Here we’ll try to answer some of the questions we are frequently asked. If you’re still uncertain after scrolling through everything, try one of the email links down at the bottom.
When will the next PulpFest take place?
PulpFest 2027 is scheduled for Thursday, August 5, through Sunday, August 8, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry in Mars, Pennsylvania. Be sure to bookmark pulpfest.com to stay informed about our plans for our 55th summertime popular culture convention.
Is that a comic book?
No, it’s a pulp magazine. Pulp magazines got their name from the cheap paper on which they were printed. They featured prose fiction with a few black-and-white interior illustrations. Frank A. Munsey pioneered the format in 1896 with The Argosy.
Comic books were inspired by the pulps — particularly the so-called “hero” pulps such as Doc Savage, The Shadow, and The Spider. However, pulps are not the same as comic books.
Click here to read our capsule history of the pulps.
Are only pulps sold at your convention?
Although the focus of PulpFest is pulp magazines and related materials, digest magazines, vintage paperbacks, men’s adventure and true crime magazines, first-edition hardcovers, genre fiction, series books, dime novels, original art, Big Little Books, B-movies, vintage television shows, and serials, as well as related paper collectibles, old-time-radio shows, and Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and pulp-related comic books and games, are also allowed. However, PulpFest is not a comic book convention. Sexually explicit material — including Playboy, Penthouse, and Oui — is not allowed.
Can I register for PulpFest in advance?
Yes, a prepaid, full-weekend membership to PulpFest 2027 will cost $25 for members who will be staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry. It will cost $35 at the door.
For those members who will not be staying at the DoubleTree, a prepaid, full-weekend membership to PulpFest 2027 will cost $60.
A Friday or Saturday one-day pass will cost $30. One-day passes will not be available for Thursday, August 5. Admission is free on Sunday, August 8, but buying opportunities will be limited. Supporting memberships, for those unable to attend PulpFest, will also cost $30.
Please click the register button in our main menu for further details.
Is there a cut-off date for advance registrations?
The deadline for advance registrations to PulpFest 2027 is 8 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, July 31, 2027. Anyone wishing to register for PulpFest 2027 after the deadline will have to do so at the door.
I have preregistered for PulpFest 2027. Where do I pick up my membership materials?
For those who have preregistered, you will be able to pick up your membership material outside the entrance to our dealers’ and programming rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry. Our registration desk will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., beginning on Thursday, August 5.
When and how can I register at the door for PulpFest 2027?
For those paying at the door, your will be able to register for the convention outside the entrance to our dealers’ and programming rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry. Our registration desk will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., beginning on Thursday, August 5. If you are paying at the door, please have a completed registration form on hand to speed up the process. You’ll be able to pay for your registration at the door using cash, check, or credit card.
Do children have to register for the convention?
All PulpFest attendees must be registered for the convention. However, there will be no charge for children who are fifteen years of age or younger and accompanied by a parent. They will be admitted free of charge.
I will be visiting PulpFest for a day. Where can I park?
For those visiting PulpFest for the day or the weekend, there is ample free parking surrounding the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry.
I can’t attend PulpFest 2027, but I’d like to help. How can I do so?
Supporting memberships for those who cannot attend PulpFest will cost $30. All paying members, including supporting members, will receive a complimentary copy of The Pulpster, our program book. Please click the register button in our main menu for further details.
Are there any discounts available to attend PulpFest?
There is a $10 discount on a full weekend membership if you are staying at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry when you pay in advance.
Your membership in this year’s PulpFest also includes membership in Doc Con 2027, the 2027 Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship gathering Farmercon XXII, and The Shadow Con 2027. That’s five conventions for one price!
How can I get a room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry?
The hotel provides PulpFest with a large block of rooms that has sold out in recent years. The sooner you book your room at the DoubleTree, the better chance you have of landing a room. So please book your room as soon as possible. We don’t want you to miss the chance to stay at our terrific host hotel. Please click the book a room button in our main menu for further details, including the phone number of the hotel if you prefer calling to place your reservation.
Can I use my Hilton points to book a room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry.
Yes, you can use your points to book a room for PulpFest. However, if you use Hilton points to book your stay, the complimentary breakfasts are not included with your reservation.
What is the deadline to book a room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry to get the special convention rate?
You must book your room by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, July 12, to receive the convention rate.
