Midsummer Scream was, well, a scream in so many ways! 2026 was their 10th year and they went all…read moreout to celebrate (as did us)! Wifey and I splurged on Gold Bat Passes this year and if you think it doesn't make a difference - it really does! With the convention getting bigger and bigger each year, Gold Bat is the way to go so you can see everything and not get FOMO. It comes with admittance for the entire weekend, priority entrance for Friday night, entrance an hour early on Saturday and Sunday, entrance to the Saturday night after-party, and priority entrance for panels and mazes. We booked a room at the hotel next door for the weekend so we got to come/go to drop off goodies when our hands got full. Speaking of which, there are so many vendors in all corners of the convention center that sell anything/everything Halloween and horror related. You're going to want to bring a bag, but if you don't they also pass out plenty of free tote bags (we got 6 just walking around!). Celebrities are aplenty taking photos and autographing stuff for fans. They can get a bit pricey, but if you're a fan it's hard not to convince yourself to splurge. It's the 30th year anniversary of Scream, so they had plenty of actors (and Marco Beltrami) appear. We took a picture with Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard (both of which couldn't have been nicer). Lots of Ghostface fans in costumes and masks! There are food vendors inside as well, but they're so pricey that you might as well go outside and walk to a nearby restaurant (unless you're super hangry and need an emergency fix). For drinks we had to go with our reliable Horror Vibes Coffee and then topped it off with sweet treats from Deadly Sweet (they consistently had one of the longest lines each day but their cookies are to die for!). The Hall of Shadows is their dark hall filled with haunted attractions/mazes by home haunters and professionals alike. Some experiences are shorter than others, but it hits the spot until proper spooky season in October (though every season is spooky season if you got the horror within you). There's a lot of fog machines so watch your step! This is really one of the better Gold Bat perks - instead of waiting in the General Admission line, you get your own shorter line and basically walk right to the front. We walked right on in for the majority of the mazes! There's an after-party on Saturday night that we were interested in, so we checked it out since we didn't have to pay extra for it. It was in the main ballroom with photo ops on the sides and tables/chairs surrounding the huge dance floor. The energy was kind of buns though - it took a long while for the dancing to fully swing into motion. Lots of lurkers staring from the sides and standing on the dance floor so heavy middle school vibes. Naturally a lot of fans had been there all day so the stank was overwhelming! The after-party also comes with a separate karaoke room and a screening room for a horror movie. If you're a horror/Halloween lover and haven't been to Midsummer Scream - for shame! It's so much fun with so many photo ops around, so much memorabilia/merch, so many free/discounted tickets for other events like Haunted Hayride, and so many fans united in spookiness. If you're thinking about going, follow them on social media and scoop up the Gold Bats as soon as they're available because they'll sell out quick. We can't wait to come back and make this a yearly tradition! We're already 2 years down and we found out that this is the last year Midsummer Scream will be in Long Beach. They have officially grown so much that in 2027 they're moving to Anaheim! We were there for the end of an era, and we'll be there for the beginning of the next!

I have always wanted to go to this convention/expo since I am a spooky girl. As a birthday gift, my…read morefiancé gifted me a pass for both of us this past Saturday. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the line was so long that it took us at least an hour and a half to enter the actual event. It was well worth the wait, and surprisingly, it went by fast, although we got sunburnt. I highly recommend investing in the VIP pass to avoid the long lines because this keeps getting busier each year. The convention itself is pretty cool, especially if you are a fan of everything spooky. You can find unique merch from small businesses such as Backstitch Bruja, Spooksieboo, DIY Light Guy, Bob Gurr, and Black Mast. Plus, there are many event attendees dressed as your favorite monster or whatever your little dark heart desires. Saw many cool costumes, and I was able to capture some in my photos. Convention parking is throughout the convention area in adjacent lots, and I paid $30 to park and walked over to the convention. I suggest trying to get an Uber if you do not want to deal with the traffic getting into a lot. You will be paying around the same amount or possibly more during peak times. There are also food trucks throughout the expo and snacks to enjoy while shopping, browsing, and having fun. In the Hall of Shadows, there are many mazes and photo ops to enjoy. Not too spooky, but you can get a feel of how Universal Horror Nights or Knott's Scary Farm is. So much fun! There are lots of panels, celebrity signings, Casa de Calaveras, and a Black Cat Lounge, but some lines were long, so I didn't get to experience them except for the Casa de Calaveras, which was pretty cool. Can't wait for next year's event, and I will for sure be purchasing the VIP pass to be able to experience more and get more out of my pass. Such a fun and spooky day!

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

My 15 year old son and his friends liked it, said it was pretty good. Lots of screaming preteens…read moreand clowns.

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

I paid to have the VIP experience at the Shaqtober Fest. I went on a Friday night! To be honest it…read morecould have been so much better. I felt it lacked reaching its full potential. I expected and it wanted so much more from this experience. Pros The performers were wonderful and offered great scares and a great experience. Cool haunted mazes and great bars throughout. Not a super large crowd! VIP had private bar, seating area, exclusive engine maze in Queen Mary. Great vibes and people. Cons ****We had to wait in the line with those who paid the regular admission to get on rides with VIP tickets ridiculous. **** There were only four carnival rides. A carousel, Farris wheel, bumper cars, and the spinner ride. I felt that there should have been more rides and variety. The food was just ok it was pinks hotdogs, corn, loaded fries, and funnel cakes. Pretty much basic carnival food. VIP tickets didn't include parking and we had to park off site which was a hassle without prior notification. We then had to be transported via shuttle to the event. Overall I am glad I went to the fest. If you go don't expect much and go at the normal ticket price not the VIP because for the price you pay there is not much of a difference.

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.