# World Horror Convention

The World Horror Convention was an annual professional gathering of the World Horror Society and other interested parties that ran annually for 26 years, from 1991 through 2016, before being discontinued.

## Site selection

The annual World Horror Conventions were held mostly in the United States or Canada, frequently alternating between the east and west sides of North America. In 2010, the convention was held outside North America for the first and only time, in Brighton, England.
The bids from potential committees were presented to the members of the board of directors of the World Horror Society, who then decided where future conventions would be held. Bids were usually made two years before the specific year (e.g., bids for 2001 were considered in 1999). The Horror Writers Association's Bram Stoker Award ceremony was held in conjunction with the convention for many years, but the HWA now stages the ceremony at its own event, the Bram Stoker Awards Weekend. The World Horror Convention Grand Master Award was given most years, until the World Horror Convention was discontinued in favor of the annual Bram Stoker Awards Weekend.

## Conventions

| Dates | Location | Info |
| 1991 | Nashville, Tennessee | Writer: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. Artist: Jill Bauman. MC: David J. Schow, John Skipp, Craig Spector, Richard Christian Matheson. Grand Master: Robert Bloch. |
| 1992 | Nashville, Tennessee | Writer: Richard Matheson. Artist: Harry O. Morris. Special media guest: Richard Christian Matheson. MC: Brian Lumley. Grand Master: Stephen King. |
| 1993 | Stamford, Connecticut | Writers: Peter Straub, Les Daniels. Artist: Stephen Gervais. Special media guests: Paul Clemens. MC: Stanley Wiater. Grand Master: Richard Matheson. |
| 1994 | Phoenix, Arizona | Writers: Charles L. Grant, Dan Simmons. Artist: Gahan Wilson. MC: Edward Bryant. Grand Master: Anne Rice. |
| 1995 | Atlanta | Writers: John Farris, Neil Gaiman, R. L. Stine. Artist: Alan M. Clark. Media: Alice Cooper. MC: Brian Lumley. Grand Master: Clive Barker. |
| 1996 | Eugene, Oregon | Writers: Clive Barker, Charles de Lint, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Don Maitz, Janny Wurts. Special: Tim Powers, Edward Bryant. Grand Master: Dean Koontz. |
| 1997 | Niagara Falls, New York | Writers: Ramsey Campbell, Poppy Z. Brite, Joe R. Lansdale. Artist: Rick Berry. Media: Gunnar Hansen. Editor: Darrell Schweitzer. MC: Edo van Belkom. Grand Master: Peter Straub. |
| 1998 | Phoenix, Arizona | Writer: Brian Lumley. Artist: Bernie Wrightson. Media: Tom Savini. Publisher: Tom Doherty. MC: John Steakley. Grand Master: Brian Lumley. |
| 1999 | Atlanta | Writers: Michael Bishop, John Shirley. Artist: Lisa Snellings. MC: Neil Gaiman. Grand Master: Ramsey Campbell. |
| 2000 | Denver | Writers: Peter Straub, Melanie Tem, Steve Rasnic Tem, J. Michael Straczynski, Graham Joyce. Artist: Rick Lieder. Editor: Ellen Datlow. MC: Dan Simmons. Grand Master: Harlan Ellison. |
| 2001 | Seattle | In conjunction with the Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Awards Weekend. Guest of Honor in Memoriam: Richard Laymon. Writers: Simon Clark, Michael Slade, Jessica Amanda Salmonson. Artist: Charles Vess. Publishers: Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden. Grand Master: Ray Bradbury. |
