SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
some events & speakers are subject to change
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
7:00 PM: Downtown Alton Haunted Pub Crawl: Hosted by Troy Taylor
Departs from the American Oddities Museum | 301 Piasa Street in Alton
7:30 PM: Southern Gothic Campfire Stories with Brandon Schexnayder
at the American Oddities Museum | 301 Piasa Street in Alton
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE * 5800 Godfrey ROAD * Godfrey, Illinois
2:00 PM: Early Check-in
2:00 PM: Doors open at the Vendor Room
4:00 PM: Welcome to the 2026 Haunted America Conference with Troy Taylor
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM: Strange Stuff with Luke Naliborski and Len Adams
DINNER BREAK
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: THREE APPALACHIAN WITCHES
Presenting: Strange Happenings in Appalachia
Deep in the heart of Appalachia, mystery is never far away. Rich with folklore, legends, and unexplained phenomena, these mountains have shaped many lives in extraordinary ways. From growing up with psychic gifts and intuitive abilities to encounters with Bigfoot, UFOs, and other unexplained events, you are invited into a world where the unknown feels surprisingly close. Through captivating stories, laughter, hard-earned lessons, and moments of wonder, the Three Appalachian Witches will share the experiences that have challenged, inspired, and ultimately shaped them into the three witchy women they are today.
9:00 PM: Vendors Room Closed for the Night
AFTER HOURS EVENTS (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED)
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Workshop with April Slaughter (American Oddities Museum)
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Estes Method Experiment (Franklin Lodge)
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Workshop with Sherri Brake (Great Rivers Hotel)
10:00 PM - 1:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the McPike Mansion (2018 N. Alby Street)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at Franklin Lodge (1513 Washington Avenue)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the Cheney Mansion (nearby Jerseyville)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the Oddfellows Lodge (nearby Jerseyville)
saturday, june 27
LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE * 5800 Godfrey ROAD * Godfrey, Illinois
8:00 AM: Doors open for Vendor’s Room
8:45 AM: Second-Day Welcome Session with Troy Taylor
9:00 AM -10:00 AM: ERIN TAYLOR
Presenting: Strange Colorado
Urban Legends and Ghost Stories Haunting the Centennial State.
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: VICTORIA JAYE
Presenting: Diving Deeper into Demonic Fantasy
Last year, Victoria presented the dangers of demonic fantasy, a term she coined to explain the false ideas surrounding demons that are largely from movies, church dogma, and paranormal TV/celebrities. This year, she's diving deeper into the specific beliefs the public has about demons because she traced several of them to films that have embedded themselves into a collective lack of understanding about demons. Her book on this subject is now finished, so she can explain this phenomenon more fully and how it affects demonology at large. Hell, Horror, & Despair: An Introduction to Demonic Fantasy in Film will be available for purchase at the conference.
BREAK
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: RONALD C. MEYER & ALAN MEGARGLE
12:15 PM - 1:30 PM: LUNCH BREAK
1:30 PM: ANNUAL RAFFLE DRAWING (Must be Present to Win)
Raffle will be held in the Main Auditorium
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: TROY TAYLOR
Presenting: Murder, Mayhem & Mystery on the Mother Road
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Route 66, author Troy Taylor presents a virtual road trip of America’s most famous highways, telling stories of true crime, murder, and lingering ghosts along the way.
3:00 PM- 4:00 PM: DR. LEO RUICKBIE
BREAK
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: NICOLE AND DAMIAN
5:15 PM - 6:15 PM: ALEX MATSUO
Presenting Ghost Light: Theatre's Haunted History
Theatre has long existed at the crossroads of ritual, storytelling, superstition, and the supernatural. From ancient religious performances to modern haunted theatres, performers have shared stories of ghosts, unexplained encounters, strange traditions, and lingering presences for centuries. Why do so many theatres seem haunted? Is it the buildings themselves, the emotional energy of performance, generations of actors repeating the same stories, or something else entirely? Join paranormal researcher, author, and actor Alex Matsuo as she explores the history of theatrical superstitions, famous theatre hauntings, ghost lights, the infamous Macbeth curse, and the unique relationship between performance and paranormal belief.
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AFTER HOURS EVENTS (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED)
6:30 PM - 9:45 PM: Alton Hauntings Bus Tour (Departs from American Oddities Museum)
7:00 PM: Alton Hauntings Walking Tour (Departs from the American Oddities Museum)
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Gallery Event with the Three Appalachian Witch (Franklin Lodge)
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Workshop with Sherri Brake (Great Rivers Hotel)
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Workshop with Ron Meyer and Alan Megargle (Franklin Lodge)
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Workshop with Matthew Jackson (Franklin Lodge)
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Black Mirror Scrying (American Oddities Museum,)
10:00 PM - 1:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the McPike Mansion (2018 N. Alby Street)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at Franklin Lodge (1513 Washington Avenue)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the Cheney Mansion (Nearby Jerseyville)
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM: Ghost Hunt at the Oddfellows Lodge (nearby Jerseyville)
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SUNDAY, JUNE 28
9:00 AM: Breakfast Event with Troy Taylor (American Oddities Museum)
(Includes light breakfast and presentation)