I came home from a particularly nasty afternoon at work to emotionally devastating news. Scares That Care, proprietors of the best horror con I've ever had the privilege to attend, announced they will be discontinuing their annual charity weekend event.
A lot of people are going to be hurt by this. Am I upset? Absolutely. Angry? Of course not. I have no idea what it takes to run a convention, and I have no idea of all the endless problems and snafus the staff encounter at every stage of the process. Then there are the expenses, which I can't even imagine. This cannot have been an easy decision for them, and I am sure they know just how disappointed people will be.
Some individuals are really pissed off, and they don't mind letting the world know it. Children of all ages think grownups have bottomless pockets. I don't know Joe Ripple well, but I think this announcement hurt him as much as it does everyone else.
I don't know if money is the principle reason for it. I'm pretty sure it's last least part of the reason. I also believe there are other factors. I don't really know, but it is the decision of the STC team and I respect it. Even if it breaks my heart.
Scares That Care was born out of the ashes of The Horrorfind Weekend. Horrorfind was a good con, and I had some of the best times of my life at the shows. I also had some grueling experiences there.
Joe Ripple, the man who created Scares That Care, had been in charge of security at Horrorfind. When H-Find died out, Joe created Scares That Care, an organization dedicated to help those who need it the most. Sick children, impoverished families with medical and financial difficulties. Breast cancer patients, burn victims, young people in desperate need of assistance.
I've been to every Scares That Care Weekend and I have always had a wonderful time. Over the past several years it has become a family vacation for us. I met my wife, Clara, in 2016. Early on I took her to Scares. A librarian, she loves books and writers, but wasn't sure what to expect. Clara knew very little about the world of horror and its devotees. She was delighted to find that almost everyone was intelligent and kind.
Our granddaughters love Scares That Care. I wouldn't take young children to many cons, but Scares is family-friendly, and children are not only welcome, there are numerous programs designed for them.
We all had a wonderful time at Scares That Care Weekend VIII. It wasn't, however, all good. I was undergoing a personal tragedy. One that had nothing to do with the convention. It just happened to take place there. Joe Ripple and some of his staff provided compassion, comfort, and emotional support. They were more than accommodating. Scares That Care is, like so many before me have said, family.
There's nothing like Scares That Care Weekend. There are bigger celebrity events, and perhaps more prestigious writer conferences, but Scares is a big, wonderful combination of both. You can walk down a hall and see legendary authors, respected actors, makeup artists, publishers, artists, cosplayers, and every breed of fan. From bookish nerds (like me) to boisterous horror movie fanatics. It's like being in a Fellini film.
Now we hear it's over. There's a meme going around about it. A quote from Dr. Suess: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. Well, I'm doing both. I feel like I lost my family.
I don't know the actual numbers, but it seemed like attendance was lower this year. Is this a sign that the recent boom in the genre is dying down? I've never seen horror as popular as it has been in the past few years. Catalysts like Stephen King's It, Stranger Things, and Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks From Hell elevated the genre to unprecedented heights. Every climb reaches a peak. Or is it another sign of a near-broken economy? A lot of people simply do not have much disposable income right now.
I know it isn't really over. We have Scares That Care Authorcon next year. The STC organization with continue on with its goal of helping unfortunates in need. I beg everyone reading this to try to come to Authorcon, or at least to send a few dollars to the charity.
The world is a gloomier place without an annual Scares That Care Weekend to look forward to.
We have another burgeoning horror con on the horizon. Horror On Main is set for Memorial Day 2023. Tim Lebbon has been announced as writer guest of honor. This convention is being held at the Marriott in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The same hotel Horrorfind used for years. I have high hopes for Horror On Main, and I am putting my money where my mouth is. I've already paid for a vendor's table. I hope to see you there.
For now, I wish a teary thank you to Joe Ripple and his entire staff. To all the guest and celebs who came to Scares over the years. To the Doubletree employees, who always seemed to be having as much fun as the convention goers. To everyone who bought a book or movie from my vendor tables. To the many people who were kind to my family. To all the fans who showed their passion for the genre by coming out to celebrate horror. I love you all.
This reminds me of an old song...
