My wife and I really didn't plan on going to Midsummer Scream this year - I can't stress enough how…read morelast minute we found out about it, let alone how last minute we bought tickets for it! But sometimes you just gotta leap headfirst into an adventure and hope for the best! The Midsummer Scream Halloween & Horror Convention is held yearly at the Long Beach Convention Center for one weekend in August. Friday it's from 6PM-10PM, Saturday is from 11AM-7PM, and Sunday is from 11AM-6PM. Friday tickets are $40, Saturday tickets are $57, and Sunday tickets are $52. If you're not scared to spend, you can get a weekend pass for $73. If you're truly fearless, the VIP Gold Bat Pass is $199 that gives you priority access to admission (you can enter at 10AM), priority entry for panels/presentations/attractions, commemorative lanyard/badge & pin, and admission to the Saturday night party. We bought tickets for Sunday as it was the only thing not sold out. We arrived at the convention center around 9:40AM and it was packed from all sides! There are two main entrances on both sides of the center, so it really doesn't matter which side you choose. Both sides are split into multiple general admission lines. They passed out free tote bags and there were some people in horror costumes to take pictures with. Speaking of which, if you ever wanted to let your freak flag fly high and go all out dressing up, you couldn't have picked a better place! Loads of fans came dressed up in costumes and make-up - if you think you're overdoing it, you're not! Once the doors opened, the lines were quick to be guided inside (unless you have a bag, in which case security had to clear you). The ground floor had some photo ops and some food vendors. The main convention floor is below but wheelchair accessible (lots of disabled fans were present). They had a map of the area, but honestly unless you're there for a specific thing or person, just roam around! Horror and Halloween fans galore! It gets more crowded the later it gets, so the early fan gets the worm! The Hall of Shadows is its own section and features tons of mini haunted attractions like mazes, houses, and photo-ops. Very low-light and plenty of fog machines so watch where you're going! The Screaming Room showcases short films from around the world. The Black Cat Lounge is filled with cats to pet, cuddle or adopt. Paranormal Pixie's Pumpkin Patch is a gore-free and scare-free kid corner area with performances, book readings, coloring, and other child-friendly activities. Speaking of which, children 10 and under get free general admission to the convention with a paid adult guardian (2 free kids max per adult). The show floor is the biggest area and completely covered with vendors, celebrity booths, horror-themed coffee & treats, and much much more. If you're looking for make-up, they got it. If you're looking for cheap movies to buy, they got it. If you're looking for clothes/costumes/merch, they got it. You'll basically find anything and everything horror/Halloween related here, so make sure to get your steps in! There are also several photo-ops in every crevice and corner, so remember to charge your phone or bring your fancy cameras! We tried the Gorchata (horchata latte with pumpkin cold foam) from Coffinated Coffee, a churro cheesecake from Lunas Sweets and Treats, and a lemonade from a random stand. There are some food trucks out back and plenty of restaurants in the immediate area if you want actual food. We hit up every booth that had a spin wheel for free prizes like free/discounted tickets for Haunted Hayride, Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns, Evil Dead in concert, Street Food Cinema, and stickers/candy. Movie studios and theme parks had their own special photo-ops. Overall we had a blast for our first time at Midsummer Scream! Lots of things to see and do, lots of nice horror fans to interact with, lots of money to spend if you're not careful! Probably the biggest/only downside is that there are literally no places to sit, so be prepared to be on your feet all day! We saw some tables out back near the food truck area, but we were on our way to exit anyways. There's plenty of parking lots/garages in the area for different prices so don't stress over it (just remember where you parked though). We'd love to come back, but maybe next year we'll spring for the weekend passes so we can take our time and strategize better.

I've been going to this event for years and always have a great time. I just wish they made…read moreaccommodations for people who have chronic illness because my brother who loves going may not be able to comfortably or safely go anymore. There are no quickly accessible handicap only restrooms or front of line passes like other cons have for him and a caretaker. Making it impossible for him with UC and other health complications to comfortably and confidently attend even though he'd love to again. His health has declined but his love of horror has not! Maybe in future years, they can take this into consideration for people with chronic bathroom/stomach health conditions.

