What’s it like to bring your doll to an in-person meet? Mishka shares his experience from his perspective, taking us through his journey of driving with his doll to this year’s Halloween doll meet. Let’s check out what went down at this get together!
You can read the full article here: 2025 East Coast Doll Meet (Halloween Party) - Coeros
The following is the specific content:
Preface
Ever wondered what it’s like to attend a large gathering of people who enjoy dolls, hand baked food, photography, and the company of others? – Well that’s what these meet-ups are about. Doll meets are relaxed, welcoming gatherings where doll owners, customizers, photographers, and curious newcomers all show up with their favorite dolls and a shared love for all doll related things. They are less about buying and selling and more about spending a few days at a cozy home, chatting, sharing stories, enjoying home cooked food and being around people who “get” why dolls matter to you.
A cute gal riding along with me!
Travelling to the Meet
With A truck and trailer full of stuff:
I decided on travelling to the doll meet via car, as I was bringing several dolls and a friend who had a doll with him, and it was his first meet. This way we could share the cost of travelling. However, the vehicle was very tightly packed, and we quickly felt we had too little room in the small car. We travelled from California, travelling state to state, hotel to hotel, and camping wherever to cut costs. It would be several days and several thousand miles to reach our destination. Along the way, we travelled and visited several sights like mountains, hiking and even went camping. We teamed up with other fellow doll-owners who were heading to the meet, and decided to car-pool in their truck loaded with their trailer full of gear and many dolls – It was a tight fit. Many hours later, we arrived during a rain storm, and it was a bit chilly at the house. Quickly, we made progress unloading and setting up the dolls and various gear we brought along. We also met many other people and some for the first time. Since it was late in the day, we went to bed early and when we woke up the next day, to clear skies, and much warmer weather. Some of the nicest vistas were captured with our cameras that morning.
Some drone footage:
The Food
We had a festive party planned, and a Halloween costume party for the dolls and attendees was planned. The food was excellent and captured the essence and theme of the party. The work that went into the food aspect is something that words simply cannot tell the whole story, but the photos certainly do.
For each day we had each meal planned out, from breakfast to dinner. No expense was spared, and the look on people’s faces while eating was priceless. People ate at tables and some brought their food outside to enjoy on the patio. We also had a person bring two kegs of home made beer – all the way from Canada. And yes, people come from all over the world to attend these first class events. Yes, lot’s of alcohol was consumed as well!
A buffet breakfast!
The Halloween Party!
Since part of the event fell on Halloween, we had a costume party planned and several very nice dolls (high end silicone dolls) and various other things as well were raffled off. There were cash prizes for various people who won in a category. These doll centric displays were absolutely beautiful, and the people sure thought so! The costume party event was combined with people dressing up and also a costume party for the dolls. I can say, the level of detail people put in to display and dress their dolls was rather humbling. Some had hand crafted costumes and all were very spectacular. Each doll displayed was beautiful. I tried to capture a few of the dolls shown below.
The creativity of the dolls and the people involved is shown in the photos. People took a lot of time setting up a stage of creativity and enjoyment for others. Have a look at these displays!
All I can say is this year’s theme was absolutely great, and the organizers hit it out of the park. I love spooky and dark themes like these, and I’m sure others did as well. Just judging from the attendance, and feedback!
Anyone interested in Scuba diving? – ask the lime green gal!
Photography
We spent a large part of our days chatting with friends, and also helping out taking photos of the assorted dolls out there. Some people had professional lighting gear and cameras, and many took simple candid photos and most used cellphones. There was a large focus to get great photos, as the place is very large and has so many beautiful vistas and a foot bridge to a larger pool and jacuzzi. There were dolls in the pool and people also swam in the lake. A pool table was also adorned with dolls and we made a theme out of every part of the house. A bar room also became a center piece for a collection of dolls.
Final Thoughts
This was an event I will not forget. From the people and friends that were formed, the excellent food to the dolls we got to admire – it was such a spectacular event, that I still wonder how we can beat that. I went home a bit sad after it was done, and I’m sure others did as well. We said our goodbyes and we each left early on a Sunday. I carpooled back to where I left my car, and after a long day driving back, I stayed at a friend’s house, and left the following morning for the drive back to California.. It was a sad goodbye, but the best part is there will be another meetup next Spring, where we will meet up again!
A final note to people interested in signing up – we do have limited availability, and it’s best to commit to the event early. It’s for sure an opportunity to meet like minded people who share the same passion. Give it a go!
About the Author
I am Mishka, I am a photographer with a deep-rooted passion for capturing dolls since 2014. Initially drawn to TPE dolls, I later switched my focus to posing them for photos, using a Nikon D300 before upgrading to a Sony a7RIV. Over the past decade, I have had the privilege of photographing dolls for various companies and watched the industry evolve with better improvements each year. I saw this as an opportunity to invest in more lifelike dolls, appreciating their improved detail and realism. For the last five years I have been traveling extensively across the US, in my camper van loaded with dolls which I photographed at various roadside locations. Currently, I have about a dozen dolls posed around my house and often host larger doll meets, fostering friendships within this unique hobby. My experiences traveling and photographing these dolls have led to unique connections with others who share the similar interests, forming a tight-knit community in this niche hobby.
Credits: All photos were taken by the attendees and the author.
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