My wife and I really didn't plan on going to Midsummer Scream this year - I can't stress enough how last 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. read more

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I've been going to this event for years and always have a great time. I just wish they made accommodations 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. read more

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This convention was amazing! I came Saturday and event started at 11am. I parked at the pike which was $12 for the day. Walked about a block to the convention and the line was already moving ( people that came early were lining up for hours in the sun) However if u arrive a few minutes after 11 it's a breeze to walk in. It was a bit over whelming inside. Soooooo many activities. Hint come here with a plan! lol Also bring water and a portable Fan, it gets really hot inside due to the amount of ppl inside. There's so many cool horror attractions ( get there early for the horror mazes). There's a ton of cool photo ops, celebrity signings and small shops to buy from. There's plenty of food trucks outside as well as near by restaurants read more

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Well worth the hassle of going to Long Beach & convention parking. Was fun, goofy & entertainment. Lots & lots of costumed folks, (they recommend everyone do the same!), great photo opportunities. read more

We've been attending this event for several years and every year it has gotten bigger and better. So many small business vendors and talent to meet it is scary cool. Knott's Scary Farm, Queen Mary Dark Harbor and Universal are a few of the larger names that have booths and panels as well There is something for everyone from shopy, grabbing a specialty coffee or baked goods to even roaming the hall of shadows (which was my son's first taste of any haunt and he's been hooked like his sister and I ever since). There is also a crafts area for the kiddos (or adults who are young at heart). HorrorBuzz has the screaming room with tons of local talent and talent from a far screaming short films. Don't forget about the Black Cat Lounge as well where you can go play and see the kitties help support an awesome cause (LA Kitten Rescue). This year my daughter and I did one full day (exhausting but fun) but a weekend pass is best so you can spread out your days and check out different events throughout the convention. Such a great way for Halloween lovers/enthusiasts like us to break up the summer and kick off haunt season a little early. read more

I came to the first couple Midsummer Scream events and they were awesome! I don't know what happened but today (July, 2024) I was beyond disappointed. It was super crowded, super hot, and there was no where to sit (also no baby changing stations in the women's restroom). The vendors sold complete junk! After paying $50for admission, I was hoping to see more than cheesy stickers, pins, and air fresheners at 90% of the booths. I would highly recommend saving your money and going to Som of Momsterpalooza or another Halloween event. read more

I went to Midsummer Scream this past Saturday. I enjoyed my time at the convention. I got to attend the Original Monster Kids panel and A Curious Conversation with Christine McConnell. I also walked the exhibition hall where I bought some pomade from the Mystic Museum. During my visit, I got food and drink from the on-site Pacific Cafe. I really like the theme of Horror and Halloween for Midsummer Scream. It's nice being around fellow fans of the the horror genre and enthusiasts of Halloween. I would definitely consider attending another Midsummer Scream convention. The only issues I saw when I was at the convention was that some of the policies for entry were not enforced. Some people did not get their bags checked, some people wore backpacks, and some brought in outside food. read more

Unfortunately this year I will probably not be back, which is a shame because the convention is a favorite of mine. If you are going to do a convention that will always see some of the hottest weather, there should be some shade offered for guests, since it took us almost two hours to get into the place, getting there early, tickets in hand. The line was down into the street, it was absolutely crazy. I have gone others years, and it was no where near as bad as this. It is too bad, because they have a lot of great stuff to offer, though 2022 seemed to be more about massed produced items, and not more unique handmade artist stuff. I hope they make improvements for 2023 for the sake of their fans read more

The hubby and I went on a Friday, which I'm now kicking myself for because I hear there were a lot more things to do on a Saturday. But it's ok, I wanted to see what it was about before completely diving myself into it. I enjoyed looking at all the vendors and what they had to offer. I enjoyed learning about other potential festivities with like minded people. Loved the sights, loved the sounds, love to be among weirdos like me. Absolutely recommend this even. read more

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What an amazing overwhelming time at Midsummer Scream 2023. I will go every year. The vendors had more than I expected, the people who attended where friendly and frighting to those who get frightened and a true Blast was had by ALL at Midsummer SCREAM 2023 !! read more

