Son of Monsterpalooza, the fall horror and creature effects show, returns to the Marriott Burbank Convention Center and Hotel Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026. Organizers promise more than 150 vendors, live makeup demos, panels, a costume contest, and celebrity guests, including a first for the convention circuit: Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.
It is the smaller autumn sibling of Monsterpalooza, the spring show built around the artists who make movie monsters. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite. Here is what the organizers have posted as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026. Daily hours not yet posted. |
| Where | Marriott Burbank Convention Center and Hotel, 2500 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 |
| Highlights | 150-plus vendors, makeup and special effects demos, panels, costume contest, celebrity guests including Tommy Lee |
| Tickets | Through Eventbrite. No refunds. |
| Photo ops | Sold separately through Celeb Photo Ops |
| Official site | monsterpalooza.com |
Guests and programming
Tommy Lee is making his first convention appearance, according to Blabbermouth, which lists him for Saturday, October 10. He will sign autographs for a fee, and fans can bring personal items to be signed. Professional photo ops with him are sold separately through Celeb Photo Ops and do not include an autograph. You need an event ticket before you can buy a photo op.
The rest of the weekend follows the Monsterpalooza formula, as listed on the official site:
- Exhibitors: More than 150 vendors and artists.
- Special FX demos: Live makeup and creature effects work.
- Panels and presentations.
- Special guests and autographs.
- Photo ops.
- A costume contest.
Autograph etiquette, the fine print
Horror conventions run on autographs, and this one spells out its rules. From the guest page and the Eventbrite listing:
- Three days unless noted. Guests are scheduled for all three days unless the listing says otherwise.
- All guests are tentative. Appearances can change or be canceled for professional or personal reasons.
- No guarantees. Autographs and meet-and-greets with celebrity guests are not guaranteed, and a guest cancellation does not automatically mean a ticket refund.
- Budget separately. Autographs carry a fee, and photo ops are a separate purchase.
Tickets
Tickets are sold on Eventbrite, linked from the official site. The listing states there are no refunds, and the event is in person only. Ticket prices were not displayed on the pages we could read, so check the listing for current tiers.
Venue
The show fills the convention space at the Marriott in Burbank, 2500 N. Hollywood Way. The official site has a hotel page for anyone staying over. Parking, transit, and accessibility details for 2026 had not been posted on the pages we could read.
A little history
Eliot Brodsky launched Monsterpalooza on the West Coast in 2009 after a trial event in New Jersey. The spring show started at the Burbank Marriott and moved to the Pasadena Convention Center in 2016. Son of Monsterpalooza is the fall offshoot that stayed in Burbank. Both shows focus on horror, creatures, and special effects makeup, covering classic monsters and modern horror alike.
Looking for more on the fall calendar? Our fall 2026 Southern California convention guide covers every show still ahead this year.
Still to come
Daily hours, the full guest list, the showtimes schedule, costume contest rules, and parking details had not been posted as of this writing. The 824 Journal will update this guide when they are.
Sources
- Monsterpalooza, official site (event features, guests page, tickets page)
- Son of Monsterpalooza Burbank 2026, Eventbrite (dates, venue, refund and autograph policies)
- Blabbermouth, Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee to Make His First Convention Appearance at 2026 Son of Monsterpalooza
- Wikipedia, Monsterpalooza (history)
Featured photo: AmeteurAngeleno via Wikimedia Commons, CC0
