The 13th annual Upper Peninsula Paranormal Convention at Kewadin Casino and Resort in Sault Ste. Marie wrapped up Saturday evening with hundreds of fans attending the three-day event.
The biggest names in the paranormal participated in the event, including world renowned Psychic Chip Coffey, Amy Bruni and Adam Berry from Kindred Spirits, the four members of Destination Fear, and the crew from the Ghost Brothers.
Every year, the convention brings in one special person, or crew, to highlight the event.
Jack Osbourne, son of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, was this year's special draw.
"Last year we had the crew from Destination Fear as our special guests. In 2021, Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on The Addams Family, appeared. Getting Jack (Osbourne) this year was awesome," said Tim Ellis, co-founder of the Upper Peninsula Paranormal Convention event.
People who know and love Ozzy Osbourne's music, stemming all the way back to his days in Black Sabbath for the late 60s through the 70s, understand the wild nature of his concerts.
Jack says he is nothing like that.
"There is an assumption that I would be like him, because my dad was the way he was and I grew up in some crazy Prince of Darkness house, but it was not like that at all," Osbourne said.
Ozzy first did not understand what Jack was getting involved in with the paranormal over a decade ago.
"It took him a minute to kinda wrap his head around what I did with the paranormal shows. I am kind of the outlier in my family. My parents, though, are very supportive," Osbourne added.
He loved watching the X-Files growing up and that ignited his interest in the paranormal.
"Anytime I could get a UFO book, or ghost book, pretty much anything, I loved it all. I was fortunate enough that one door opened up and led to paranormal shows over a dozen years ago," Osbourne said.
In this kind of field, there are always skeptics questioning the known versus unknown.
"There is the big question from the moment when your brain comes alive. ‘What happens when this all ends?’ I think that is the ultimate question people ask. I also think that many of these people have had their own experiences that are un-explainable," explained Osbourne.
Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, says the numbers for this weekend's event were phenomenal.
"As of Saturday afternoon, we had over 1,300 attendees already and we still had Saturday evening to get to with more speakers and events. This influx of people helps out the community as a whole with bringing in extra revenue at gas stations, eateries, hotels and shops," Hoath said.
The 2024 Upper Peninsula Paranormal Convention dates have already been set for Aug. 22-24.