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They had mid summer right on the dot! Man that day was hotter than the melting flesh on the walking dead. I must admit I'm not the one for goblins and ghouls jumping out and scaring you, but you withstand gore for the ones you love? My boyfriend happens to be a sucks for all things spooky and heart racing, so we ended up at mid summer scream. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the people who dressed up! The make up was amazing and of course hairline close to the amazing outfits. We had the pleasure of walking through isles and isles of awesome custom mask, custom spooky shirts, live fx make up tutorials, diy tomb stones and so much more. Mid summer scream is perfect for any gore gal or guy! read more

Midsummer Scream - Festivals Near Me - Long Beach, California

Been here since 10:45 and the line didn't start moving until 11:50. It's now 12:45 and there's probably another 30 minutes until we reach check in. Poor crowd control. People checking in are clueless and clustered all together in the shade instead of walking the line and checking in and handing bracelets. Not sure if they changed organizers because it didn't used to be this bad but 2019 and this year were by far the worst as far as line control and entry. Doubt I'll be back. read more

Disappointing this year to be very honest with you guys. Highlights 1. The line moved way faster to get in this year, i appreciate that very much! It helped everyone get in at a quick speed. Cons 1. Most of the mazes look like they were scrapped up and built in one night. Come on guys, this is supposed to be mid summer SCREAM! Not mid summer poorly done mazes. I think the only maze I give major props to is fear farm. They actually knew what they were doing, and they made it interactive the entire time. If all your mazes looked and felt like fear farm, I would say this is totally worth it. The rest lacked monsters, and some didn't even have any inside. Not to mention the poorly designed ones that had last minute stuff put up. You guys can do better than this if you are going to make more mazes. 2. Your line up of famous artists are ridiculous. Everyone wants 40-80 bucks for a picture and autograph? what happened to humble artists not looking to profit even more off fans? There is low income/ middle income families attending this event. Kids look up to some of these famous people. And to still charge them is ridiculous, get rid of these last section or at least fill it with artists not looking to rip off fans. 3. What happened to all the vendors? 2022 had WAY more vendors with a variety of different things for sale. This seemed a way smaller amount this year. 4. Please create more interactive shows and events like escape rooms, mazes, fun games for everyone to play, circus freak show dancers, haunted bar for adults, magic shows and even a room showing the goriest,scary clips from movies of all time. You guys are lacking more creative content. This felt more like a swap meet put together last minute. 5. Mazes should NOT close, if theme parks can leave them open from 6pm-2am so can you. Find monsters to cycle and change shifts to keep crowd entertained. We paid good money already to get in. 6. The focus of this event is too much on SELLING stuff, please create it into more of a interactive true Halloween experience. I can go to the swap meet for 5 bucks to get in and buy half this stuff sold here. Focus more on entertainment with better mazes, better shows, and exclusive stuff! read more

Comi-con for Halloween , a great convention of you like Halloween & Halloween technologies, i do reccomend the golden bat pass you can avoid the lines -- & get in sooner-- strategy: go to the hall of shadows first to avoid the crazy long lines then hit the vendor hall, lots of fun here also , I'll keep mid summer scream on my yearly to do list read more

Midsummer Scream - Festivals Near Me - Long Beach, California

I wish some of the old vendors will come back like Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles. They should keep bringing in good panelists and vendors who offer freebies. One year I got a voucher for free admission to Winchester House. read more

We had a great time!! We made it on Sunday but were there for nearly the entire day! This was our first time at the convention so we had a lot to explore! We had the 'front of the line' passes which were more expensive but we made them worth it! We didn't do the haunted houses but the pass would have definitely been helpful for that section. The showroom was really neat. We had some great photo ops with the Adams Family and the Suicide Squad! We also chatted with some of the very talented artists. I try not to buy too much at these events but it is so hard! The art and clothing is sometimes too good to pass up. We made it to the Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights presentation with the directors and that was really neat. It was great seeing what was in store for this upcoming Halloween! We also made it to the preview of Slash, the Musical. It was really funny and the actors were very talented. I'm glad we made it in time to see the presentation. I never thought this type of thing would be for me as I'm not a huge gore and horror fan but they really did a good job making this convention fun for everyone and for all ages! read more

