MAHNOMEN, Minn.-Todd Boyer of Fargo is a Christian, but because he wants to see other points of view and learn new ideas, he said he keeps an open mind about everything and anything, including the paranormal.
- MAHNOMEN, Minn. – On October 11-13, 2018, paranormal celebrities and supernatural experts will gather to present their investigations and experiences of phenomena at the 8th annual Paranormal.
- Access your latest personal offers, keep up to date on your Star Rewards account, securely request your win/loss statement and view current casino promotions, upcoming entertainment, events, dining specials and a whole lot more!
Oct 13, 2017 Psychic Medium Tiffany Johnson will have a booth at the 7th Annual PARACON PARANORMAL Convention at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, MN Friday & Saturday October 13th and 14th. Tiffany will be providing Private Readings, Mediumship, Tarot.
'I like to know what other people think,' he said Saturday. 'It's just listening to other people's thinking and seeing how they interpret things. It's interesting.'
He and his wife, Amanda, were two of about 1,200 people exploring ParaCon, a paranormal convention held this weekend at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen. The event attracted dozens of booths and paranormal experts, including ghost hunters, bigfoot researchers, UFO authors and psychics.
A star-studded list of guests from popular TV shows awaited eager fans as they signed autographs and took pictures with paranormal enthusiasts.
That included Grant Wilson of SyFy's 'Ghost Hunters.' He's been to multiple conventions over the years but said ParaCon is his favorite because it gives him a chance to interact with those interested in ghosts. It also allows him to help others who may have experienced paranormal activity.
'It's just a camaraderie,' he said, adding this is his third year at ParaCon. 'Every year I come back, it feels like a family reunion.'
There was a time when talking about the paranormal world was taboo, Wilson said. There is a science behind investigating paranormal activity to determine the validity of reports, but some see the paranormal as an unproven science, causing some to be skeptic or even harshly critical of those who believe in it.
'It's in its very early infancy,' he said.
A convention like ParaCon offers a setting for paranormal fans to come together and 'be yourself' without being judged, he said.
'You can tell somebody, 'My dead grandfather came to me and told me this,' and nobody looks at you like you are crazy,' he said. 'When you are surrounded by hundreds of people like this, it is a very comfortable place to be.'
Part of the attraction of the paranormal is the unknown, said Amanda Boyer.
'There is still so much in question,' she said, agreeing with her husband that people still can believe in ghosts and be religious. 'I think we came here to learn so much about the ghosts, but what we are finding are people are talking more about spirituality instead of just ghosts.'
There also is the attraction of seeing special guests, including Michael Cudlitz from AMC's 'The Walking Dead.' The actor who plays Sgt. Abraham Ford on the zombie survival series said the convention offers a place for fans to share their experiences with others while getting a chance to interact with actors. He told the Herald this week he loves interacting with fans at conventions like ParaCon.
He said he doesn't know exactly what has made 'The Walking Dead' such a popular show, though he guessed it's because the characters in the show have so many layers and are relatable. As people watch the show, they grow attached to the characters as if they were close friends.
'You get to really know and care about all of these people,' he said of the characters in the show. 'There is not anyone in the show right now, as an audience member, you would be OK with losing.'
Amanda Boyer also admitted the shows the guests represented at the convention were entertaining, but she said she loved the fact that so many of the stars there were friendly and welcoming, sometimes taking selfies with fans and exchanging small talk.
'That's what makes it more exciting and fun; they are not these big movie stars,' she said. 'It's just people like you and I.
'You can relate to them better,' she added. 'It feels like you are hanging out with a buddy.'
Paranormal Convention Shooting Star Casino Las Vegas
MAHNOMEN, Minn. - Why fans love 'The Walking Dead' is the million-dollar question, Michael Cudlitz said.
But the star who plays Sgt. Abraham Ford on AMC's adaptation of the comic book series about surviving a zombie apocalypse said he loves seeing how excited fans get when they interact with him at conventions.
'It's a shared experience,' he said of why fans love paranormal conventions. 'Everybody is there in the same space, and they are able to share this thing that they love with no judgment.'
Cudlitz is one of several stars fans will get a chance to see at ParaCon 2016, the sixth annual paranormal convention hosted this weekend at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen. About 1,000 attendees are expected today through Saturday at the convention, which will play up an array of paranormal topics from ghost hunting to discussion on UFOs.
Cudlitz will be a special guest Friday at the convention. Zak Bagans, host of The Travel Channel's 'Ghost Adventures,' also will appear Saturday with co-stars Aaron Goodwin and Billy Tolley.
Other paranormal experts include cast members of SyFy's 'Ghost Hunters,' 'Ghost Hunters International,' Destination Truth' and 'Haunted Collector,' as well as stars from The Travel Channel's 'The Dead Files' and 'Expedition Unknown.'
Supernatural Investigators of Minnesota, a team that investigates a range of topics from bigfoot to cryptozoology, will be at the convention Saturday.
ParaCon experts also will discuss the Palmer House Hotel, a restaurant and pub that was voted by USA Today readers as one of the top 10 Best Haunted Hotels. Located in Sauk Centre, Minn., a city of roughly 4,300 residents about 100 miles northwest of Minneapolis, the house reportedly is known for ghostly activity, including temperature changes, disembodied voices, moving objects and reports of a young boy bouncing a ball down the hall.
The hotel has been featured on 'Ghost Adventures' and 'Ghost Hunters.'
Tickets
Tickets for ParaCon went on sale Aug. 8. The convention often sells out, but about 200 passes were available as of Tuesday, said Brenna Jefferies, a spokeswoman for ParaCon.
Part of the appeal of paranormal conventions is that people gather to share experiences, theories and ideas, Jefferies said.
'It gives people the opportunity to come together and learn as much as they can about the paranormal world and what else could be out there,' she said.
ParaCon tries to attract big names such as Cudlitz and Bagans. In the past, it has hosted Carmen Reed, the woman whose story served as the main focus of the horror movie 'The Haunting in Connecticut,' Bill Murphy from SyFy's 'Fact or Faked,' Laurie Holden from 'The Walking Dead' and Kane Hodder, who played Jason in the 'Friday the 13th' franchise.
With the Season 7 premiere of 'The Walking Dead' approaching quickly, Cudlitz and other cast members have been busy traveling to events and conventions, including New York Comic Con this week.
When Cudlitz first began appearing on 'The Walking Dead,' he was not a fan of going to conventions, he said. But after he went to his first convention, he was hooked.
'I had an amazing time with the fans. I saw it was not about just getting the autograph photo,' he said. 'I saw it was about the interaction between the fans and me and what they got out of it.'
The premiere is set for Oct. 23, and while he couldn't reveal much about Season 7 or the future of his character, he did have advice for his fans.
'All I can say is expect what you have grown to expect,' he said.
Tickets for ParaCon are $65 and include access to panels, vendors and presentations. VIP tickets, which include a dinner at 7 p.m. today with all ParaCon presenters, cost $100.
To purchase tickets, go to www.starcasino.com call (800) 313-7469 or visit the Shooting Star Casino's Facebook page.
If you go
• What: ParaCon 2016, the sixth annual paranormal convention.
• When: VIP dinner, 7 p.m. today. Vendors open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Where: Shooting Star Casino, 777 Casino Road, Mahnomen, Minn.
• Special guests: Michael Cudlitz of 'The Walking Dead,' and Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin and Bill Tolley from 'Ghost Adventures.
• More info: Go to www.starcasino.com or visit the Shooting Star Casino's Facebook page.
• For tickets: Call (800) 313-7469, go to www.starcasino.com or visit the Shooting Star Casino's Facebook page.