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Just when you think Midsummer Scream, Southern California’s premiere Halloween convention, couldn’t get any better, it does. Exceeding expectations year after year, the 2026 iteration heavily focused on horror musicals. From Broadway, parodies, tributes, to original staged pieces, love was in the air to belt out fan favorite show tunes.
The Halloween event hosted at the Long Beach Convention Center also held longtime stables with theme park announcements, themed food and drink, specialty merchandise, workshops, mini-haunts, sliders, screenings, cosplay, photo ops, cat adoption, and Saturday night after party.
As much effort as the event has continued to adjust operations every year throughout the weekend to accommodate its growing crowd size, 2027 will finally bring Midsummer Scream to the much larger and necessary move to Anaheim Convention Center.
Bringing horror themed musicals to the forefront really made August 7 – 9, 2026 standout over previous outings. We hope that momentum does not die out in the future. The Ghost Light Theatre was the prime place to be for live stage productions. Rockwell Musical Parodies presented “IT: A Musical Parody” featuring Garrett Clayton as Pennywise. “Scream’d: An Unauthorized Musical Parody” from Majestic Repertory Theatre in Las Vegas. “The Shining! The Musical!” from Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre music and lyrics by Matthew Patrick Davis (Barbarian). “Monsterville” with Barry Under Your Bed and LVCRFT. Hollywood Fringe Festival Winner “Final Girl: The Musical” written and performed by Callie Ott. We could only hope and cross our fingers the future hold musical parody revivals from the likes of “Edward Scissorhands” and “Stranger Things”.
The smaller Show Floor Stage was tucked to the back corner amongst the alley of vendors with standing room only to view guest performers throughout the day. Song and dance tributes to popular horror musical titles from Burbank’s Killer Fitness, The Return of the Living Drag Show, Rocky Horror shadow cast throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and Santa Ana College’s Ride the Cyclone.
You can count on Midsummer Scream fans to be excited for anniversaries and reunions of their favorite horror franchises, characters, cast, and crew members reminiscing about the making of and impact their projects have made on the industry. The original “Scream” film celebrated its 30th anniversary with meet and greets, photo ops, and panel discussion with stars Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy, Roger L. Jackson, and more. “Re-Animator: The Musical” and “Repo: The Genetic Opera” were recognized as well. Could “Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog” be in the cards?
The Grandball Room provided the biggest stage for the biggest presentations the weekend has to offer. New announcements debut on this stage for Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Scary Farm, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, and Queen Mary Dark Harbor. Peepshow Menagerie Famous Monstergirls of Burlesque on Broadway teased the audience with sultry routines. The Monster Musical Mash-Up Party brought attendees to their feet to dance the night away, pose for photo ops, and participate in the costume contest. If singing is more your vibe, the next room had karaoke waiting for you the belt out musical tunes. Albeit the room was far too small to accommodate the popularity of this offering.
Themed food, sweet desserts, and refreshing beverages could be found throughout the vendor floor. North Hollywood’s Horror Vibes, New Jersey’s Catfight Coffee, and Oxnard’s Deadly Sweet were among the popular selections. The convention floor opened up more space providing and better layout for food trucks, table and chairs, and open space for respite from shoulder to shoulder congestion.
The weekend proves the audience is thirsty for horror musical presence and that draw will only get stronger with Midsummer Scream’s relocation to Anaheim Convention Center in 2027. Local theater venues have already set their sights on the possibilities. Nocturne Theater goes back to back with “Dracula: The Musical” on August 6 – 23, 2026 and “Frankenstein: Resurrection – An Original Musical” on September 11 – 30, 2026. Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts hosts the national tour of “Phantom of the Opera” on August 12 – 30, 2026. GEM Theatre cuts in with “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” on August 20 – September 27, 2026 and takes flight with “Bat Boy” on October 9 – 25, 2026. Three Clubs in Hollywood takes another stab at “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” interactive parody and sing along to the musical episode.
Phantom Projects straps in to “Ride the Cyclone” on October 9 – 25, 2026. La Mirada Theatre of the Performing Arts turns green with “Little Shop of Horrors” on September 18 – October 11, 2026. Westminster Community Playhouse will double tap for good measure with the same title on May 14 – 30, 2027. Good times are to undeniably be had with horror and musicals.
If you missed your chance with Midsummer Scream at Long Beach, you won’t want to miss the event in Anaheim. For more information, visit https://midsummerscream.org/
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