Midsummer Scream - Festivals Near Me - Long Beach, California

Complete and utter awesomeness. Elvira was here! She was signing autographs for a fee. Sid Haig was here, too. I had so much fun on Saturday that I wanted to go back today. I also enjoyed shopping here. I bought a couple of prints from Owen Klaas. I purchased nail polish from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab. Thank you to Yelp OC (Nate, Natasha and Ryan, as well as Midsummer Scream, for the free tickets. I had a blast! I will update my review with pictures later on today. read more

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Big Halloween fan as in the holiday Halloween. I have gone every year, they have a lot of horror merch you can buy, cool little experiences, performances, interesting panels as well as my favorite... little halloween mazes!!! It happens in july, getting your halloween fix in the summer!! You also get to learn about upcomming haunts or attractions and sometimes the vendors give u discounts!! Soo much fun!!! read more

Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival at the Long Beach Convention Center took place on July 30-31st 2016. Two day passes were available, but I was only able to attend Sunday. I was disappointed that the yelp booth was nowhere to be found. So , I never got my complimentary bottle opener with my Yelp check in . I'll live....I think... Let me get the negative out of the way first so I can then focus on the good stuff. It was super crowded and hot. The air must have been broken in the main event area. It was so packed people were bumping into each other, I felt like a herd of cattle. Mooooove. There was so much fake smoke from the haunted areas that mine and my friends eyes were burning after about two hours of exploring the event . Less smoke please. I was in the Grand Ballroom for the six flags fright fest panel seated watching the Q&A and an actor in the event came up behind me and yelled in my ear ( in an attempt to scare me I guess ) And gave me a migraine. My ear rang for a good ten minutes and then I had to call it quits because I felt sick. Now the good stuff. Hagen Dazs gave out free ice cream cups served on a corpses foot. Very amusing and great treat for it being so hot. There were tons of booths. I easily spent three hours looking at all the costumes, masks , artwork, home made crafts, makeup booths, spooky foods, and so much more. There were escape rooms , asylums, hall of shadows , Sci-Fi Maze, zombie shooting arcade, and a crafts for kids area. Black cat kitten rescue was in the entrance to the convention center. Guests could play with and adopt a kitten. Awesome! Overall this was a very enjoyable event. I would definitely go again, but I will keep my distance from the characters because that one guy ruined the rest of my day. I understand that spooking is part of the fun , but please don't yell in people's ears. read more

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I was the lucky recipient of a pair of tickets for Saturday to the Midsummer Scream Halloween Festival which was held at the Long Beach Convention Center. This is their first year doing this type of event in Long Beach. If you're familiar with Scare LA, it's very similar. Check-in was easy and we had our wristbands at open. There were panels all weekend long with interesting talks ranging from costume makeup to ghost towns. The convention floor had a ton of different vendors from all over who were selling spooky, scary, morbid items to tantalize the inner Halloween geek in everyone. They even had a full scale maze that involved a chemical outbreak and zombies. Different theme parks were represented too. If you wanted to step up your game in decorating for Halloween, this festival is for you. There were plenty of artists on hand doing makeup as well. We even received free Haagen-Dazs samples on the convention floor. We were there from 11 am to about 3:30 pm so it was a pretty eventful day. My friends were coming back the next day as well to check out the different panels. Definitely interesting stuff if you're a horror genre fan. Thanks to Yelp for the tickets. read more

