Well, it’s been over two years since I last participated in a convention or large-scale event of any kind. Attending conventions was, of course, only one of the many activities that had to be put on pause at the height of the pandemic. But now I am excited to cautiously venture out again into the world of conventions, starting with a brand new event this year: The Unconvention.
The Unconvention styles itself as a “convention for the unconventional”—an alternative culture event that celebrates individuality and welcomes all “creatures of the dark.” With a vibrantly colored surrealist aesthetic, the Unconvention isn’t just your average goth event; it’s something a little more … unconventional. I think I’ll have to see it in person before I can fully describe the scope and vibe of this event. The Unconvention will take place at the APA Hotel Woodbridge in Iselin, New Jersey, from November 12-13. You can find tickets and more information on the UnConvention website.
I’m particularly excited to be presenting some great panels at this convention. I’ll be doing one presentation inspired by the content of this blog called “Identifying the Gothic in Literature and Film,” in which I’ll run through some of the most common tropes and defining characteristics of Gothic fiction. I’ll also be participating in a Goths in Publishing panel with Leanna Renee Hieber and Thom Truelove. We’ll be discussing our recent work together on the Time Immemorial series recently published by Scribd, and I’ll be talking in particular about my role as editor. Aside from my own panels, I’m quite looking forward to the rest of the programming, especially the panels on “Why We Need Ghost Stories” and “Paranormal Investigation.”
Of course, you can’t have an alt-culture event without celebrating the music. I’m excited to see some of my favorite local acts like Tryst and The God Bombs, as well as long-time con performers like Ego Likeness. The Unconvention will also be featuring several tribute bands that play the music of classic goth artists like Disorder (a Joy Division tribute) and Pretty Hate Machine (a Nine Inch Nails tribute). But as much as I love the live music, one of my favorite parts of conventions are the late-night DJed dance parties. The music at UnCon’s parties will be spun by some of my favorite DJs from the NYC goth scene, as well as DJs from QXTs—which holds a special place in my heart as the first goth club I ever attended back in my Baby Bat days.
The convention experience will surely be different this year, as we’ll need to still be taking many pandemic-related cautions, but I’m looking forward to seeing friends, attending informative panels, and dancing the night away with my favorite bands and DJs. Will I see you at The UnConvention this weekend? Let me know in the comments!