Summer Slash

Blood Over Texas is bringing Summer Slash to the Travis County Expo Center on Saturday, August 15, from 11 AM to midnight. It's the third installment of Slashdance, the 80s horror dance party that used to hold court at Elysium and is now run by the same team behind the holiday-themed Horror for the Holidays. The whole day is built around hanging out with other horror fans, and it runs from late morning straight through to midnight.

The day starts with a retro mall-themed vendor market and a mini horror car show featuring hearses and a Texas Chainsaw Massacre tribute van. Two TCM veterans will be there: Caroline Williams, who played Stretch in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and Allen Danziger, who played Jerry the van driver in the original, with his tribute van on display. Then there are back-to-back screenings of 80s slashers: Chopping Mall at 1 PM, which marks the movie's 40th anniversary, and Friday the 13th: Part 3 in 3D at 3 PM.

As the afternoon turns to evening, the music takes over. Trioxin plays at 6 PM, followed by Skatenigs at 6:45 PM and End of the Century at 7:50 PM, with DJs Pumpkin Spice and DJ Minimus keeping things moving in between. The night then resolves into the Slashdance itself, which runs from 9 PM to midnight. Every part of the day except the car show is indoors, so you don't have to worry about the August heat.

General admission is $20 for the full day and night, and kids under 12 get in free. It's an all-ages event, though anyone under 18 needs to be with a parent or guardian, and parking is free. The venue is the Travis County Expo Center at 7311 Decker Lane, with the action spread across the Banquet Hall and the Skyline Club.