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Midsummer Scream had another successful run! It was their second year and our second time attending. Midsummer Scream is the perfect way to get a head start on celebrating Halloween! Enjoy a hot weekend in July inside the air conditioned convention filled with panels (Horror Nights, Queen Mary, Knotts Scary, etc), live shows, exhibitors selling goods, Hall of Shadows containing mini mazes, and even a pet adoption! First of all, plan accordingly and allow yourself time to find parking! We took 30 mins to get a spot at the Pike Outlets because the convention lot was full. This year, there was a bag check upon entrance. We were able to bring in our water bottle and I noticed others with Starbucks drinks. There is food available for purchase inside, food trucks directly outside, or walk across the street to Pike Outlets. There is a lot to see and do throughout the whole event. You'll find plenty of creatively costumed guests (yes, you're encouraged to dress up), photo ops and autograph signings (Elvira, Sid Haig, to name a few), scare actors, Halloween attractions, escape rooms, exhibitor booths selling unique goods including soap, art, clothing, jewelry, masks, props and more! I did see a lot of babies and kids, so it's up to you if you think your kids can handle it! Scare actors roam around the entire convention with intentions to scare people. There are also guests who dress up gory or scary. I saw a dad with 3 young kids crying inside the Hall of Shadows which is dark, foggy, and infested with scare actors. We attended the Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights panel, as we did last year. John Murdy and Chris Williams let us in on some behind the scenes info and photos for this years HHN as well as when tickets will be on sale! HHN never announces when tickets will be on sale so that was a big deal for me! We watched Zombie Joe's Urban Death Show (because we saw it last year so I knew what to expect and I was too chicken to try something new). It was different than last year! It's best to go in blind and not know what to expect! Front of line passes will work for panels, shows, and inside the Hall of Shadows for the mini mazes. Just make sure you're in the right line! I've had a great impression of the MS staff since last year when I had to contact them about an issue which they resolved. This year, I asked them a question on Facebook and they replied within 5 mins! Staff at check in was friendly! I've been following them on social media and they always seem so proud and dedicated to what they do. Also, I witnessed a dad and his son thinking they were smart by opening the outside gate to attempt to enter the event, but were abruptly stopped by security! I know security isn't really MS staff, but props to him! Thank you to Yelp and Midsummer Scream for the tickets! If you enjoy attending Halloween attractions or love anything spooky and can't wait for October, come to Midsummer Scream!! read more

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It's fun with a lot of great vendors but the mismanagement is almost unforgivable. 3 hours after being open the line is still over an hour to get in. It is inexcusable. I love this convention, but get your ish together. read more

I think most people have heard the expression of "Christmas in July," now Long Beach plays host to "Halloween in August" with Midsummer Scream. What is next? Easter in December? I imagine egg hunting back east in the dead of winter would be almost as popular as a snowman building contest in the middle of the California summer. The better half and I were made of aware of this event by Erica and Jessica after they informed us they would be working at the RestxInxPeace Stall ( https://bit.ly/2OF3Np8 ) which is operated by our "adopted" daughter Lindsay: "Did you have any interest in Lindsay's Halloween Convention?" This was followed by "No pressure." Rohlinism: The phrase "No pressure" usually has the opposite effect! After a short debate, the better half was buying tickets online for Saturday which ran $38, but Lindsay was able to give us a code which reduced the price to