What are PulpFest’s dealers’ room hours for buyers?
The PulpFest 2027 dealers’ room will be open on August 5, 6, and 7 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. It will be open on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. However, most dealers will be packing up. Buying opportunities on Sunday will be limited.
When will dealers be able to set up for the convention?
The dealers’ room will be open for setting up dealer displays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4. Only dealers and their helpers will be allowed into the dealers’ room during this time.
Absolutely no buying, selling, or trading will be permitted during this time. Anyone who buys, sells, or trades during early set-up will have to leave the dealers’ room immediately. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
For those dealers who cannot arrive on Wednesday, our dealers’ room will open on Thursday, August 5, at 8 a.m. for set-up. All PulpFest dealers should be set up by 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, August 5. If you are not able to set up your display by this time, please discuss your needs with convention chairman Jack Cullers. You can reach him by email at jack@pulpfest.com or by writing him at 1272 Cheatham Way, Bellbrook, OH 45305.
Our dealers’ room at the DoubleTree is very accessible. Access to the dealers’ room for unloading and loading purposes will be through the ballroom’s rear entrance and the nearby banquet dock. Click here for a map showing the loading area of the hotel and here for a map of the DoubleTree’s Grand Ballroom.
If you need additional help getting to the hotel and/or the loading area, please call or text Jack Cullers at 937-671-1574.
Where can I ship items that I plan to sell at PulpFest?
Please write to convention chairman Jack Cullers for instructions at 1272 Cheatham Way, Bellbrook, Ohio 45305, or via email at jack@pulpfest.com before shipping anything.
How can I ship my purchases home from PulpFest?
A FedEx Office Print & Ship Center is less than a half-mile away from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry. Located at 19095 Perry Highway in Mars, Pennsylvania, it is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. It is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Can banners or any other signage be displayed at PulpFest?
PulpFest welcomes banners and other signage. However, such items cannot be attached to the hotel’s walls in any way, shape, or form. If you have a sign or a banner, you will have to provide your own display stand to hang your sign or banner.
Will PulpFest 2027 have any social activities?
On Thursday, August 5, PulpFest will hold its annual opening day pizza party in the DoubleTree’s lounge area. “Pizza at PulpFest” is funded through the generous donations of the convention’s dealers.
There are always informal gatherings in the hotel’s restaurant and lounge area following the close of PulpFest’s evening programming. Click the 2027 Schedule link for more details.
When is the scheduled programming at PulpFest?
PulpFest offers an abundance of programming options in the afternoon and evening during most days of the convention. Click the 2027 Schedule link for more details. We will announce our planned programming schedule on Monday, December 14, 2026.
I’m a contemporary writer or artist. Are there opportunities to present at PulpFest?
Since it began, PulpFest has been a strong supporter of contemporary popular culture. We offer interviews, panels, and presentations featuring contemporary creators who are members of the convention, generally during the afternoon hours. You can expect more of the same at PulpFest 2027.
I have a programming idea. Who should I tell?
If you have an idea for our programming, please send an email to PulpFest programming director, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com or via regular mail at 2217 W. Fairview Street, Allentown, PA 18104-6542. Please provide a description of your idea and whether or not you’d like to present at the convention. It is recommended that you contact Mike with your ideas ASAP as our programming slots quickly fill up.
Will PulpFest 2027 have a program book?
The Pulpster is a longstanding tradition cherished by attendees of PulpFest. This highly collectible and informative program book has been published for over thirty years. All paying members — including supporting members — will receive a complimentary copy of The Pulpster.
The Pulpster invites everyone to submit articles and features related to pulp collecting and pulp history. Write to the editor of The Pulpster, William Lampkin for further details. You can reach Bill by email at bill@pulpfest.com.
The Pulpster also accepts advertising. For further details, please write to Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com. Visit https://thepulpster.com/advertising/ for our print specifications.
If you are looking for back issues of The Pulpster, we have very limited quantities of selected issues. You can order copies of our available back issues by clicking here or by writing to Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com for more information.
Will PulpFest 2027 be offering any awards?
PulpFest will be presenting The Munsey Award at its 2027 convention. This prestigious prize bears the name of the man who published the first all-fiction pulp magazine, Frank A. Munsey.
