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The coveted premier Halloween and horror convention of Southern California, Midsummer Scream, clawed its way back to Long Beach Convention Center on July 26 – 28, 2024. The annual gathering of the strange and unusual featured bountiful boutiques from fashion, figurines, art, baked goods, and other accessories that accent the vibrant halls. Industry professionals showcased their year-round businesses in inventive escape rooms, creative fog machines, intricate makeup, gruesome masks, and even thrilling axe-throwing.
Show Floor Photo Gallery
Spooky photo opportunities with favorite backdrops and sinister characters lurk around dark corners. Celebrities from favorite horror media met with enthusiastic fans from Dana DeLorenzo (Ash vs. Evil Dead), David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Jenna Davis (Lisa Frankenstein), and Mistress of the Dark herself, Cassandra Peters (Elvira). Guests with Gold Bat VIP status and party tickets ended Saturday night with a wild dance party in the Grand Ballroom.
A live DJ, mini-games, and a costume contest highlighted the procession. Featured sponsor, Mystic Museum, also provided Beetlejuice themed photo backdrops. No doubt in anticipation for the upcoming movie sequel later this fall. Cash bars were present as well as throughout the fun-filled weekend at Long Beach Convention Center.
Photo Ops, Characters, and Dance Party Photo Gallery
Hall of Shadows is a guest favorite area dedicated to feature condensed versions of haunted houses, whimsy displays, unique photo opportunities, and a show with sliders performing daring stunts. Fear Farm led guests through their decorative opening act leading into the dark hall. Entertainment company Lionsgate was a pleasant surprise sponsoring their own haunted house highlighting the movie studio’s horror franchises like “SAW” and “The Strangers”. Between appearances from Scooby-Doo’s Mystery Gang and Pizza Planet Truck, Hall of Shadows has grown to offer more thrills and chills in intimate but wide-open spaces.
Hall of Shadows: Spirits & Legends Photo Gallery
While small businesses share their passion for all things spooky through products, performance, services, and art, panel rooms provided a space to showcase current hot topics and exciting new offerings in the upcoming Halloween season. Six Flags Fright Fest at Magic Mountain revealed their focus on licensing popular intellectual properties between “Stranger Things”, “The Conjuring”, “SAW”, “Army of the Dead”, and “Trick ‘r Treat”. Netflix’s “Army of the Dead” should be promising utilizing the oldie but goodie Aftermath outdoor maze area.
Michael Dougherty, writer and director of “Trick ‘r Treat”, joined the panel as a surprise guest discussing his involvement with the project and encouragement to explore beyond what was seen onscreen such as graphic novel storylines. Six Flags Fright Fest seem to really want to push their own boundaries to deliver the scares.
Six Flags Fright Fest Extreme Photo Gallery
Thirteenth Floor has quickly grown in the Southern Californian Halloween market after concurring many other regions throughout the country. The company operates a slew of Halloween offerings from family-friendly affairs to downright scary. The biggest change for 2024 is switching their presence at the Queen Mary ship from Shaqtoberfest to the resounding return of Dark Harbour. A great emphasize has been taken to bring back what worked and resonate with long-time audiences whilst tweaking established mainstays. Secret bars are making a comeback.
Tokens can be purchased for entry so actors can focus their attention on the scaring instead of distracted guests trying to obtain the wooden coins. A new carousel ride has been refurbished with unique design work including horses with glowing eyes. Haunted houses are getting updated layout designs and new character background stories. The Stimson House will be the new home to immersive theater experience, Delusion. Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns in Whitter Narrows Recreation Area will expand their pumpkin carvings with sound and light shows throughout the entire display, light up the firepits for s’mores, pumpkin flavored treats, and inflatable bouncing.
In addition to axe-throwing and gellyball experience, LA Haunted Hayride gears up 2024 with new offerings like a mini escape room, interactive Madam Aurora’s Séance Theatre, operating scary-go-round, ringing doorbells for Trick or Treat houses, and a new collaboration with Grammy nominated recording artist, Janelle Monáe, getting her own haunted house experience called Monáe Manor. Crowd favorite Monte Revolta and his theatrical cover band was teased at the panel as well. As a side note, LA Haunted Hayride also collaborates year-round with Meyer2Meyer Entertainment putting on incredible theatrical productions at The Nocturne Theater in Glendale, California.
Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group Photo Gallery
While a panel was set aside to feature Cassandra Peters, better known to most as Elvira, it quickly morphed into a panel showcasing licensing products and art gallery announcement for Elvira’s legacy at Knott’s Scary Farm. The Walter Knott Theater during the Halloween event will be featuring a grandiose display of Elvria’s iconic turn as host from props and showpieces from past shows.
It is also said to project a video recording of her last show at the theater. Cassandra Peters will also be making personal appearances on select nights at Knott’s Scary Farm for photographs and signings with fans. The creative team made the announcement that haunted house Wax Works will be ending after the 2024 run. To celebrate, designers spoke about the creative development and behind the scenes stories and easter eggs of the wax themed house.
Other components of the event between show writing, maintaining costumes, and prop building also shined. More tantalizing announcements will be revealed during a special ticket event at Knott’s Berry Farm on August 22, 2024.
Knott’s Scary Farm Photo Gallery
Undoubtedly the biggest panel draw belongs to Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights closing the weekend event. John Murdy, creative director, once again takes the stage to adoring fans as he breaks a major haunted house announcement. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of classic horror movie “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, The Leagcy of Leatherface experience will take guests through the Sawyer family slaughterhouse. Different incarnations of Leatherface throughout the 9-film series will chase trespassers through the aptly named Hooper-Henkel meat processing plant.
A witty tribute to writer Kim Henkel and director Tobe Hooper. Being a history buff and former Studio Tour guide, John Murdy led the cheerful audience through his research of slaughterhouses influencing the haunted house being able to go beyond what was seen on screen. Universal Monsters continues the house tribute to classic horror icons. Eternal Bloodlines gets an all-female battle between the holy trinity of Dracula’s Daughter, She-wolf, and the mummy’s Anck-su-namun going against Bride of Frankenstein and Van Helsing.
The male descendants of Van Helsing have been eliminated. The last line of humanity’s defense against the monsters belong to the last female Van Helsing. After years of pleading, the soundtrack to the Universal Monsters haunted houses by guitarist Slash will be debuting in a collection on vinyal record. This will surely be a hot item upon release for super fans. Mexican horror cinema wrestling with monsters gets an inspired collaboration for a new scare zone called Luchadores Monstruosos. Merchandise based on this new line is available on Amazon.
Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Photo Gallery
Midsummer Scream let the cat out of the purgatory bag with an abundant supply of thrills, chills, and fun for fans of Halloween, horror, and macabre. From spooky shopping, to creepy showmanship, and inspiring artwork, the annual event at Long Beach Convention Center continues to draw big crowds and offer something for everyone of all ages and fandom. While many favorite moments and purchases were made, a personal highlight for the 2024 season was Peepshow Menagerie’s hour long Grim Grinning Burlesque inspired by Disney’s The Haunted Mansion.
Each act was based on a spectral resident of the maniacal manor with grace and humor. Forget Christmas in July, it’s all about Halloween! Midsummer Scream returns with more gruesome calamity on August 15 – 17, 2025. For more information, visit www.midsummerscream.org
