After 14 years of Sault Ste. Marie hosting the Michigan Paranormal Convention (MIPARACON), the two are parting ways.
In a social media post on Tuesday on the I Love Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Facebook page, owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitor's Bureau (CVB), the statement said:
"This year’s Michigan Paranormal Convention will be special. This one is for everyone who has made MIPARACON the largest and best paranormal convention in the Midwest. After 15 amazing years, MIPARACON is bidding the mortal realm adieu. The 14th annual MIPARACON taking place August 22nd – 24th will be our grand finale. For those who’ve travelled across the world. For those who turned our convention into a yearly pilgrimage. For those who are attending their first MIPARACON. For those who have been to every MIPARACON. For those who believe and celebrate all things paranormal. THANK YOU. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you."
Linda Hoath, Executive Director of the Sault Ste. Marie CVB appreciates all the support from the community, the fans and Kewadin in making the event so popular.
“The Michigan Paranormal Convention has been one of the favorite events we’ve had the privilege of helping organize over the years,” said Sault Ste. Marie CVB Executive Director Linda Hoath. “The partnerships the Sault CVB has formed over the years with the UPPRS, Kewadin Casino, and all those that have attended MIPARACON have been invaluable. We want to thank all the presenters and attendees who’ve travelled to Sault Ste. Marie over the years," Hoath said.
Tim Eillis, co-organizer of MIPARACON, was sad to have it end after the 2024 convention.
"To officially make the announcement was heartbreaking. Watching something we built from the ground up come to an end is never easy. It was a group of friends with an idea, and we had no idea if it would work. 15 years later, we established one of the largest Paranormal Events in the U.S. I am beyond proud of what we accomplished. My heartfelt gratitude goes to everyone who bought a ticket to the event and supported us all these years. To every speaker we brought in, that made this event so special. To all the amazing people we met and have become friends with. Friendships that will go beyond Michigan Paracon. And of course, to my brothers of The Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society. We stood shoulder to shoulder through the years, giving blood, sweat, and tears to make this event what it had become. We leave a legacy behind, and now we see what is ahead of us," Ellis said.
Hoath and Ellis recently sat down and discussed the financial benefits of continuing the MIPARACON and made the very tough decision to make this year the last one. However, Hoath and Ellis are not ruling out something returning in the future.
They both encourage people to come, once last time, to the MIPARACON in August to see the biggest names in the business.
The 2024 MIPARACON will bring the biggest names in the paranormal industry to Sault Ste. Marie, MI for one last time. Experts and television stars will be on hand to cover such topics as paranormal investigating, psychic powers, demonology, and UFOlogy. Come see the biggest names speak on today’s hottest topic, the paranormal.
Tickets for this year's event can be purchased online or at the door on the day of the event.
The event runs Aug. 22 - Aug. 24.
For more information on location, special guests and tickets, please click here.
