Flashback Weekend is Chicago’s largest and longest running Horror Convention known for
our major celebrity guests, innovative programming, and spectacular evening events.
We are a horror convention with a deeper initiative – our philanthropic efforts are dedicated to the preservation of the American Drive-In and 35mm film preservation.
Flashback Weekend is held annually at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, IL, moments from O’Hare International Airport and just north of Chicago.
Flashback Weekend supports the Horror Film Industry
Flashback Weekend believes that a horror convention should benefit the legacy of horror and the film arts. For this reason, all net proceeds from Flashback Weekend go to the preservation and operation of the Midway Drive-In, located in Dixon, IL.
Flashback Weekend dedicates its philanthropic efforts to:
- The preservation of the American Drive-In
- Paying tribute to the “Drive-In” era of horror films
- Providing a theatrical outlet at the Midway Drive-In for new independent horror films.
- Maintaining a venue at the Midway for the screening of 35mm horror films
Flashback History
In 2002, Mike and Mia Kerz created Flashback Weekend to be the type of convention we would want to attend – a “Convention by Day – Horror Film Fest by Night”. By day, a horror convention featuring the biggest celebrity guests, autograph signings, a massive horror memorabilia room, our costume contest hosted by Chicago Horror Host legend Svengoolie, and panel discussions with celebrity guests. Evening events include “big screen” horror film showings introduced by celebrity guests, exclusive VIP parties allowing fans to meet and mingle with celebrity guests, live Horror Theater, haunted house tours, and more!
Flashback Weekend and Sinister Visions
In 2005, Flashback Weekend joined forces with renowned Horror Artist Chad Savage of Sinister Visions. Chad is not only Flashback’s graphic artist, but is also our web designer, internet marketing director, and a key collaborative partner. Sinister Visions also sponsors and produces Flashback events including the Zombie Pinup contest and the Flashback Weekend Costume Contest hosted by Svengoolie. Visit Sinister Visions’ website atwww.sinistervisions.com.
The Chicago Horror Community is United and Grows at Flashback Weekend
Flashback Weekend provided a place and time for the Chicago horror community to unite and grow. Now, fans plan their yearly vacations around Flashback Weekend and many travel from across the globe to attend. Fans have established friendships at Flashback and met their significant others – now, there are…Flashback babies!
Flashback Weekend and the Drive-In
Drive-In Theaters were once the primary theatrical outlet for horror films and helped to build the careers of legendary directors including George A. Romero, Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, and Don Coscarelli. It is this horror film era and modern theatrical outlet for new horror films that Flashback Weekend is dedicated to preserving.
Flashback Weekend Saves a Drive In & Preserves the Horror Legacy
In 2007, the Midway Drive-In located in Dixon, IL was in danger of closing. Because of our vow to preserve the horror theatrical experience, we could not let this happen! Several loans later, Flashback Weekend had a 90 foot screen for showing 35mm classic horror films and new horror movies. Drive-In Horror film festivals now have a permanent home – we are truly part of the legacy of horror!
Flashback Weekend re-creates the Drive-In Horror era at the Midway by showing classic horror trailers, vintage Drive-In intermission ads, and Dusk to Dawn showings of classic horror films on 35mm – the way movies are meant to be shown.
During the summer we show double features of first-run films. For a true taste of nostalgia and a great visual experience, visit the Midway Drive-In when you have the chance. Show information is atwww.themidwaydrivein.net.
If you are a film maker, we might play YOUR horror movie at our Drive-In!
The Midway Drive-In also presents first-run horror films at the Midway, providing a theatrical outlet for the next generation of horror directors. If you have a new horror film that you would like to have shown, you may submit it to us for consideration.
Flashback Weekend’s Second Decade and Beyond!
Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention continues to thrive and produce ground-breaking events on a grand scale. Our philanthropic efforts to support the horror film industry and the Drive-In continue year-round.
We truly appreciate all of those people who have supported Flashback Weekend and the Midway Drive-In throughout the years – we couldn’t have done this without you!
Your input and thoughts are important to us – they have helped to make us Chicago’s largest and longest running Horror Convention. Please send comments to help@flashbackweekend.com.
Flashback Weekend is staged collaboratively with and sponsored in part by:
The storefront for DreamHaven Books and Comics will be CLOSED from Tuesday August 16th to Friday August 19th as Greg and Alice both head out to Kansas City for the World Science Fiction Convention!
