So Cal Para-Con in Pictures

This past weekend paranormal enthusiasts gathered at the Biltmore Millennium Hotel in Downtown LA for the So Cal Para-Con. The hotel is reputedly home to a few of its own  ghosts and served as a filming location for the popular Ghostbusters film.

The two day event featured presentations on a variety of paranormal subjects including a psychometry demonstration from psychic Mark Nelson, a preview of the upcoming new season of Biography’s Channel’s hit series, My Ghost Story, a magic show at the Magic Castle from Aron Houdini, and a lecture from famed parapsychologist, Loyd Auerbach examining the influences of paranormal TV shows.

Para-Con finished the event in grand style with a sideshow cocktail hour and Carnivale Of The Dead Costume Ball.

As it so often happens, the chance to capture an actual ghost on film was just missed. While chatting with Steve Troop, the designer and artist of Para-Con’s tee shirts, as he was kindly passing out glasses of water to some of the vendors, he went back to retrieve one for himself. Just as he reached the table he rushed back and whispered, “Look, I think I see a ghost!” Of course, by the time I looked up it was gone. He described a woman in long skirts with her hair pulled back in a bun, leaning over the table as if she too was about to pour water from the pitcher. Perhaps the Black Dahlia has company.