The leaves are starting to change color, pumpkins are appearing on porches, and a scare is in the air in southeast Iowa as what’s billed as the state’s premiere horror convention will be held this weekend. The 16th annual Halloweenapalooza is scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Ottumwa, and organizer Jason Bolinger (BOWL-in-jer) says they’re bringing in a list of celebrity guests.
Some of those shorts run just five minutes, while most are between ten and 20 minutes. Bolinger says there will be an extensive vendor area where you’ll be able to buy all sorts of scary costumes, props and paraphernalia.
This year’s list of horror movie actors includes Jeremy Palko, Miguel Núñez (NOON-yez) Junior, and likely the best known celebrity, Ken Foree (for-AY).
The two-day event has become an extended family reunion every October, he says, as horror fans from across the region gather to indulge in the genre. So, why do some people seek out scares?
Halloweenapalooza will be held at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, where other events will include a Zombie Walk, an old-time radio horror drama, and an interactive screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