The Munsey is a limited edition art print created by renowned artist David Saunders. This annual award recognizes an individual or institution that has bettered the pulp community, be it through disseminating knowledge about the pulps or through publishing or other efforts to preserve and foster interest in the pulp magazines we all love and enjoy.
The 2027 Munsey Award will be presented on Saturday evening, August 7.
The Rusty Hevelin Service Award recognizes those persons who have worked long and hard for the pulp community with little thought for individual recognition. It is meant to reward largely quiet and unheralded work and is reserved for those individuals who are most deserving. Only three Rusty Awards have been presented over the years.
Will PulpFest handle estate auctions?
PulpFest welcomes estate auctions for the simple reason that we would like to see collections stay with people who appreciate the pulps. We will accept both small and large collections, from a single lot to hundreds of lots. For further information, please write to Mike Chomko at 2217 W. Fairview Street, Allentown, PA 18104, or via email at mike@pulpfest.com. We are currently selling hero pulps from the collection of the late George A. Rawling.
Will there be a live auction at PulpFest 2027?
PulpFest will have one live auction on Saturday evening, August 7, beginning at 8 p.m. The general public is welcome to attend.
I cannot attend PulpFest but would like to bid on something in your auction. How can I do so?
For those who are not able to attend PulpFest 2027, the convention will accept bids placed through the PulpFest Online Bidding Page. We will then bid for you at the auction up to the amount that you specify in your bid.
Online bids by those unable to attend PulpFest 2027 must be placed by 11 pm Eastern time on Wednesday, August 4. When placing your bid, you will need to provide your name, email address, mailing address, and billing address (if different), your method of payment, the lot you are bidding on, and your highest bid. Our form allows you to bid on multiple lots.
To place your online bids, click the red button immediately above the auction lot photographs on our auction page. Our online bidding form will open in a new tab. Bids that are less than $10 will not be accepted.
PulpFest reserves the right to withdraw any auction lot from sale at any time before the lot is auctioned. All bidders are encouraged to review the lots before placing bids. ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
If you have any questions or concerns about placing online bids, please contact PulpFest auction coordinator Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com.
PulpFest will accept checks or money orders (in U.S. dollars), PayPal, or credit card payments for items won through online bidding. A 5% fee will be charged for all credit card and PayPal transactions. There will be additional shipping charges for those who are not able to pick up the lots they have won.
Can members of PulpFest submit items to sell at auction?
All members of PulpFest can submit items to our auction. You are encouraged to submit your items before the start of the convention. This will allow the convention to list submitted lots on our online auction page, opening them up for online bidding. Please write to Mike Chomko at 2217 W. Fairview Street, Allentown, PA 18104, or via email at mike@pulpfest.com to learn how to consign your auction items prior to the convention.
All auction lots must have a $20 minimum value.
PulpFest reserves the right to reject any submitted material that does not meet our standards.
The convention will charge a 16% commission based on the selling price for anything sold. For example, if an item sells for $100, the seller will receive $84.
If a submitted lot receives no bids, the seller will owe $5 to PulpFest.
All auction lots will have to be submitted to PulpFest by noon on the day of the auction. If you have questions concerning the auction, please contact PulpFest auction coordinator Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com or 2217 W. Fairview Street, Allentown, PA 18104-6542.
I would like to attend the PulpFest auction, but not the convention itself. Will I be able to do so?
People who desire to attend the PulpFest auction — but not the convention itself — are also welcome to attend our auction on Saturday, August 7. If non-PulpFest attendees want to place bids during the auction, they will have to register as bidders. There will be a $5 non-refundable fee to bid during the auction. You will be able to register in the programming room before the start of the auction at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 7.
Will there be role-playing games at the convention?
At this point, the PulpFest organizing committee is not planning to feature any pulp-related games — including Call of Cthulhu, Pulp Alley, and Spirit of the Century — at PulpFest 2027. If you’re interested in a PulpFest gaming track, please contact the convention’s programming director, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com.
Will there be a costume contest?
No, there will not be a costume contest. However, if you would like to attend the convention in costume, you are more than welcome to do so.
Does PulpFest offer a “freebie” table?
PulpFest sends its advertising to other conventions, bookstores, and comic book shops for display on their giveaway tables or near their cash registers. We’re more than happy to reciprocate. Please contact the convention’s marketing director, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com for further details.
Material of a political or religious nature is not allowed on the convention’s giveaway table. Our members attend PulpFest to celebrate popular fiction and to enjoy themselves.