just under $70.00 for both our tickets. Sunday tickets are $32.00, a two day pass goes for $55.00 and Gold Bats Weekend Pass for $95.00 which gets you in an hour early both days, front line privileges to panels and mazes and access to a Saturday night party. We arrived in Long Beach at 8:30am and was in line ( https://bit.ly/2Yr9rQ4 ) about 8:46am after we had paid $15 to park in one of the public structures near the convention center. Ignore anything online about needing to get there early because parking is scarce. I counted at least three public structures plus the parking under the convention center so there is no reason to show up early. The event didn't open until 11:00am, but the line started moving around 10:30am. In the meantime, we sat in line and came to the conclusion that even Freud would classify the majority of people there as "weird." If I am in a group of people and appear to be the normal one then you know you are dealing with people that are a few tiles short of a set of dominoes. One of the best costumes was one of the Hitchhiking Ghosts ( https://bit.ly/2T6VGjI ) from the Haunted Mansion. One thing the organizers did well was verifying tickets ahead of time and doing pre-bag checks which allowed to skip a bag check and walk right into the venue. Once inside ( https://bit.ly/2OOyTLc ), the event is divided between two levels with the lower level dedicated to several hundred vendors and the upper level having panels and live shows. The staff handed out maps, programs and recyclable bags and the bags came in handy since our first stop was buying a Poison Apple ( https://bit.ly/2Kh9K7x ) from Lindsay. If you are interested in her apples, here is the website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/restXinXpeace We took some time to look at the panels and live shows, but only one sounded interesting: A Chilling Legacy: 50 Years of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. The time coincided with us getting hungry and hunger won out so we missed the panel. Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) was there doing photo ops and signing autographs, but I really didn't see the point of waiting for a pic since she wasn't in make up / costume. I think there was close to 1000 vendors on the lower level and we were interesting in less than 5 percent of them. After making our purchase from Lindsay, we started wandering through the stalls and ran into the cutest bunny ( https://bit.ly/2ZvC1wn ) we had ever seen. Seeing the Mystery Machine ( https://bit.ly/2YGayur ) from Scooby-Doo brought me back to Saturday mornings as a child watching the show religiously no matter how many times the episodes repeated. For those of you who are into Yard Gnomes, one of the vendors ( https://bit.ly/33lLPvc ) had a Gnome Zombie Apocalypse on display. One of the more interesting exhibits in our opinion was the Happy Haunts Museum ( https://bit.ly/2YHOdg6 ), but this is not affiliated with Disneyland. The stall had a replica of the sign ( https://bit.ly/33fvPef ) posted while the mansion was still under construction, a board game ( https://bit.ly/2GO0uFH ) and other memorabilia from the 50 years of the Haunted Mansion. Next to the museum was a Honda Fit ( https://bit.ly/2MEAfp5 ) in a custom Haunted Mansion wrap with a small coffin in the back. Another of the more interesting exhibits was a full body make up demonstration ( https://bit.ly/2YDneyd ) and I have to give props to the three subjects being stuck standing still for hours on end. We played Spin the Wheel ( https://bit.ly/2Kq6Zj1 ) sponsored by the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride and both won 50 percent off tickets for the event. I felt the Hall of Shadows was a letdown with the mazes having Disneyland type lines without the Disney magic and the Halloween displays were hit and miss. There is plenty of food to be had between the food trucks, several restaurants across the street and vendors on the lower level, but I didn't seem one food item themed to the event. I saw some interesting things here, a few things I wish I could unsee, but unlike most horror films, there will be no sequel to this event! read more

