KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Dozens of familiar horror and pop culture faces were at day one of Smoky Mountain Terror on Friday.

Groups of eager horror enthusiasts gather at the Meadowview Convention Center, drawn by the chance to meet their beloved stars from popular series for autographs and greetings.

• Scream
• Vampire Diaries
• True Blood
• Twilight
• The Walking Dead
• To see the full lineup, visit Smoky Mountain Terror.

Organizer Ty Shute said celebrities “rave about how beautiful” the region is.

“Just this week,” he mentioned, “Based on feedback from locals, the hotels, the restaurants, all venues are fully booked. It’s evident everything’s thriving. This event shines a spotlight on the area, which is truly beautiful and deserves recognition.”

This marks the debut of the event as a three-day convention, extending through Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for single or both days remain available for purchase here.

Producer and co-owner Kyle Shute said he takes his children, who are 5 and 8 years old, to the convention for a family outing.

“They have so much fun,” he said. “There they came. They took pictures with the dinosaur earlier. They got to meet some of the celebrities. They saw giant Jason walking around. So it’s cool getting to meet the celebrities. As for us, but also for the kids, we are having a great time with it too. So you’ve got to bring the kids. You got to be here with the whole family.”