Paracon & Oddities Expo 2024 - Pennhurst Asylum; Spring City, PA

I don’t know about you, but when I think of a typical fan-based convention (or “con”), I think of a large group of like-minded individuals who enjoy the same general topic that brought them all together. Or to put it another way; the way any Comic-Con was presented in The Big Bang Theory tv series. I think this is something important to remember for later in my review. Happy, like-minded individuals who are drawn together by the gravitational nerd pull we naturally have when brought together by signed memorabilia and cosplay. And I’ll admit I have my fandoms, so no hate here!

But anyway, the second thing you should know is I have wanted to visit Pennhurst Asylum for YEARS! I should preface this with I have always enjoyed touring “haunted” historical destinations. I was born too close to Halloween not to be a bit spooky myself ! The overall aspect of human sociology and psychology of what went on in Pennhurst is haunting in and of itself. I wanted to visit the grounds and feel that energy for myself (empaths beware: it is HEAVY there, rightfully so of course).

Now, can you imagine how excited I was upon finding out that I was able to tag along with family as a VIP to a paranormal convention at Pennhurst Asylum the morning of? Dang excited! I was all buckled in the car and ready to go. Boy I didn’t anticipate the amount of time I’d spend in the car this day but we’ll come back to that later.

Upon arriving to the grounds, I couldn’t help but eagerly look around at the old buildings scattered about the property. Most were falling apart which was a shame in my opinion to see the history crumble before my very eyes. Graffiti covered the inside and outside walls of the few buildings still standing intact. Horrible deeds were committed in this place, but the memory of those who endured should still be honored. Please everyone, show those who suffered the respect deserved.

Once we parked and set our sites on the destination of the check in tent, we were off. The check in tent was a good ten minute walk from our parking spot, but we eagerly joined the growing crowd, excited to get our badges and meet some fellow ghost hunters! Hey, I respect the energy and spirits around me, but even I get a kick out of a random squeak of a door or creak of a floorboard! We had our bags checked, wanded for metals, and were on our way! Low and behold, the walk to get to the tents to enjoy our VIP access meet and greets were a good fifteen to twenty minute walk for an able-bodied individual. Use mermaids who may need a slower current? Well, it could have taken much, much longer. The longer the time to get to those tents? The longer the lines. Do we sense a pattern here? Its every fish for herself!

Once settled in the third? Fourth? Line of the day, we began the inching to the front to meet and greet the most recognizable of the options (to me, don’t come for me people, I’m not a pro just a fan), the cast of Ghost Hunters. Let me state a few things beforehand.

1. VIP tickets to even meet all of the “celebs” were $99 (I was lucky to have gotten a spare pass no one was using), so keep that in mind.

2. Signs giving any additional pricing were at the beginning of the line - meaning you did not see them until you waited your turn to get to the front of the line.

3. If you wanted anything extra besides a handshake and hello, it was an extra charge by Ghost Hunters themselves. Meaning the pricing was about as follows: Selfie - $25; Autograph - $35; T-Shirt (with complimentary selfie!) - $45; etc. bundles that were upward to over a hundred dollars. Because they penny pinched everything… a selfie meant a selfie- if you wanted extra people in the photograph in your party, it was an upcharge. Again the prices I have above are NOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE CHARGING but these are roughly the pricing tiers. I have a goldfish memory, but I remember the audacity I felt when I learned that I had to pay even more to show my support as a fan.
   

I think it’s easy to say that by the time I gave my “hello, goodbye” to the individuals I previously admired that I was properly disenchanted. The next part of our day was to include some specialty vendor shops before our “investigation” of the property. This small businesses part of the day was by far my favorite. There were some truly amazing artists and merchants that I could have explored for much longer than I did. The major problem? There was absolutely no place for me to sit and rest.

Ok that’s not entirely fair. There was one rest area in the complex. It was near where you met your tour group for your “investigation”. This area contained about four picnic tables scattered in the grass with no protection from the elements. Which was unfortunate since the weather this particular weekend was miserably wet and dreary for all us ghost hunters attending the event. I had a choice to make: sit and rest and deal with a wet arse for the rest of the day or stand and suffer the ever growing pain in my hip.

