Spooky Empire

{{Short description|American multigenre convention}} {{Infobox Convention | name = Spooky Empire | image = File:Spooky Empire logo.png | caption = | status = Active | genre = Horror, multi-genre | frequency = Bi-annual | venue = | location = Florida | country = United States | first = {{start date and age|2003}} | last = | organizer = | filing = | attendance = Around 33,000 in October 2018<ref name=connolly2019>{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/os-et-spooky-empire-preview-20190320-story.html|title=Spooky Empire brings horror fans a 'scream break' convention this weekend|last=Connolly|first=Patrick|date=March 20, 2019|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> | website = http://spookyempire.com/ }}

'''Spooky Empire''' is an American multigenre convention focused primarily on horror and science fiction, held bi-annually in Florida. The convention, which is billed as "the dark side of Comic-Con",<ref name=spata>{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/fun/2019/08/23/spooky-empire-horror-convention-guest-lineup-includes-alice-cooper-sam-raimi-elvira/|title=Spooky Empire horror convention guest lineup includes Alice Cooper, Sam Raimi, Elvira|last=Spata|first=Christopher|date=August 23, 2019|work=The Tampa Bay Times|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> features vendors, a film and tattoo festival, music, and celebrity guests.

==History== Co-founded by Peter Mongelli and Blaine Kimball, Spooky Empire has been held in Florida since 2003.<ref name=santana>{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-spooky-empire-leaving-20190502-story.html|title=Spooky Empire horror-themed convention says it had no choice but to relocate from Orlando to Tampa|last=Santana|first=Marco|date=May 2, 2019|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> It is held twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spookyempire.com/|title=Spooky Empire – The Dark Side of Comic Con|publisher=Spooky Empire|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> The first event took place at a Holiday Inn in Broward County, Florida.<ref name=connolly2018>{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/os-et-s2-spooky-empire-20181027-story.html|title=Frightening fans turn out for day one of Spooky Empire|last=Connolly|first=Patrick|date=October 27, 2018|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name=tutten>{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/os-spooky-empire-james-tutten-20151030-story.html|title=Spooky Empire in Orlando highlights horror|last=Tutten|first=James|date=October 30, 2015|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> The convention was held in Orlando, Florida from 2006 to 2019, before moving to Tampa, Florida for its autumn 2019 event due to a lack of sufficient available venue space in Orlando.<ref name=santana />

Celebrity guests at Spooky Empire have included Gillian Anderson,<ref name=connolly2018 /><ref name=wax>{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-x-files-cast-will-reunite-at-spooky-empire|title=Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, and the Entire Cast of The X-Files Reuniting at Spooky Empire|last=Wax|first=Alyse|date=September 20, 2018|publisher=Syfy|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> Fairuza Balk,<ref name=connolly2019 /> Bruce Campbell,<ref name=brezinasmith>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/11/03/spooky-empire-invades-tampa-bay-for-thefirst-time.html|title=Spooky Empire invades Tampa Bay for the first time (Photos)|last=Brezina-Smith|first=Veronica|date=November 3, 2019|work=Tampa Bay Business Journal|access-date=February 17, 2020}}</ref> Neve Campbell,<ref name=tutten /> Alice Cooper,<ref name=spata /><ref name=brezinasmith /> David Duchovny,<ref name=connolly2018 /><ref name=wax /> Gunnar Hansen,<ref name=tutten /> Kane Hodder,<ref name=nunez>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/entertainment/2016/11/30/elvira-mistress-dark/94661472/|title=35 years later, Elvira's still spooky, sexy and funny|last=Nunez|first=Mike|date=November 30, 2016|website=Florida Today|publisher=USA Today|access-date=October 10, 2019}}</ref> Christopher Lloyd,<ref name=connolly2019 /> Malcolm McDowell,<ref name=tutten /> Bill Moseley,<ref name=nunez /> Cassandra Peterson,<ref name=nunez /><ref name=brezinasmith /> Sam Raimi,<ref name=spata /><ref name=brezinasmith /> Burt Reynolds,<ref name=tutten /> Christina Ricci,<ref name=connolly2019 /> George A. Romero,<ref name=tutten /> Felissa Rose,<ref name=wax /> Lewis Teague,<ref name=connolly2019 /> Henry Thomas,<ref name=connolly2019 /> Danny Trejo,<ref name=tutten /> Dee Wallace,<ref name=connolly2019 /> and Carl Weathers.<ref name=wax />

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == * {{Official website|http://spookyempire.com/}}

Category:Multigenre conventions Category:Horror conventions Category:Recurring events established in 2003 Category:2003 establishments in Florida Category:Conventions in Florida