The annual World Horror Conventions had historically been held in the United States or Canada, usually alternating between east and west sides of the continent. In 2010, the convention was held outside North America for the first time, in Brighton, UK.
The bids from potential committees are presented to the members of the board of directors of the World Horror Society, who then decide where future conventions will be held. Bids are usually made two years before the specific year (e.g., bids for 2001 were considered in 1999). The Horror Writers Association's Bram Stoker Award® ceremony had been held in conjunction with the convention for some years but now that is normally only the case in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years the HWA stages the ceremony at its own convention, the Bram Stoker Awards Weekend. The World Horror Convention Grand Master Award is given every year at the Convention.
Conventions are listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent conventions listed at the top.
World Horror Convention 2013 - New Orleans, United States, in conjunction with the Horror Writers Association's Bram Stoker Awards Weekend.
Author Guests of Honor: Ramsey Campbell, Caitlin R. Kiernan and Jonathan Maberry
Artist Guest of Honor: Glenn Chadbourne
Editor Guest of Honor: John Joseph Adams
Poet Guest of Honor: Bruce Boston
Toastmaster: Jeff Strand
World Horror Convention 2012 - Salt Lake City, United States
Author Guests of Honor: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Artist Guest of Honor: Mike Mignola
Special Guest: Rocky Wood
Horror Writers Association Guests of Honor: Joe R. Lansdale, Karen Lansdale, and Robert McCammon
Toastmistress: P. N. Elrod
HWA Special Guests: Dacre Stoker and Jeff Strand
Grand Master: T. E. D. Klein
World Horror Convention 2011 - Austin, Texas, United States
Author Guests of Honor: Sarah Langan and Joe Hill
Media Guest of Honor: Steve Niles
Editor Guests of Honor: Brett Alexander Savory and Sandra Kasturi
Artist Guest of Honor: Vincent Chong
Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale
Special Guests: Brian Keene and Del Howison
Grand Master: Jack Ketchum
World Horror Convention 2010 - Brighton, UK
Author Guests of Honor: Tanith Lee and David Case
Editor Guest of Honor: Hugh Lamb
Artist Guests of Honor: Les Edwards and Dave Carson
Special Guest of Honor: James Herbert
Mistress of Ceremonies: Jo Fletcher
Special Media Guest: Ingrid Pitt
World Horror Society Lifetime Achievement Award: Basil Copper
Grand Master: James Herbert
World Horror Convention 2009 - Winnipeg, Canada
Guests of Honor: Conrad Williams, Edo van Belkom, F. Paul Wilson, and Joshua Gee
Artist Guest of Honor: Tommy Castillo
Grand Master: Tanith Lee
World Horror Convention 2008 - Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Author Guest of Honor: Dennis Etchison
Artist Guest of Honor: John Jude Palencar
Toastmaster: Simon Clark
Academic Guest of Honor: Michael R. Collings
Special Guest: Jeff Strand
Special Guest: Dave Dinsmore
http://www.whc2008.org/
World Horror Convention 2007 - Toronto, Canada
Author Guests of Honor: Michael Marshall Smith, Nancy Kilpatrick,
Artist Guest of Honor: John Picacio
Editor Guests of Honor: Peter Crowther & Don Hutchison
Media Guest of Honor: Peter Atkins
http://www.whc2007.org/
World Horror 2006 - San Francisco, United States
Author Guests of Honor: Kim Newman, Koji Suzuki
Toastmaster: Peter Straub
Artist Guest of Honor: Brom
Media Guest of Honor: Bill Moseley
Editor Guest of Honor: John Pelan
http://www.whc2006.org/
World Horror 2005 - New York City, United States
Author Guests of Honor: Harlan Ellison, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Tom Piccirilli, Jack Ketchum, Mort Castle, Amber Benson
Filmmaker Guest of Honor: Mick Garris
Artist Guest of Honor: Allen Koszowski
Editor Guests of Honor: Tom and Elizabeth Monteleone
Masters of Ceremonies: Stan Wiater and Poet Linda Addison
World Horror 2004 - Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Author Guest of Honor: Douglas Clegg
Artist Guest of Honor: Jeremy Caniglia
Editor Guest of Honor: Stephen Jones
Media Guest of Honor: Dee Snider
Special Guest of Honor: Adam Niswander
Grand Master: Jack Williamson
http://www.whc2004.org/
World Horror 2003 - Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Author Guest of Honor: Brian A. Hopkins
Publisher Guest of Honor: Don D'Auria
Artist Guest of Honor: Nick Smith
Special Guest of Honor: Forrest J. Ackerman
Mistress of Ceremonies: Laurell K. Hamilton
Grand Master: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
World Horror 2002 - Chicago, United States
Author Guests of Honor: Gene Wolfe, Neil Gaiman
Editor Guests of Honor: Melissa Ann Singer
Artist Guest of Honor: Randy Broecker
Poetry Guest of Honor: Jo Fletcher
Photography Guest of Honor: Beth Gwinn
Music Guest of Honor: Liz Mandville Greeson
Comics and Young Adult Guest of Honor: Jill Thompson
Media Guests: Rich Koz, Patricia Tallman, Robert Z'Dar
Special Guests: Karen E. Taylor, Yvonne Navarro, Brian A. Hopkins
Grand Master: Charles L. Grant
World Horror 2001 - Seattle, United States, in conjunction with the Horror Writers Association's Bram Stoker Awards Weekend.