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Midsummer Scream is held at the Long Beach convention center in Long Beach California. As the name suggests, It is held over two days during summer, Saturday and Sunday. Showtime begins at 11 AM, but if you purchase a gold bat ticket you can enter earlier. Purchase as far in advance as possible to get the lowest priced ticket (we bought ours late April and they were only $20 each) The line starts at the promenade and can go all the way to Shoreline Village. It gets really warm outside so I suggest you bring an umbrella, sunglasses, and sunblock. Sometimes the wait for entrance can be about an hour long. Parking is available next to the convention center for $15. All the logistics aside, this horror convention is AMAZING !!!! It blows Monsterpalooza out of the water for sure. There are more vendors, artists, and even mazes. We even decided that next year we'd skip Monsterpalooza and do two days of Midsummer Scream instead (of course you can do both, the more the merrier!) The cosplays and amount of people dressed for the event was awesome. They also had plenty of scare talent walking around. My sole complain would be that with summer heat and the amount of guests, the AC wasn't cranked up high enough! However the Grand Ballroom was so nice and cold. We sat down and listened to a panel to cool down. Two big thumbs up for Midsummer Scream! We will return again! read more

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Another unique experience thanks to yelp. I've won yelp tickets this year that allowed me to go on either saturday or subsidy with the Front Of The Line passes!! It was a great experience. I have never been to any type of leisure/ non work related convention before, so i didn't know what to expect. The closest thing that come across my mine would be a Halloween scary version of comic con, which someone that works three actually told me the same thing! And apparently this is also the same setup as scaredLA. That makes sense. Anyways, we went on a Sunday around noon, and walked through the workshops room for for film and theatrical setup to see the acting, learning how to build tension for movies etc. Oh and there is a car rescue on site which i thought was random . But make dyer to more the time that each room is playing for you to plan better. So we note the time and move onto the convention itself. I like that they show you how the scary make up was done with the cast member. Then, as you enter and have lots of booth selling the pre make up mask for purchase. They have knotts, Sinister Pointe, escape bus, and other escape room and maze related booths there. Knotts are hiring cast, which i was tempted to go. Sinister Pointe offer wheel spins for free gifts or potential ticket winning. Oh, there is even Hugh set up of arcade shooting game. pretty interesting. There are also alot of kids around, which i was surprised because there are lots of "scary" people around . Lol. I believe kids are free for admission with adult tickets. That's pretty awesome. Going into the mazes, i think we were a bit early that few of them are not ready , i say about 25% . So if you are coming for the mazes, combs a bit later like around 2 to 3 pm. And i also don't see any seperate line fir the Front Of the line passes. It was hard to navigate in the dark. So as to speak, we didnt get into more mazes then we want because of the long lines. But for the ones that we did go in, it was pretty fun. And yes, i was scared. And being up close with these actor and actresses, it's a lot physical stamina to do what they do. Overall, it was a fun, unique experience from someone didn't know what to expect. But we do enjoy the mazes, although the theatrical performances in the rooms are the highlight of this convention. Its a immersive experience in the dark with great pacing and light effect. And of course the amazing acting too. However, it is 18 and over only because of the nudity. Thanks again to the OCyelp for the great opportinity again. read more

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Hello all, I experienced midsummer screams 2022 yesterday, July 29th(Friday).First, I suggest that you park at the events parking structure,it was only $15 for the whole day.I think it was worth parking here as when you leave the event at the end of the night,youre pretty tired and want to get to your car as soon as possible. My friends and I arrived at 5pm to this event and there was a huge line already(at least 200 people already).I was a bit disappointed with the time they started allowing people in.The event was scheduled to begin at 6pm.They did not allow us to enter until 6:40pm.Thats 40 minutes later than expected!Keep in mind that Friday was shorter hours(6pm-10pm) than Saturday and Sunday. As we entered the event,they had us go through metal detectors but they did not check our bags.As in most events,food and drinks were expensive.I suggest that you eat before coming or wait to eat afterwards.As I mentioned,they did not check bags so you may want to bring a closed water bottle. I enjoyed the different and various costumes people wore to this event. I especially enjoyed seeing kids at this event enjoying themselves.Many kids came dressed up as well.There were many vendors and merchandise,and plenty of picture opportunities.The highlight for me was seeing Greg Nicotero. I was able to take a picture of him Overall,my friends and I enjoyed ourselves at this event. read more

Family I had a great time. Micah the magician's show was the highlight for us. The Halloween museum was really cool too read more

Midsummer Scream - Festivals Near Me - Long Beach, California

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My wife and I went on Saturday and got there around noon, the line wrapped around the convention center is was quite possibly the longest line I've ever waited in. That being said the line moved rapidly and honestly it was kinda fun watching all the people, the extremely nice young lady (teacher from Orange county)behind us made the entire 1+ wait enjoyable . Once inside we were immersed in a plethora of Halloween delights, vendors, displays, haunted house previews and more people dressed in high quality costumes than I've ever seen. I would have given it 5 stars if the "after dark party" from 8pm to midnight was better but unfortunately it was not worth the money or energy it took to get in costume. read more

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This was me and my son first time attending Midsummer Scream Convention in Long Beach. Our minds were completely blown. The costumes were outstanding. I was soo happy to see characters interacting with my son. He's 13 with Autisum Spectrum. They really love what they do and live for it. My son took countless pictures with your characters, and it was FREE!! My son said "we are attending every year, and I agree. Thank you for doing what you do and making this an awesome experience for him and for me. read more

Not at all what I thought it would be. I was hoping the mazes would be more than just teasers. I also didn't expect for Elvira to charge for autographs when she was not in costume. The festival was more of a place for vendors but they weren't selling much other than jewelry, masks and some bathroom stuff. I was hoping to see costume sales, scary movies, housewares, towels, I don't know maybe other stuff that true Halloween people love but have a hard time finding off season. The make up display was awesome! Some of the cosplayers were awesome including the Mike Myers dude. I attended one of the presentations on Dia De Los Muertos, not bad but I wish it had been the full presentation. I am not so sure it's worth it to come but I did meet some interesting like minded individuals. Parking was terrible, there was the crawfish festival going on too so there was no parking. It took an hour to find parking at the outlets across from the Convention Center. I did have loads of fun and will probably come back next year. read more

