friends.

THIS EVENT IS FREE for IAHA Members

IAHA Fundraisers

IAHA will host a Live Auction at MHC, along with a Silent Auction for Casket Baskets.  Casket Baskets are unique collections of items donated by IAHA Members.  Bid early, often and generously to support IAHA!  Please contact Deanna Roberts-Morton to participate with donations.

Please make plans to attend this legendary event!  MHC is the proud recipient of the 2008 International Association of Haunted Attractions President’s Award!

For additional information, visit the MHC website: www.MidwestHauntersConvention.com
or contact Kelly Collins at 614-203-4626.

Join a Committee Today!

IAHA Executive Board announces the committee chairs for 2009.  For each committee to be successful, the association needs the active involvement all its members.  Each committee helps IAHA achieve its goal of advancing the Haunted Attraction Industry.  To learn more about any of the committees or to join a committee contact a committee chair!

Bylaws / Legal

Chair: ad hoc

Elections / Nominations

Chair: Bill Criscione

Finance

Chair: Jim Smith
Members: Mike Hundley

Membership

Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Trey Cottle, Maggie Courtis, John LaFlamboy, Bill Livingston, Beth Watson

Tradeshows

Chair: Mike Krausert

IAPPA
Chair: Bill Criscione

Transworld
Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Deanna Morton, Kris Werner, Tim Turner

MHC
Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Deanna Morton

HAuNTcon
Chair: TBD
Members: Deanna Morton

NHC
Chair: Jay Wright
Members: Deanna Morton

Seminars/Education (C.H.A.O.S.)
Chair: Eddie McLaurin
Members: Brett Bertolino, Jay Wright, Maggie Courtis, Mike Hundley

Booth
Chair: Deanna Morton
Members: Bill Livingston

Auctions
Chairs: Trey Cottle, Maggie Courtis

Awards / /Banquet
Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Shawna Blakney, Maggie Courtis, John LaFlamboy, Tim Turner

Vendor

Chair: Shawna Blakney

Web

Chair: Chad Savage
Members: Dave Christman, John LaFlamboy, Brett Bertolino, Trey Cottle

Marketing

Chair: Brett Bertolino
Members: Chad Savage, John LaFlamboy, Maggie Courtis, Kris Werner, Beth Watson, Dan Faupel

Sponsorship

Chair: John LaFlamboy

Long Range Strategic Planning

Chair: Patrick Konopelski
Members: Brett Bertolino, Bill Criscione, Trey Cottle, John LaFlamboy

Please thank and support these vendors!

A very special thank you goes out from the IAHA Board to the many vendors who donated products and certificates to the IAHA Auction which was held at the Wisconsin Feargrounds Tour and Reception.  A special thanks to IAHA members Tim and Ann Marie Gavinski for not only opening their doors to all HAuNTcon attendees, but also for their gracious hospitality and for hosting the IAHA Auction.

The proceeds from this auction will support our national marketing campaign which will benefit everyone in our industry.  Please be sure to thank and support these vendors!

• Scare Products $100
• Wolf Face Art & FX $70
• The Contact Lens Co. $100
• Bucky’s Bone Yard $125
• Midwest Haunters Convention $140
• Screaming Zombie Energy Drink $100
• AEO Studios $100
• Froggy’s Fog $100
• Distortions Unlimited $250
• Nightscream Studios $250
• Sinister Visions $850
• Midnight Syndicate $150
• John Hyers Visual FX $200
• EvilUsions.com $75.
• Toxic Toons $100
• Monster-Tronics $250
• Mr Skeleton $150
• Stuart Smith $400
• Spooky Buttons $300
• Haunted Attraction Magazine $1,200
• Haunt Bots $150
• Illusionator $210
• Ghost Ride Productions $1,000
• Minispotlight.com $250
• Haunted Keepsakes $100
• EFX TEK $100
• Arrival Mask Co. $75
• Bone Yard Effects $100
• Gore Galor $150
• Fright Props $110
• Scream Line Studios $120
• Haunted Enterprises $70

IAHA Board Members take a break from the auction for a quick photo (from left to right: John LaFlamboy, Mike Hundley, Bill Criscione, President Pat Konopelski, Treasurer Jim Smith, Secretary Deanna Morton, Auctioneer Trey Cottle, Chad Savage, Vice President Mike “Tattoo” Krausert, Brett Bertolino, Maggie Courtis and Randy Young).

If you use popular social networking sites Facebook or Twitter, be sure to add IAHA!

http://www.twitter.com/IAHAweb

IAHA now has a Facebook Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Association-of-Haunted-Attractions/70219259509 . Why a Fan page instead of a Group? Fan pages afford more direct interaction with individual Facebook users and other features that Groups don’t have.

IAHA’s Safety Program Will Be Held at HAuNTcon

IAHA is holding the Certified Haunted Attraction Operator Safety program (C.H.A.O.S.) on Monday, May 4th after the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention (HAuNTcon) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

10 years of fun& FearThe Haunted Attraction industry’s first and only voluntary national safety certification program, C.H.A.O.S., consists of eight hours of safety training provided by professional speakers with a background in amusement safety and loss control inspection. Registration is open to the general public and includes materials, continental breakfast and box lunch. Fees are $85 for IAHA members and $100 for non-members.

CLICK HERE to reserve your place in this exciting class or call (561)758-3266 for more details.

IAHA Members Discount available at www.IAHAweb.com Member’s Section!

Donations Needed for HAuNTcon Auction/Raffle

IAHA will be holding a raffle/auction during the Haunt tours at HAuNTcon on Friday night (May 1st) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

IAHA is asking all vendors to consider donating an item. Small and large items are welcome as well as gift card donations.

Attention IAHA. members. You do not need to be a vendor to contribute an item to the auction! If you have any items you would like to donate to our upcoming auctions let us know! We hope you will join the following companies in supporting IAHA:

• Minispotlight.com
• Monster-Tronics
• Stuartizm
• Toxic Toons
• Boneyard FX
• Buckys Boneyard
• Hauntbots
• Haunted Attraction Magazine
• Haunted House.com
• Sinister Visions inc.

We are looking for new or gently used items to auction and raffle off at HAuNTcon and The Midwest Haunters Convention. We have had a few unique donations from members already, including a 1986 Cadillac hearse complete with brand new tires and a fresh tune up, and hope to add to our growing list of items.

The IAHA Great Hearse Raffle will begin at HAuNTcon and continue for about a year. During that time, IAHA will be packing the hearse full of great haunt related items. Raffle tickets are $10 each and can be purchased from any IAHA director. Stop by the IAHA hospitality suite at HAuNTcon to purchase your tickets, meet the IAHA Board and have a complimentary cocktail or snack. The winner will be chosen at NHC 2010.

Those who donate items will be acknowledged in an upcoming edition of the ScreamZine, on the IAHA website, on IAHA’s section of Haunted Attraction Magazine and on handouts distributed by IAHA at HAuNTcon. This is a great opportunity to gain exposure in the industry while supporting IAHA!

If you are interested in donating or have any questions please contact Mike “Tattoo” Krausert, IAHA Vice President at vicepresident@IAHAweb.com.