On account of the “Supernatural” fandom’s familial bond, the cast and fans have been aiming to keep the enthusiasm of the show alive, 20 years later, by attending conventions all over the world.
In September of 2005, the CW network aired the pilot episode of “Supernatural,” which follows two brothers, as played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, as they hunt supernatural creatures in search of their father.
Since 2007, entertainment company Creation Entertainment has been putting together “Supernatural” conventions.
“I feel like Creation [Entertainment] is such a well-oiled machine,” Creation publicist Lynn Esparo said. “They have been doing this for over 50 years [and] they can put a show together really quickly.”
Despite the show having ended in 2020, the “Supernatural” cast and fans still attend fan conventions all over the world.
“People feel so attached to the show that they want to spend their free time and their weekends with them,” Esparo said.
According to “Supernatural” actor and director Richard Speight Jr., the internet is a big part of why the show’s fanbase continues to come together.
“I think that it has helped people find their people,” Speight said.
The friendships that form from “Supernatural”, both online and in person, are another major factor of “Supernatural” conventions.
“[It] has extended the life of the show in the hearts of the fans because they know that they can always gather and connect about it and around it with people of like passions,” Speight said.
According to Esparo, the sense of community among the show’s fans is a main reason why many attend.
“The entire cast says it all the time, it is family,” Esparo said. “The family grows, but it does not leave.”
Like many others, the fandom offers a found “family” for social media creator and “Supernatural” fan Ace.
“We [fans] actually call ourselves family,” Ace said. “We call each other brothers and sisters.”
From mental health campaigns like Padalecki’s AKF (Always Keep Fighting) to charities like Collins’ Random Acts, the “Supernatural” fandom has offered support for fans and others for years.
“A lot of mental health issues are brought up here, [and] we try to encourage people to be supportive of each other and to reach out for help when needed,” Speight said.
Speight has heard stories from fans about how “Supernatural” “saved” them by coming together and offering support.
“They made me realize that there is something very unique about the “Supernatural” fandom and their connection,” Speight said. “These are people who have an emotional connection to something bigger than the show itself, and that is the core of the family element.”
Esparo has been working for Creation for just over a year, but has known the cast since their filming days.
“I worked at the CW for seven years as a publicist, and I got to work on the show for the last five to six years. I became a huge fan during that time,” Esparo said. ”Those guys make it really easy to love the show because they are all such amazingly genuine, lovely human beings.”
According to Esparo, “Supernatural” conventions are like family get-togethers.
“The same people come back over and over again, because it is like a lovely homecoming every time,” Esparo said.
For Esparo, not only do the fans feel the family dynamic of the fandom. “[The cast] takes very good care of that part of “Supernatural,” Esparo said. “They cultivated that because of who they are, but also because they really do care about the fandom.”