| 2002 | Chicago | Writers: Gene Wolfe, Neil Gaiman. Editor: Melissa Ann Singer. Artist: Randy Broecker. Poetry: Jo Fletcher. Photography: Beth Gwinn. Music: Liz Mandville Greeson. Comics and Young Adult: Jill Thompson. Media: Rich Koz, Patricia Tallman, Robert Z'Dar. Special: Karen E. Taylor, Yvonne Navarro, Brian A. Hopkins. Grand Master: Charles L. Grant. |
| 2003 | Kansas City, Missouri | Writer: Brian A. Hopkins. Publisher: Don D'Auria. Artist: Nick Smith. Special: Forrest J. Ackerman. MC: Laurell K. Hamilton. Grand Master: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. |
| 2004 | Phoenix, Arizona | Writer: Douglas Clegg. Artist: Jeremy Caniglia. Editor: Stephen Jones. Media: Dee Snider. Special: Adam Niswander. Grand Master: Jack Williamson. |
| 2005 | New York City | Writers: Harlan Ellison, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Tom Piccirilli, Jack Ketchum, Mort Castle, Amber Benson. Filmmaker: Mick Garris. Artist: Allen Koszowski. Editors: Tom, Elizabeth Monteleone. MCs: Stan Wiater, Linda Addison |
| 2006 | San Francisco | Writers: Kim Newman, Koji Suzuki. Toastmaster: Peter Straub. Artist: Brom. Media: Bill Moseley. Editor: John Pelan. |
| 2007 | Toronto | Writers: Michael Marshall Smith, Nancy Kilpatrick. Artist: John Picacio. Editors: Peter Crowther, Don Hutchison. Media: Peter Atkins. |
| 2008 | Salt Lake City | Writer: Dennis Etchison. Artist: John Jude Palencar. Toastmaster: Simon Clark. Academic: Michael R. Collings. Special: Jeff Strand, Dave Dinsmore. |
| 2009 | Winnipeg | Writers: Conrad Williams, Edo van Belkom, F. Paul Wilson, Joshua Gee. Artist: Tommy Castillo. Grand Master: Tanith Lee. |
| 2010 | Brighton | Writers: Tanith Lee, David Case. Editor: Hugh Lamb. Artists: Les Edwards, Dave Carson. Special: James Herbert. MC: Jo Fletcher. Media: Ingrid Pitt. WHS Lifetime Achievement Award: William F. Nolan, Basil Copper. Grand Master: James Herbert. |
| 2011 | Austin, Texas | Writers: Sarah Langan, Joe Hill. Media: Steve Niles. Editors: Brett Alexander Savory, Sandra Kasturi. Artist: Vincent Chong. Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale. Special: Brian Keene, Del Howison. Grand Master: Jack Ketchum. |
| 2012 | Salt Lake City | Writer: Sherrilyn Kenyon. Artist: Mike Mignola. Special: Rocky Wood. HWA guests of honor: Joe R. Lansdale, Karen Lansdale, Robert McCammon. Toastmistress: P. N. Elrod. HWA special guests: Dacre Stoker, Jeff Strand. Grand Master: T. E. D. Klein. |
| 2013 | New Orleans | In conjunction with the HWA Bram Stoker Awards Weekend. Writers: Ramsey Campbell, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Jonathan Maberry. Artist: Glenn Chadbourne. Editor: John Joseph Adams. Poet: Bruce Boston. Toastmaster: Jeff Strand. |
| 2014 | Portland, Oregon | Writers: Nancy Holder, Jack Ketchum, Norman Partridge. Artist: Gret Staples. Editor: Paula Guran. Grand Master: Brian Keene. HWA Lifetime Achievement Awards: Stephen Jones, R. L. Stine. Ghost of Honor: Edward Gorey. Special: Victoria Price, John Shirley. Toastmaster: Alan M. Clark. |
| 2015 | Atlanta | Writers: Lisa Tuttle, Christopher Golden, Tom Piccirilli, John Farris, Kami Garcia, Charlaine Harris. Artist: Bob Eggleton. Editor: Chris Ryall. Grand Master: William F. Nolan. Toastmaster: Jonathan Maberry. |
| April 28 - May 1, 2016 | Provo Marriott Hotel and Convention Center Provo, Utah | Writers: Sarah Pinborough, Joe McKinney, Kevin J. Anderson, Darren Shan. Artist: Keith Thompson. Academic: Michael R. Collings. Special: Linda Addison, Jason V. Brock, Sunni Brock, Michaelbrent Collings, Michael Arnzen, Victoria Price, Dan Wells, Carter Reid. Ghost of Honor: Shirley Jackson. |