The line serpentined through courtyards, around buildings, and across streets before making it to the front of the Long Beach Convention Center. It might be the standing or the time wasted, but the deep hate I have for lines has meant walking away from events or paying extra for special passes.
It’s been nine years since I attended Midsummer Scream, with no real reason other than life getting in the way. Nine years ago, I had purchased the Gold Bat Pass for me and my friend Trav, and we sailed right in with ease. This year, I came with Adam and Maris, and we were feeling the general admission pains. I was missing that pass hard this year, long sold out by the time I picked which day I was attending.
Why Scream?
I really enjoyed my first Midsummer Scream, but standing in line, I questioned: Am I a “con person”? Was this worth the time, the drive, and the admission? I was two steps inside the convention doors when a goofy smile filled my face, and I felt Halloween and knew there was no other place I wanted to be.
This is Midsummer Scream—a place filled with horror and Halloween lovers, everything you want to see and buy, with unique experiences and mini-haunts. Even with the crowds, this is the space I want to live in, but I only had a day and the countdown was on. I yelled to my friends, “I’m going to the Hall of Shadows!” and disappeared into the crowd, not thinking about how hard it would be to find each other again.
Hall of Shadows
There are a few big SoCal Halloween conventions, and nine years ago I went to Midsummer Scream because of the mini-haunts. A chance to get a haunted house scare in the middle of the summer is my dream, and it didn’t disappoint. But this time, as I walked into the Hall of Shadows, like the whole convention, it was bigger, better, and spookier than I remembered.
The hall was filled with haunts, a bar, and photo ops; I wanted to experience it all. Eulogy Collective, an awesome year-round haunt in Anaheim, was there, along with the Haunted Carwash. There was a giant jack-o’-lantern bar to promote Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns, an event I have enjoyed before, and beyond the carvings, a giant inflatable jack-o’-lantern you can walk into is a beautiful thing.
The space was filled with two-story facades. Nothing felt mini, so I stood in the dark, fog-filled line with anticipation, waiting to enter Straite to Hale Productions’ Side Effects. I walked into the dilapidated distillery with a kind stranger, enjoying the details, decorations, and scares. Small accessories filled rooms, giving the space history, while fog filled the swamp. We walked around a space that in no way felt mini, getting scared the whole time. Stepping out, having experienced something special with a stranger, I was excited and ready for the next adrenaline rush.
I got in line for Fear Farm’s Bite. Invited in by a vampire named Barnaby, I walked through the mouth of this haunted house. I made it through the entrance, literally lined with large, menacing teeth, without a bite. Unmarked, but not free from frights, their scare actor suspended from the ceiling on a track system was amazing—a vampire gliding above with dangling fabric, surprising victims.
Black Casket Productions’ Abandoned took you into a morgue that wasn’t as dead as expected, with bodies popping out from morgue drawers, walls and desks. Surprises were around every corner. Walking into a room and watching a calvariotomy added a fun interaction, while an actor’s head attached to a half-torso on the wall was a simple and super-successful effect. Exiting the haunt through a black casket was perfect.
There is an art to haunted houses I truly appreciate and enjoy. It can be perfected in the dark or with details, scenes, and actors—transporting people to a place or time or simply keeping us on edge. I enjoy all of it, seeing what every haunt offers with a discerning eye and appreciation.
Scary Friends
After enjoying a few haunts, the friends I came with were nowhere to be found, but I stumbled across a couple of my new friends in the Shadows, Jamie and May, whom I met at a Halloween On Events pool party. As sweet and kind as they are beautiful, they give me hope for growing a Halloween friend group. I left them to get their scares and headed back to the show floor to find my missing friends and maybe make a few more.
With some cell reception and a little luck, we were reunited. Next was the search for Scare-cuterie. Creator of creepy culinary designs and author Lori Castellon was there, and I wanted the ghoul at heart to sign my book. I had been following her forever, so getting her to sign the book felt like meeting a friend, and her booth was beautiful and dark like her creations. I couldn’t thank her enough for the recipes that have given my party spreads a spooky upgrade.
With still so much to experience, I needed an energy boost and a dose of caffeine, and luckily Catfight Coffee was there to oblige. Based in New Jersey, I have only had the opportunity to enjoy Catfight at a few events. Their offerings included Beetlejuice and IT-inspired drinks in cute cups with colorful ingredients, but I went with a chai topped with a smoke-filled bubble. Now it was time to shop!
Boo-tique Experience
The vendors at Midsummer really went all out with their booths, beyond signage and decor. Discount Cemetery had a full-blown screen-printing shop set up, along with a van with skeletons driving and hitching a ride. Known for their Cremated Remains gear and funeral home wear, they have been on my radar for years. New to me were the UFO Recovery Team designs. Of course, their space was busy and looked like a party spot.
Nine years ago, at Midsummer, I found Rock N Horror and have been addicted to their designs ever since. With my closet filled with their tanks, tees, and even a kimono, I couldn’t wait to see what new pieces they had and was excited to see sundresses and a new bat design. The couple behind the brand, Mark and Janet, are as kind as they are creative, which makes finding them at horror events even more fun.
Getting Bat to Midsummer Scream
Halloween and horror have been a love of mine since I was little, but consciously making them part of my everyday is the life I live now, because I know this world makes me happy. Nine years ago, I was giving my energy elsewhere and just beginning to find the special events and places that existed beyond San Diego. Now I know the boutique brands and production companies behind the creepy creations I love. Midsummer Scream was part of my journey to connect with that world nine years ago, and it still is today, exposing me to new creators, brands, and experiences.
I didn’t get a chance to experience a quarter of the convention. It’s been nine years, way too long to go without allowing myself the fun and special spookiness that Midsummer Scream provides. The first time I came for one day with a Gold Bat Pass, and it was part of a whole Long Beach adventure with a stay at the Queen Mary and a ghost hunt outside of the event. Now I know I need all three days just to experience all it has to offer.
What I got on Saturday was just a taste, and it made me hungry for more. Next year, Midsummer Scream is moving to the Anaheim Convention Center for August 6–8, 2027. I need three days and a Bat Pass.