Our attendees come to PulpFest to celebrate and learn about popular culture, socialize, and enjoy themselves. Therefore, all attendees of PulpFest are asked to keep opinions of a political, religious, or societal nature to themselves.
Although you have a right to your opinions, our members — including dealers — are not at the convention to be lectured about politics, religion, and so on.
Any attendee who harasses any other PulpFest members — including the convention’s dealers — will be asked to leave PulpFest.
Are there opportunities to volunteer at the convention?
There are opportunities to help out at PulpFest. If you would like to lend a hand with the convention, please contact our chairman, Jack Cullers. You can reach him via email by writing to jack@pulpfest.com or at 1272 Cheatham Way, Bellbrook, Ohio 45305.
What type of COVID-19 mitigation restrictions will be in place at PulpFest 2027?
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has lifted all COVID mitigation orders. Everyone is encouraged to follow the latest CDC safety guidance.
Currently, the DoubleTree does not have any COVID policies for guests. As this can change depending on conditions, it is recommended that you visit the Allegheny County Health Department at https://www.alleghenycounty.us/health-department/resources/covid-19/covid-19.aspx for their latest guidance.
We hope that those who plan to attend PulpFest 2026 will exercise caution. We have many older members who attend. Please keep them in mind.
If you are exhibiting any symptoms associated with COVID, please stay at home. You should not attend PulpFest. Isolate and avoid contact with others, rest, and drink fluids. Call your healthcare provider if your symptoms worsen.
How can I help to promote PulpFest?
Every year, PulpFest prints thousands of postcards to promote the convention. If you are a retailer, writer, publisher, convention organizer, or pulp fan who would like to distribute our cards, please contact Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com or 2217 W. Fairview St., Allentown, PA 18104-6542.
The convention will also be promoted through print advertising in periodicals including Alter Ego, Men’s Adventure Quarterly, and Windy City Pulp Stories. The convention may also advertise on social media.
How can my company or organization be listed on the PulpFest website?
Although we’ve done away with our links page, we do offer organizations the chance to sponsor our website. The cost is $120 for a one-year sponsorship. If you would like to sponsor the PulpFest home page, please contact the convention’s marketing director, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com.
Another way to advertise through PulpFest is to donate material that will be provided free to our members or serve as door prizes. Your generosity will be acknowledged on our website and at the convention. Over the years, Bear Manor Media, Chaosium Inc., Cirsova Publishing, ERB Books, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Men’s Adventure Quarterly, New Dimension Comics, Pulpville Press, Radio Archives, Stark House Press, Steeger Books, Vanguard Publications, and other organizations have donated their products to PulpFest.
Other sponsorship opportunities are also available. You can sponsor the convention’s membership badges, our welcome banner, and more. To learn more about donations and sponsorship opportunities, please contact the convention’s marketing director, Mike Chomko, at mike@pulpfest.com.
I’ve bookmarked your home page. Is PulpFest also on social media?
In addition to our home page at pulpfest.com, you’ll also find information on our Facebook site at http://www.facebook.com/PulpFest, our X feed at https://x.com/pulpfest, and via Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pulpfest/. We also have a PulpFest YouTube channel. You can subscribe here. To learn more about our YouTube videos, please write to Craig McDonald at craig@pulpfest.com.
Most of our associated conventions can also be found out Facebook. You’ll find
Doc Con at https://www.facebook.com/azdoccon,
FarmerCon at https://www.facebook.com/pjfarmercon, and The Shadow Con at https://www.facebook.com/theshadowcon/.
Does PulpFest offer an e-letter for important news and information?
The convention does offer an e-letter. To sign up, click here. Simply provide your name and your email address, and you’ll be added to our e-list.
Does PulpFest publish a newsletter? How can I get a copy?
PulpFest has a downloadable PDF of our annual newsletter. You can find it by clicking the register button in our main menu. We will be mailing a paper copy of the newsletter to past members of our convention in early 2027. To be added to our mailing list, please contact our chairman, Jack Cullers. You can reach him via email by writing to jack@pulpfest.com or at 1272 Cheatham Way, Bellbrook, Ohio 45305.
Where can I get one of those cool PulpFest t-shirts?
That’s an easy one! Click the link in our top menu and order a PulpFest t-shirt. They’re available in a variety of sizes in black or royal blue with the PulpFest logo across the chest.
