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In: Actor Guests, Artist Guests, Filmmaker Guests, Imaginarium, Official Guests, programming, SFX Artist, Spotlighted Guest

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes SFX artists, filmmakers, and haunted attraction owners Amanda and Sean “Joker” Durkin as Spotlighted Guests! The owners of the multi-award-winning haunted attraction Malice Manor, Sean and Amanda have been set design and builders, scare actors, show directors, special effects lighting, sound effects, and animations programmers.  Past highlights have included making vacuum panels for TV shows like Bones, theme parks like Six Flags, Sea World, and Nightclubs in NYC & Vegas. They have created foam sculptured fabrications for the Kentucky State Fair, Kentucky Derby festival, Gallopalooza Horses, the Mint Julep Cup, and Light Up Louisville. Amanda has also been a costume designerRead More →

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In: Agent Guest, Author Guests, Imaginarium, Official Guests, programming, Spotlighted Guest

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes literary agent and USA Today bestselling author Rose Betancourt as a Spotlighted Guest! Rose is the owner and principal agent of Betancourt Literary, bringing more than twenty years of experience in the publishing industry as both an agent and a USA Today bestselling author! Rose is particularly drawn to psychological thrillers with a dark twist, layered mysteries, and stories that explore obsession, secrets, and moral ambiguity. She has a deep love for Southern and Southern Gothic fiction, especially novels that lean into atmosphere, complex female characters, and a sense of place that feels almost alive. She also represents select romance projects,Read More →

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In: Imaginarium, Official Guests, panelists, panels, Spotlighted Guest, Workshop Hosts, workshops

Imaginarium 2026 is proud to announce the addition of two new Workshops and one new Panel to our programming! There will be over 135 panels and workshops hosted in our 13th year, so make sure to check back regularly on our official site to see all new additions! The titles, presenters, and descriptions for these new programming additions are as follows: New Workshops Added: Horror & Comedy: Adding Levity to the Darkness. Presented by Scott Sigler. From the razor-sharp wit of Shaun of the Dead to the irreverent bite of Christopher Moore’s You Suck: A Love Story and the genre-defining balance of Buffy the VampireRead More →

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In: Actor Guests, Artist Guests, Filmmaker Guests, Imaginarium, Official Guests, Spotlighted Guest, Workshop Hosts

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes award-winning filmmaker, actor, artist, SFX artist, writer, and former pro wrestler Roni Jonah as a Spotlighted Guest! Roni landed in the top 3 actresses for a nationwide contest held by massify (dot) com and After Dark Films that began an award-winning independent filmmaking career that has seen her participation in numerous projects as a director, actor, writer, and SFX artist! She is a member of SAGA-FTRA, IATSE Local 798, and Puppeteers of America. In her wrestling career, Roni wrestled for both Ohio Valley Wrestling and Women’s Extreme Wrestling, and her television debut for Ohio Valley Wrestling had the distinction of havingRead More →

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In: Actor Guests, Filmmaker Guests, Imaginarium, Screenwriter Guests, Spotlighted Guest, Workshop Hosts, workshops

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor Silvio Wolf Busch as a Spotlighted Guest! With over two decades of professional experience in film and stage, with numerous award recognitions, Silvio has worked alongside and opposite numerous industry names such as Adam Driver, Kiefer Sutherland, Kelly McGillis, James Spader, Willem Dafoe, Charlize Theron, and many others! Silvio’s great versatility comes from applying his comprehensive life experience including his military background (Eight-year Veteran), involvement in adventure sports, a lifelong immersion in equestrian culture, and all of his creative endeavors! We are honored to have Silvio join us for our 13th year, taking place July 17-19,Read More →

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In: Author Guests, Imaginarium, Official Guests, Spotlighted Guest

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes Hugo-nominated author Arlan Andrews, Sr. as a Spotlighted Guest! Arlan has been published over 500 times in more than 100 various venues around the world since first appearing in ISAAC ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE in January 1980. Arlan is best known for his 40+ stories and non-fiction pieces in Analog SF Magazine, but also recognized for appearing on the ANCIENT ALIENS TV show and YouTube podcasts. Arlan is also the founder and director of SIGMA, the science fiction think tank that provides pro bono futurism for the Federal Government and others. An inaugural inductee of the Imagination Hall of Fame inRead More →

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In: Author Guests, Guest of Honor, Imaginarium, Official Guests, panelists, panels, programming, Spotlighted Guest, Workshop Hosts, workshops

Imaginarium 2026 is proud to announce the addition of two new Workshops and two new Panels to our programming! There will be over 135 panels and workshops hosted in our 13th year, so make sure to check back regularly on our official site to see all new additions! The titles, presenters, and descriptions for these new programming additions are as follows: New Workshops Added: The Poet’s Guide to Publishing: How to Conceive, Arrange, Edit, Publish, and Market a Book of Poetry: Presented by Katerina Stoykova. This guide to publishing poetry is designed for the poet on a journey from producing a pile of poems toRead More →

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In: Actor Guests, Author Guests, Editor Guests, Imaginarium, Journalism Guest, Official Guests, Playwright Guests, Poet Guest, Publisher Guest, Spotlighted Guest

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes author, editor, poet, publisher, actor, journalist, and playwright David Dominé as a Spotlighted Guest! The author of A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City, which was developed into the hit HBO docuseries Murder in Glitter Ball City, David has authored numerous short stories, translations, and poems, as well as recipe collections, paranormal books, mysteries, and memoirs. David is the founder of a nationally recognized walking tour company specializing in local history, architecture, and off-beat destinations where public image often collides with reality, in addition to collaborating with journalists, playwrights, and filmmakers. We are honored to have David join us for ourRead More →

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In: Author Guests, Imaginarium, Journalism Guest, Official Guests, Spotlighted Guest

Imaginarium 2026 proudly welcomes author and syndicated columnist Barry Maher as a Spotlighted Guest! The author of the nationally syndicated Slightly Off-Kilter Column, Barry has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, CBS, CNBC, and others, and has appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the London Times, Business Week, and even publications such as Funeral Service Insider! Barry may be best known as the author of Filling the Glass, which has been honored as “[One of] The Seven Essential Popular Business Books.” As a business consultant, his clients have included ABC, AT&T, Blue Cross, Canon, Cessna, Fuji, Hewlett-Packard, Humana, Infiniti,Read More →

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In: Author Guests, Imaginarium, Official Guests, panelists, panels, Spotlighted Guest, Workshop Hosts, workshops

Imaginarium 2026 is proud to announce the addition of one new Panel and one new Workshop to our programming! There will be over 135 panels and workshops hosted in our 13th year, so make sure to check back regularly on our official site to see all new additions! The titles, presenters, and descriptions for these new programming additions are as follows: New Panel Added Slushfest: Moderator – Barbara V. Evers. Writers anonymously submit the first page, double-spaced, of a work in progress. It’s read aloud, and panelists (agents, publishers, editors, authors) raise their hands at the point when they would stop reading. Once half theRead More →