I'm so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh or sing a song
Seems we just get started
and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say
So long
Written by Mark Sieber
A lot of people are going to be hurt by this. Am I upset? Absolutely. Angry? Of course not. I have no idea what it takes to run a convention, and I have no idea of all the endless problems and snafus the staff encounter at every stage of the process. Then there are the expenses, which I can't even imagine. This cannot have been an easy decision for them, and I am sure they know just how disappointed people will be.
Some individuals are really pissed off, and they don't mind letting the world know it. Children of all ages think grownups have bottomless pockets. I don't know Joe Ripple well, but I think this announcement hurt him as much as it does everyone else.I don't know if money is the principle reason for it. I'm pretty sure it's last least part of the reason. I also believe there are other factors. I don't really know, but it is the decision of the STC team and I respect it. Even if it breaks my heart.
Scares That Care was born out of the ashes of The Horrorfind Weekend. Horrorfind was a good con, and I had some of the best times of my life at the shows. I also had some grueling experiences there.
Joe Ripple, the man who created Scares That Care, had been in charge of security at Horrorfind. When H-Find died out, Joe created Scares That Care, an organization dedicated to help those who need it the most. Sick children, impoverished families with medical and financial difficulties. Breast cancer patients, burn victims, young people in desperate need of assistance.
I've been to every Scares That Care Weekend and I have always had a wonderful time. Over the past several years it has become a family vacation for us. I met my wife, Clara, in 2016. Early on I took her to Scares. A librarian, she loves books and writers, but wasn't sure what to expect. Clara knew very little about the world of horror and its devotees. She was delighted to find that almost everyone was intelligent and kind.
Our granddaughters love Scares That Care. I wouldn't take young children to many cons, but Scares is family-friendly, and children are not only welcome, there are numerous programs designed for them.
We all had a wonderful time at Scares That Care Weekend VIII. It wasn't, however, all good. I was undergoing a personal tragedy. One that had nothing to do with the convention. It just happened to take place there. Joe Ripple and some of his staff provided compassion, comfort, and emotional support. They were more than accommodating. Scares That Care is, like so many before me have said, family.
There's nothing like Scares That Care Weekend. There are bigger celebrity events, and perhaps more prestigious writer conferences, but Scares is a big, wonderful combination of both. You can walk down a hall and see legendary authors, respected actors, makeup artists, publishers, artists, cosplayers, and every breed of fan. From bookish nerds (like me) to boisterous horror movie fanatics. It's like being in a Fellini film.
Now we hear it's over. There's a meme going around about it. A quote from Dr. Suess: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. Well, I'm doing both. I feel like I lost my family.
I don't know the actual numbers, but it seemed like attendance was lower this year. Is this a sign that the recent boom in the genre is dying down? I've never seen horror as popular as it has been in the past few years. Catalysts like Stephen King's It, Stranger Things, and Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks From Hell elevated the genre to unprecedented heights. Every climb reaches a peak. Or is it another sign of a near-broken economy? A lot of people simply do not have much disposable income right now.
I know it isn't really over. We have Scares That Care Authorcon next year. The STC organization with continue on with its goal of helping unfortunates in need. I beg everyone reading this to try to come to Authorcon, or at least to send a few dollars to the charity.
The world is a gloomier place without an annual Scares That Care Weekend to look forward to.
We have another burgeoning horror con on the horizon. Horror On Main is set for Memorial Day 2023. Tim Lebbon has been announced as writer guest of honor. This convention is being held at the Marriott in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The same hotel Horrorfind used for years. I have high hopes for Horror On Main, and I am putting my money where my mouth is. I've already paid for a vendor's table. I hope to see you there.
For now, I wish a teary thank you to Joe Ripple and his entire staff. To all the guest and celebs who came to Scares over the years. To the Doubletree employees, who always seemed to be having as much fun as the convention goers. To everyone who bought a book or movie from my vendor tables. To the many people who were kind to my family. To all the fans who showed their passion for the genre by coming out to celebrate horror. I love you all.
This reminds me of an old song...
I'm so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh or sing a song
Seems we just get started
and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say
So long
Written by Mark Sieber
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