I went with the standing option. I didn’t have another pair of pants at my disposal. As the day wore on, my pain grew to unbearable, even with my normal pain coping techniques. And my ability to handle the upcoming “investigation” became more daunting. Finally, ten to fifteen minutes before we were due to start, I chose to accept defeat. With my eyes on the ground and my shoulders hunched in disappointment, I asked for the keys to head back to the car.

Much to my dismay, I had plenty of time to deal with the tangle of emotions I was caught up in during my trek back to the car. There was no way to go to take the shortest route from the “investigation” meeting place and the parking lot. And so I began the walk… and twenty minutes later I made it to the car. I was exhausted, I was thirsty, and I was in a lot of pain. I soon nestled into a comfortable spot with my legs up and the window opened. Just enough for fresh air, but not enough to let in the drizzling rain that was on and off again all day. I dug out my current purse book, drank some water, and dived in.

My family returned a few hours later. I promise, I enjoyed the remainder of my time on the grounds in my makeshift setup. It was reported back to me that their ghost “investigation” of the grounds was really the convention groups split into different buildings. One group was to tour one building. And the tour included the guide explaining what the building was used for while Pennhurst was still occupied. You then had at it to explore the building safely at your leisure.

There were other buildings on the grounds that were open and you could freely walk through on your own. Due to lack of handrails and the excess amount of steps, I was unable to go through any of the extra buildings. Because of this lack of being able to explore the many other buildings, and since the property was just the venue for the Paracon event itself, I don't feel comfortable giving my full review of Pennhurst Asylum. I will however give my ratings for how Pennhurst was utilized as a venue for the Paracon & Oddities Expo 2024 event.

Lady Needs-To-Sit's Starfish Guide

Restroom Rundown

One...errr..three...err...two words...? Port-o-potties. From my memory there was a small cluster at the exit/entrance to the parking lot as well as a small cluster of them that was located at a centralized location between the food vendors, merchants and "celebrity" tents. You didn't have to worry about walking an excess distance if you needed the facilities, but I always avoid the POP's if I can manage it. They give this mermaid's tail the heebie jeebies ick.

Seating Situation

I was not pleased at the amount of rest areas and opportunities available for the Paracon event. There were no benches or chairs anywhere else that I could see on the property, which could be a problem for me if I do return for a historical tour of Pennhurst. This is one of the few observations I would be sure to denote in my possible future review.

Railings, Ramps & Elevators (Oh My!)

Awful. Simply awful. I understand that Pennhurst is an abandoned historical facility, so I expected gravel and uneven pavement, but even this was a bit disappointing. Hear me out before you jump down my throat, but an event like the Paracon & Oddities Expo should be held at a more easily accessible venue for people with disabilities. It was almost impossible to navigate if you were trying to use a wheelchair due to the amount of grass and gravel pathways. There were also unavoidable stairs to get to certain areas and buildings, something I would keep a closer note of if I choose to visit again.

Parking Lot Party

The one half decent element this venue and event had was a parking system. The lot was not on any kind of hill, but it was in grass, dirt and gravel. Parking staff guided drivers into relatively roomy spots in well defined rows, so unloading with stiff joints after the longer car ride was not an issue. Since the event was popular and space in high demand, parking was in a very large area of the property. I did not see any sort of tram or golf cart that was being used for guest transportation, but I would assume that if you had disability parking paperwork (I have no idea how it works for that readers, sorry!) you would be able to get assistance from event staff.

Will I return?

In short, yes and no. I would still like to return to Pennhurst Asylum someday, preferably on a drier day, and tour the property to learn more about the history of the institution. Of course to also give my respects to those souls who endured so much during their time on the grounds. I would come prepared this time with my trusty sidekick Luicinda (my newly adopted walking stick that I adore very much) to help me on my journey around the property. However, I don't think I will be attending next year's Paracon & Oddities Expo no matter the venue. I enjoyed the experience, but I also now know I would enjoy a Harry Potter Expo or a Disney Convention more than another horror-based event.

And now dear readers, I leave you with my first ever chronic pain travel blog post/review. How'd I do? Fingers crossed you enjoyed because there's plenty more where this came from!

Swimmingly yours,

LNTS