The Queen Mary's Dark Harbor presented a special Valentine's event called Dark Masquerade February…read more13th & 14th. It was the first time they hosted a masquerade, and they killed it! Dark Masquerade has scare actors like their usual Dark Harbor season, along with some horror experiences and a dance party. It's open from 7PM-12AM, but be sure to arrive early so you can experience everything they offer. Upon entering the Queen Mary, you walk through the corridors and see glimpses of their horror props to set the mood. It leads to the dance floor (aka The Ringmaster's Dark Masquerade), which is massive and blasts killer dance tracks. You're given complimentary masquerade masks once inside, so no worries if you don't bring your own. Speaking of fashion, it was a mixture of casual and people going all out for the masquerade theme. If you fear you'll be overdressed, there's no such thing here! Some of the masquerade costumes/masks people had were pretty impressive. There were three horror experiences: (1) Gale's Requiem - descend six fathoms deep into the ship to see the experiments of a mad doctor, ending with Gale's performance as she sings for the dead. There's several tables surrounding Gale so feel free to take your time. There's also a photo-op on your way to the elevator. (2) The Search For Mary - you're given a single red glowstick and must make your way through dark corridors as Scary Mary haunts you. While the idea behind it has potential, it's literally pitch black and the glowsticks are too dim so it's a wee bit too hard to navigate. I walked into a wall because you can't see anything and the scare actors aren't helpful in directing any poor soul that gets stuck. My wife got claustrophobic and she absolutely hated a part where you get on a catwalk and they simulate it about to drop. (3) Sweethearts' Slaughterhouse - groups are ushed through a bloody restaurant and must work together to piece together the menu of a deranged chef and his killer kitchen staff. It was fun as it was interactive with others, so play nice and everyone will have a good time. The horror dummies/gore was pretty crazy to see (some of it brings to mind Hellraiser). The experience ends with a choice of leaving through a hallway or crawling through an oven (vent). Our group chose the oven, which is a bit unforgiving if you have weak knees or are wearing any fancy clothes. Fyi there's a slide at the end of the oven so be sure not to fall like a cartoon character (like I did). Overall the horror experiences were cool, but the main thing we loved was The Ringmaster's Dark Masquerade. They also have scare actors on the dance floor to help keep your blood pumping. If you're worried about being the only ones dancing, fear not - once it got going, it didn't stop until the end of the night! It's a 21+ event, so there's bars/alcohol throughout the ship (naturally it's expensive). For food it's really just snacks like churros, pretzels, popcorn, cupcakes, chips, etc. If you want some fresh air, there's a jazz stage outside for a more chill time. They also had hookah tables outside if you feel the need to do that. I hope Dark Masquerade becomes a regular off-season part of Dark Harbor because it's way too much fun to be a one-off! Even if you don't like horror, the masquerade dance party was worth the price of admission. Try not to wear heels though because the ship is tricky to walk through as is (not to mention the grated catwalks). Strobe lights and fog machines are used in parts of the experiences. There's a special merch store located inside if you want a goodie/memento for the night. Dark Masquerade returns for the next 2026 Friday the 13th weekend in March, so don't hesitate to get tickets if you can!

It's been a while so an update is due…read more The highlights: -They've increased security for scare actors as well as DH patrons. *At first I was confused why I was being followed as the last one in mazes, then realized they were tracking things for everyone's safety. -They've increased first responder presence as well. I watched a few fire performances and the LBFD were checking in on their set times to be present. - The decor and makeup were done really well. I'd say a step above Knott's. - The hookah people were so so sweet! - Whatever fries they're selling with cotija, creama, meat, and spicy sauce get it. The price is on the high end, but my goodness they fill up two people! -The performances were awesome! I would try to plan on seeing the slider show, the "sideshow," and at least one of the fire performances on the major stage. -The bus from the park back to downtown was a refreshing thing to see. The misses: - Some things weren't explained or occupied which made things confusing. The boat near the whole bayou area where the voodoo queen reigned... You just walked through it and looked at stuff. There were no scare actors or anything. It was just an empty boat. - Some mazes required you to go up entire flights of stairs or dropped you off at them. It was weird. *certain mazes had accessible entrances but it didn't change everything to my knowledge. - Some mazes were not well-ventilated and really hot. - Having to leave on plywood boards oddly placed across the park's uneven ground made things rough for some. I had to help a man in a powered wheelchair who got stuck in the predicament. There's room for improvement, but it's also a decent haunt considering the talent.

This haunted was so fun. Each room was so creative and exciting with lots of connections to famous…read morehorror films. It was definitely not some cheap haunted house. The costumes, details, and projector going on outside were amazing and I was surprised it was FREE! This is a must on halloween

A very fun and scary experience for the kids. Definitely well thought out and planned.read more

This was my first visit to Shaqtoberfest and it was fun for the most part...except for parking. My…read morebf and I left around 6ish and arrived around 7:50pm maybe a little less. We were not expecting an hour long wait just to be told that we had to drive to another parking structure away from the event. Which took longer because there was traffic from the other cars that also were turned away. We ended up finding public parking which was $20. It was around 8ish by then, and the walk would have been a 45 min walk. Yes, we could have waited for the shuttle, but we just wanted to get there, so we ended up riding the Lime scooters to the event, which honestly was pretty fun! It saved a lot of time and we arrived, finally around 9pm. -- The event itself was pretty cool! Some people were generous enough to give us their VIP passes as they were leaving and we didn't have to wait in the lines for the mazes. The food was good, pricy but good, but what would you expect at an event? I enjoyed the Wack Shack since I love fun houses, and the bumper cars were great too! The Grey Ghost was my favorite! As it is inside the ship. The other mazes had a nice atmosphere to them, I liked that they weren't very short. The Engine room was really cool- overall everything was fun; 4 stars because of parking. Hopefully parking can be managed better in the future for everyone's enjoyment!

SHAQTOBERFEST!! Queen Mary Halloween fun is back!! Shaq…read morebrings family fun and horror mazes to life!

This was the worst $25 per person plus $25 So unorganized…read more I was here like 5 years ago they had some great lights at least and a cool movies. We came for the 12 days of Christmas and I couldn't really find any lights beside the ones on the top of the ship. You have to pay extra for everything $15 for gingerbread house ridiculous! No signage although they had staff around no one helping direct. Most sitting around or taking amongst each other. The gingerbread display on the second floor was a joke dark with not enough lighting. The Christmas decorations were random and not enough. There are Christmas trees on the first floor but no lights. Overall not worth paying to go to this event. Find somewhere to celebrate.

Wow! What a let down!…read more This non event was the absolute worst money could buy. Everything cost money and not a few bucks but, ginger bread house, MONEY! Make a holiday stocking MONEY. I've skating MONEY! I mean there legit wasn't anything you got for your almost 50 bucks ($almost 30 for ticket and $20 for parking) other than some bad singing and taking photos and rocking in a giant rocker for 4 mins! I would NEEEEEEEVER recommend this to anyone and the prices for food were SOOOOO ridiculous! Got chocolate in the reading time room was $9 for about 8oz . What a shame of a event.