Paranormal Convention Explores Unknown World This Saturday

BRIDGEVIEW, IL — Just in time for Halloween, psychics, palm readers, mediums, oddity vendors and ghost hunters will gather at the Bridgeview Park District Saturday, Sept. 21, for the first-ever Unknown World of Paranormal Convention. The all-day event from 1 to 8 p.m. includes readings, workshops, a rare seance, paranormal investigations and a special guest appearance by Me-TV’s Svengoolie.

The convention is for anyone who is interested in the paranormal, plans to be part of a Halloween event or just wants to have fun exploring the unknown paranormal world. At the convention’s end, attendees are invited to gather behind the Bridgeview Park District building for a field investigation and rare public Circle of Energy Seance led by southwest suburban psychic and medium psychic and medium Ed Shanahan, which he usually only conducts at haunted locations.

“The thing is that I do not sit at the table and say this and that spirit is here and here is a message for so-and-so. What I do is attempt to bring the spirits within my Circle of Energy for the individuals participating may have experiences and at times with some people, they bring out their abilities as a Medium would,” Shanahan writes.

Workshops are also planned throughout the park district building, featuring special FX makeup with Dead Rising Haunted House, palm reading instructions led by Bob Trzeciak, a spirit communications workshop hosted by Shanahan, and a how-to on using EVP, ovilus spirit box and paranormal equipment with Neal Gibbons.

The great Svengoolie will meet and greet fans, and pose for pictures from 3 to 5 p.m. (You may want to come early to get in line.) There is also a hearse show, Resurrection Mary lookalike contest and food trucks.

The convention is the brainchild of Bridgeview Park District event coordinator Kylie O’Connell, who claims park district grounds are haunted by a murdered neighborhood n’er do well named Hobo Jack.

“We live in a triangle of highly concentrated paranormal activity, with Resurrection Cemetery, Irish legends and haunted Archer Avenue,” O’Connell sauys. “I wanted to put together an event for the community and paranormal world.”

Advance tickets are $12 and can be purchased online or in person; $15 at the door, and $10 for paranormal investigators with certified ID (there’s an ID???). The Bridgeview Park District is located at 8100 S. Beloit St., Bridgeview. For more information, contact O’Connell by phone at 708-594-1818, or by email, kylieo241@gmail.com

Speakers for the day include:

• Dale Kaczmarek - Paranormal Investigator and author.
• Edward Shanahan - Chicago Psychic Medium, author and paranormal explorer for nearly 20 years.
• Ursula Bielski - Author of the Chicago region's ghostlore and historian enthusiast.
• Charles Williams - Filmmaker and paranormal investigator.
• Allison Jornlin - Paranormal and strange phenomena investigator for more than 20 years.
• Neal Gibbons - Chicago area paranormal investigator.
• Bob Trzeciak - Chicago area history buff

Purchase tickets for the Unknown World of the Paranormal Convention in advance.