Why is PulpFest considered “Summer’s Amazing Pulp Con?” Are there other pulp cons?
PulpFest is one of the largest pulp conventions in the world and the largest one to take place during the summer. There are other pulp cons throughout the year. We highlight as many as we can through the posts that appear on our website. Bookmark our homepage and visit often to be sure to catch these posts.
Is PulpFest a convention for fans of the movie Pulp Fiction?
Although fans of Quentin Tarantino’s award-winning film are more than welcome to attend PulpFest, the focus of the convention is pulp magazines and related material. Pulp magazines are so-called because of the cheap paper on which they were printed. Please click Pulp History in our PulpFest links to learn more.
You still haven’t answered my question.
Sorry, but we are not The Shadow. We do not know what questions lurk in your heart or mind. If you have another question, please ask it through our contact button.
Still searching for answers? Here’s who to contact…
- Registration, hotel, membership, volunteering, and dealer questions: Jack Cullers at jack@pulpfest.com
- Promotion, programming, social media, Pulpster back issues, and Munsey Award questions: Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com
- Questions about the PulpFest YouTube Channel: Craig McDonald at craig@pulpfest.com
- Contributions to The Pulpster: William Lampkin at bill@pulpfest.com
- Advertising in The Pulpster: Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com
- Auction: Mike Chomko at mike@pulpfest.com
- Website issues: William Lampkin at bill@pulpfest.com
Our featured image was excerpted from George Rozen’s cover art for the August 1, 1933 issue of The Shadow Magazine, illustrating Walter B. Gibson’s novel, “The Black Hush.”
Our lead image is the December 1896 issue of The Argosy, considered to be the first pulp magazine.
Our second image was adapted by PulpFest advertising director William Lampkin from George Rozen’s cover art for The Shadow for May 1, 1938, illustrating Walter B. Gibson’s novel, “Cards of Death,” and celebrating The Shadow on the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Frank R. Paul — the “grandfather of science-fiction art” — painted the cover for the program book of the 13th World Science Fiction Convention — Clevention — held on September 2 – 5, 1955 at the Manger Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. Although the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry is not quite as futuristic as Paul’s illustration, our host hotel was completely renovated in 2016.
A view of the PulpFest 2026 dealers’ room, photographed by PulpFest advertising director William Lampkin.
The cover of The Pulpster #35 was adapted by William Lampkin from the July 1943 issue of Amazing Stories, with cover art by H. W. McCauley, illustrating Howard Browne’s story, “Carbon-Copy Killer,” and featuring the magazine’s editor, Ray Palmer, as the villain.
The Munsey Award was created in 2009 by artist David Saunders, the son of legendary illustrator Norman Saunders. Dan Zimmer of The Illustrated Press produced a limited signed and numbered edition of the award. The PulpFest Organizing Committee is indebted to both David and Dan for their generous support of our community.
Our auctioneer image is excerpted from Norman Rockwell’s cover art for The Country Gentleman dated April 29, 1922.
Although there are no costume contests at PulpFest or its associate conventions, members are welcome to attend the convention in costume. William Lampkin’s photograph features Jim and Cathy Dello at PulpFest 2021 when the convention celebrated the 90th anniversary of The Shadow.
The first and only issue of Medical Horrors was published in late 1931 with a cover date of January 1932. Published by Harold Hersey’s Green Band Publishing Corp. it ran for a single issue. It has never been quite understood what gave Hersey the idea that a magazine entitled Medical Horrors could be successful in a field that partially relied on drugstores for distribution. He was, however, a publisher who often thought outside the box.
The Doc Con logo was adapted by Chris Kalb, based on the Bantam Doc Savage logo, designed by Len Leone.
Based on a design created by William Lampkin, our PulpFest T-shirts are manufactured by Nick Anderson of the popular BookTuber podcast, The Book Graveyard.
That’s Uma Thurman on the poster for Quentin Tarantino’s award-winning film Pulp Fiction. Although fans of the movie are more than welcome to attend PulpFest, the focus of the convention is pulp magazines and related material including digest magazines, vintage and genre paperbacks, men’s adventure and true crime magazines, comic books, and other collectibles. Some of our dealers also sell discs featuring B-movies, serials, and vintage television shows, as well as recordings of old-time-radio shows.