Please stop in again either on Saturday, August 20th as Ryan and Wendy host or from Tuesday August 23rd and later, when Greg and Alice will be back at the helm.
Please join us Wednesday, August 31st, starting at 6:30 PM for a reading with author and musician CONRAD ZERO.
If you take the glow of 70’s psychedelic rock, add the sparkles of 80’s goth glam, inject it with 90’s grunge rock nihilism – then take away the music – you’d end up with something like the writings of dark fiction author, Conrad Zero. Former front man for Minneapolis bands String Union and Jagged Spiral, he converted a recording studio into a writing studio in 2013. The dress code is the same, but no one’s ever called the police to stop him from writing at 2AM. Conrad writes paranormal fiction, urban fantasy, classic horror, monster stories and gothy YA comedy, best summarized as “Dark Fiction.” He utilizes his BA in Philosophy to add interesting moral situations (without being preachy) and his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science to add a dash of tech-pop geekery (without being too nerdy) to his writing. His published stories include “Big Game,” “Homeward Through Darkness,”and “Invisible Flying Pony vs the Giant Carnivorous, Poisonous, Exploding Spider Leeches.” He is currently working on two novels and seven short stories… all at the same time. His latest work, The Gloom Queen is described as Carrie crossed with “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and will be available later this year.
Speculations is a co-production of DreamHaven Books and SF MINNESOTA, a multicultural speculative fiction organization that also hosts a midsummer SF convention, DIVERSICON, the 25th edition of which will be held July 21-23, 2017, in the Twin Cities, with Guest of Honor ELEANOR ARNASON.
DreamHaven Books will be one of the exhibitors in the Dealers Room at the local anthropomorphic-centric Furry Migration.
Check out http://www.furrymigration.org/ for all the info.
Of particular interest is Guest of Honor Ursula Vernon, writer and artist of Digger, DragonBreath, Castle Hangnail and so many other of my favorite things.
Stop by there and visit if you can!
DreamHaven Books will be exhibiting at Cinema Wasteland!
https://www.cinemawasteland.com/
If you’re near Strongsville Ohio at the end of September be sure to stop by and check out our amazing assortment of film reference books, monster toys and models, and books you will find no where else.
October 7th and October 9th DreamHaven Books will be exhibiting at Gaylaxicon, the “annual science fiction, fantasy, gaming and comics convention for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people and their friends”!
We are pleased to be bringing books by several local attending authors (Eleanor Arnason! Naomi Kritzer! Catherine Lundoff! Lyda Morehouse!) as well as many other fabulous guests being brought in by the convention. We’re also planning on having a Gaylaxicon-only-special-sale on mass market paperbacks – 25% off of cover price!
On Saturday, Oct 8th the table at Gaylaxicon will be closed, as Alice heads back to keep the shop open, and Greg trots over to the MN State Fairground for the one-day MSP ComiCon. If there’s anything you were hoping to see at the convention on Friday, let me know and I can bring it with on Sunday.
Hope to see you there!
Jon Arfstrom is best know to our eclectic community as one of the artists for Weird Tales. But his career encompassed so much more than that.
Later this year the Anoka County Historical Society will be hosting a grand exhibit of many of Jon’s original paintings, as well as recreating the working corner of his studio.
On October 11th they will have a reception to kick off the exhibit, and it will be a great chance to see Jon Arfstrom’s work up close, and meet up with some of his many other enthusiasts.
DreamHaven Books will be exhibiting at NerdCon Stories on Friday, Oct 14th and Saturday Oct 15th.
We had a fabulous time selling books there last year, and have stocked up this time with even more copies and more authors than before.
Greg and Lisa will both be there helping you to nab that treasured book in time to take it over to the Signings area and meet the author.
Please join us Thursday, October 20th, 2016 at 6:30 PM for a reading with Kathe Koja, author of the Bram Stoker and Locus Award-winning first novel The Cypher; the adult novels Bad Brains, Skin, Strange Angels (a Deathrealm Award winner), Kink, the Under the Poppy trilogy (which includes Under the Poppy, The Mercury Waltz, and The Bastards’ Paradise), young adult novels: Straydog, Buddha Boy, The Blue Mirror, Talk, Going Under, Kissing the Bee, and Headlong; the story collection Extremities; and many uncollected stories.
Her novels and stories often concern characters who have been marginalized by society, and the transcendence and/or disintegration that follows their social isolation.
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