The infamous “haunted” doll Annabelle will return to Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort as part of the third-annual Seekers of the Supernatural Phantasma-Con on Oct. 28. The doll and the stories surrounding it served as the real-world inspiration for the character of the same name in the horror movie The Conjuring and its sequels.
Fans of the macabre will get another glimpse of the creepy Raggedy-Ann doll during the paranormal conference’s second year at Mohegan’s Earth Expo & Convention Center.
A prop version of Annabelle’s more alarming big-screen manifestation will also be on view alongside other paranormal artifacts as part of the Warren Occult Museum display.
Phantasma-Con Returns to Mohegan for Second Year
Many consider Connecticut’s Ed and Lorraine Warren some of the 20th century’s most prolific paranormal investigators.
For the better part of 50 years, the Warrens studied suspected paranormal activity around the US and across the globe.
These days, the couple’s daughter, Jane Spera, and her husband, Tony, co-direct the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), which the Warrens founded.
Tony is also curator of the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, which houses Annabelle and the other otherworldly artifacts the duo collected during their paranormal investigations.
With this con, officially billed as The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Phantasma-Con, the namesake event will gather experts from the paranormal and horror communities.
From the convention’s Ticketbud event page:
Vendors from far and wide will satisfy your curiosity in demonology, ghosts, UFOs, monsters, urban legends, cryptozoology and so much more! Psychic readers of all types will be on hand to assist in guiding you in your spiritual journey. Whether the experienced paranormal investigator or novice ghost hunter at the local cemetary, there is something for everyone! From best-selling authors to healers, from crystals to Ouija boards, it will all be here!
In addition to the mystical marketplace at Mohegan Sun, Phantasma-Con will feature special guests and celebrity speakers from the supernatural, paranormal, and horror realms.
This year, Jason Hawes of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) and Ghost Hunter fame will be on hand for the timely gathering of occult aficionados.
Other curious types making an appearance at Mohegan Sun include:
- Nick Pope of Ancient Aliens
- Ronny LeBlanc of Expedition Bigfoot
- Aaron Sagers of Paranormal Caught on Camera
- Elton Castee and Corey Scherer of YouTube’s Overnight
- Joe Chin of Ghost Hunters and GH International
- Courtney Gaines (Malachi, Children of the Corn)
VIPs Rub Shoulders with Speakers, Celebrity Guests
While Phantasma-Con is a one-day event, folks who want to get closer to the spooky action will likely be interested in the VIP experience.
With a VIP ticket, guests gain entry into David Merlin’s paranormalist show and a VIP party the night before. Party attendees will rub elbows with the con’s celebrity guests and speakers during the pre-con celebration.
VIPs will also get the only chance to take pictures of the Museum’s haunted artifacts, according to the VIP event page.
Join us Friday evening October 27, 2023, at the Mohegan Sun Earth Expo Center as we kick off The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Phantasma-Con with a special VIP Party! Come hang out in The Warren’s Occult Museum special artifact room featuring Annabelle! This is the only opportunity to take photos of the haunted artifacts this weekend. Hang out with our celebrity and special guests and The New England Society for Psychic Research team.
For $250 (plus $24.49 in fees), VIP ticket holders get admittance to paranormalist David Merlin’s 7 p.m. show on Oct. 27.
They also get:
- Admittance to VIP Party after Merlin’s show
- Two (2) ticket vouchers for soft drinks (cash bar is also available)
- NO WAIT Admittance to The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Phantasma-Con on Oct. 28, 2023, including the vendor/exhibit expo center and the lecture room with celebrity guest speakers.
- Admittance to The Warren’s Occult Museum Artifact Room featuring Annabelle!
Guests bypassing the VIP will need general admission ($39.28 with fees) and “museum experience” tickets ($71.01) to attend the con and view the artifacts, including Annabelle.
Annabelle, Shadow Doll on Display for Spooky Fans
In addition to Annabelle and her movie-prop counterpart, another allegedly cursed artifact on display is The Shadow Doll. According to lore, the doll can invade people’s dreams and has stopped hearts with its terrifying appearance.
The Haunted Dinosaur Toy from the “Devil Made Me Do It” murder will also be on hand. That case, which the Warrens consulted on, was the first instance of demonic possession used as a legal defense in the US.
Parts of that real-life event provided the basis for the fictionalized account depicted in the series’ third entry, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
In fact, the Warren’s exploits provided much of the basis for The Conjuring’s growing cinematic universe. Lorraine Warren even consulted on the first two movies before her 2019 death (Ed passed away in 2006). That said, the filmmakers fictionalized many aspects of the stories, too.
The team behind the series announced a fourth installment, The Conjuring: Last Rites, earlier this year during CinemaCon.
While the storyline will continue with the Warrens’ exploits, whether the plot will immortalize an “IRL” paranormal case or create an entirely fictional one is unknown.
A TV series based on The Conjuring’s universe is also coming to HBO Max, but, as yet, there’s no release date for either production.
In the meantime, paranormal fans can get their supernatural fix and a peak at Annabelle at Mohegan Sun.
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