Blood, Screams, and Autographs – Spooky Empire Is Here!
14SHARESThe monsters are loose. Spooky Empire officially begins today, kicking off three full days of chaos, cult icons, and horror-soaked madness at the DoubleTree by Hilton at SeaWorld in Orlando. From June 20–22, the hotel transforms into a dark carnival packed with the strange, the spooky, and the downright unhinged.
This year’s lineup hits hard. Simon Pegg is in town, bringing his sharp wit and blood-soaked legacy from Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. The legendary Danny Elfman, the man responsible for the soundtracks to The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, and Batman, is part of the madness too. Horror fans will also recognize heavy hitters like Chris Sarandon, forever iconic from Fright Night and The Princess Bride, and Ray Wise, the unnerving force from Twin Peaks and Robocop. Rounding it out are genre icons Victoria Price, John Amplas, and David Patrick Kelly, making this one of Spooky’s most stacked guest lists yet.
The vendor room? Absolutely feral. Expect booths overflowing with horror art, killer enamel pins, haunted dolls, vintage VHS tapes, taxidermy, and things you probably shouldn’t touch without gloves. If it’s spooky, strange, handmade, or cursed—it’s for sale.
And yes, the tattoo artists are back and busy all weekend. Whether you’re after a full chest piece of a reanimated corpse or just a creepy little ghost on your wrist, this is the place to get it done while horror legends sign autographs nearby.
Cosplayers are expected to go wild this weekend, and the costume contest on Saturday night is always a highlight. The looks go way beyond “spooky”—we’re talking custom prosthetics, dripping blood, LED guts, full-body creatures, and designs that belong in a practical effects museum.
Panels, screenings, after-dark events—it’s all happening. Spooky Empire doesn’t just deliver horror; it celebrates the entire culture around it. From slashers and scream queens to cult classics and deep cuts, it’s a love letter to the weird, the wicked, and the wonderfully twisted.
Spooky Empire is live. The freaks are gathering. And the weekend has only just begun, so get weird. Stay haunted. And don’t come back the same!