Guest of Honor in Memoriam: Richard Laymon
Writer Guests of Honor: Simon Clark, Michael Slade, Jessica Amanda Salmonson
Publisher Guests of Honor: Barbara Roden, Christopher Roden
Artist Guest of Honor: Charles Vess
Grand Master: Ray Bradbury
http://www.whc2001.org/
World Horror 2000 - Denver, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Peter Straub, Melanie Tem, Steve Rasnic Tem, J. Michael Straczynski, Graham Joyce
Artist Guest of Honor: Rick Lieder
Editor Guest of Honor: Ellen Datlow
Master of Ceremonies: Dan Simmons
Grand Master: Harlan Ellison
World Horror 1999 - Atlanta, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Michael Bishop, John Shirley
Artist Guest of Honor: Lisa Snellings
Master of Ceremonies: Neil Gaiman
Grand Master: Ramsey Campbell
World Horror 1998 - Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Brian Lumley
Artist Guest of Honor: Bernie Wrightson
Media Guest of Honor: Tom Savini
Publisher Guest of Honor: Tom Doherty
Master of Ceremonies: John Steakley
Grand Master: Brian Lumley
World Horror 1997 - Niagara Falls, New York, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Ramsey Campbell, Poppy Z. Brite, Joe R. Lansdale
Artist Guest of Honor: Rick Berry
Media Guest of Honor: Gunnar Hansen
Editor Guest of Honor: Darrell Schweitzer
Master of Ceremonies: Edo van Belkom
Grand Master: Peter Straub
World Horror 1996 - Eugene, Oregon, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Clive Barker, Charles de Lint, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Don Maitz, Janny Wurts
Special Guests: Tim Powers, Edward Bryant
Grand Master: Dean Koontz
World Horror 1995 - Atlanta, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: John Farris, Neil Gaiman, R. L. Stine
Artist Guest of Honor: Alan M. Clark
Special Media Guest: Alice Cooper
Master of Ceremonies: Brian Lumley
Grand Master: Clive Barker
World Horror 1994 - Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Charles L. Grant, Dan Simmons
Artist Guest of Honor: Gahan Wilson
Master of Ceremonies: Edward Bryant
Grand Master: Anne Rice
World Horror 1993 - Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Writer Guests of Honor: Peter Straub, Les Daniels
Artist Guest of Honor: Stephen Gervais
Special Media Guest: Paul Clemens
Master of Ceremonies: Stanley Wiater
Grand Master: Richard Matheson
World Horror 1992 - Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Writer Guest of Honor: Richard Matheson
Artist Guest of Honor: Harry O. Morris
Special Media Guest: Richard Christian Matheson
Master of Ceremonies: Brian Lumley
Grand Master: Stephen King
World Horror 1991 - Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Writer Guest of Honor: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Artist Guest of Honor: Jill Bauman
Masters of Ceremonies: David J. Schow, John Skipp, Craig Spector, Richard Christian Matheson
Grand Master: Robert Bloch
