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• Flashback Horror Weekend

Of all the things I enjoy doing during the summer — Frisbee golf, baseball, patiently await the release of the new Guns N’ Roses album Chinese Democracy — Chicago’s Flashback Horror Weekend is one of my favorite past times. As an annual attendee and horror film addict, I can fully vouch for the event’s street cred. By day, Flashback is a standard horror convention — Q&A panels with film casts, celebrity signings, themed events, burlesque shows and even a costume contest. By night, the event kicks into high gear as classic and contemporary horror films are played grindhouse-style on a giant screen in the parking lot of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Rosemont. The event is nothing short of an experience for anyone who loves horror films. I’ve gotten to meet such cool cult figures as Bruce Campbell, Lloyd Kaufman (whom I later interviewed for buzz), Sid Haig and even local celebrity Svengoolie! I even got to sit in on a live MST3K-ing of a B-movie at Flashback in ’05!

This year, Flashback Horror Weekend is celebrating it’s seventh year on June 27-29. The event will feature Don Coscarelli, the man behind Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep, and George A. Romero — if I have to tell you who he is, you are stupid — in addition to the featuring and supporting casts to such classic and contemporary horror flicks as Phantasm, Night Of The Living Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the remake of Halloween. Flashback’s also got Elvira slated to come along and join the ever-popular Svengoolie.

In terms of cost, the event isn’t anything restrictive — $45 for a 3-day pass — but you’ll wanna make sure to shell out the extra ten bucks to attend the live film screenings on Friday and Saturday night. If you really feel like shelling out cash, there is a premium pass (upwards of $100) that comes with special access to restricted areas to meet many of the attending celebrities. The premium pass usually comes with some kick-ass novelty item. A couple of years ago, they set up a torture chamber and had the main chick from Hostel pose for a professional picture of her torturing you.