Event Recap: Crypticon Seattle 2017 - Nightmarish Conjurings

When Crypticon Seattle announced they were changing venues to the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport location, I knew we were in for an exciting new year. A new venue brings fresh energy and possibilities to any event, but especially to conventions, which can suffer from venue burnout and fatigue very easily for repeat attendees. The team at Crypticon, led by Troy Bowers, did a wonderful job assembling and programming this year’s Crypticon.

Initial announcements of horror icon George Romero’s attendance were met with great anticipation while in the end, due to an illness he was unable to attend. It was truly a return of the dead in spite of Romero’s absence with Ken Foree (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Scott Reiniger (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Russ Streiner (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD), Judith O’Dea (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) and Gaylen Ross (DAWN OF THE DEAD) all in attendance and signing. Doug Bradley (HELLRAISER) the ruling cenobite himself was in attendance, and in good spirits, gladly taking free photographs with fans.

This year’s panel line up was far ranging and fantastic, representing a diverse cross section of the genre’s nooks and crannies. Art House film panels to mainstream horror celebrity based Q&A and debates over the “Best Decade of Horror” brought attendees together in dialogue. I would like to acknowledge the programmers for including, as they do each year, civically responsible and very interesting panels on race and gender issues in the horror community and on screen.

Seattle and Portland residents have a gem of a horror convention right in their backyard and each year the show is better than the last!