The event was way oversold, couldnt move around comfortably to check out all the vendors, stood still many times waiting for traffic of people. This event needs to be moved to a larger venue if tickets are going to be oversold, serious fire Hazzard too. Money first over the safety of it's patrons, do better Midsummer Scream read more

Finally getting around to writing a review! Around this time, the Halloween fever is finally starting to leak into the general public, but at Midsummer Scream, it's already time for Halloween in summer. I was given the opportunity to come for Day 1 by Ryan C. (thanks!), and it was great because I wouldn't normally choose to go to a con like this. My favorite part of the con BY FAR was the main hall with all the vendors. So much awesome, unique merchandise to be seen, including creepy soap, coffin-shaped purses, props, masks, random horror memorabilia, and so much more. The complimentary Haagen Dazs was pretty nice too. There was a very festive atmosphere in the hall, and a lot of scare actors walking around practicing their scare tactics on unsuspecting bystanders. There are a lot of other things to see. I didn't go into the mazes, but I did watch a weird horror play with naked people in it. Yup, something for every kind of Halloween enthusiast here! I went to a couple of panels, many of which had to do with the unveiling of Halloween attractions. The one for Queen Mary Dark Harbor was very fun. I also loved the artist gallery with all the creepy sculptures and paintings. If Halloween is your favorite holiday (it's mine), Midsummer Scream is great to get you pumped, plus you might need two months to get ready for it anyway. read more

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I just got home from the 2018 Midsummer Scream Festival, and have to share with others how disappointed I was in it. This was my first time, and bought my ticket ahead of time (around $34 for general admission online). I read as much as I could about the convention and saw that the doors opened at 11:00 am, and that certain pass holders would be admitted 1 hour earlier. So I foolishly thought arriving around 11:30 am would be smart, and get me into the convention center by noon. Wrong! All parking structures within several blocks of the convention center were full, and I had to wait for 95 minutes (yes, 1 hour and 35 minutes) to park in a structure about 1/5 mile from the festival (for $15). By now it was after 1 pm and I (again!) foolishly thought there wouldn't be much of a line to get into the festival. Wrong again, another 70 minutes in line to get into the festival. Needless to say inside the convention center it was over crowded, hot, and no where to sit down. The panel sessions were overcrowded and impossible to get into without the special pass that allows you to to the front of the line. The 'Hall of Shadows' was overrated - extremely long lines, and the 'attractions' you really wanted to experience charged extra for admission. Some of the displays were outstanding, and the wondering zombies and characters were great. The show floor was packed, and was filled with vendors selling face paint/makeup, masks, DVDs, t-shirts, and just about everything else you can buy at any Halloween store in America (or better yet, online). There were a few vendors which specialized in special effects, and some truly unique products, but the majority sold junk and tchotchkes you can find at any Spirit Halloween store. Overall, I was very disappointed. I was expecting much more vendors selling unique decorations, costumes, and other Halloween themed products. And I felt the majority of what was sold was just what you can find online, or at any local Halloween store. So save yourself $50+ and several hours of your time and just go online to buy your Halloween mask & makeup....or anything else along those lines you want. I think you'll be happy you did. read more

This was Really Cool! Thank you to Ryan C. and YELP for getting my name on the list. It was a cornucopia of things Halloween. There were lots of vendors selling everything scary. this includes but not limited to, make-up, decorations, costumes, masks, art, statues, jewelry, candles, lights and fog. There were venders there to help you plan and execute your Haunted House. There were venders there advertising THEIR Haunted Houses, and much more. They had some Haunted House type things set up but I could not participate this time. But next time i can. There was panel discussions and presentations as well. I had a good time and look foreword to going next year - if they have it. My favorite part is always seeing all the people in Costume. Some of them are so incredibly creative it's amazing. read more

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SUPER FUN CONVENTION! I had the front of the line pass so I got to skip the line for scary mazes. The mazes were great and all unique. There was a dealers hall just like at any convention. There were masks you could purchase and get your face painted with fx makeup to look like whichever mask you purchase from the Mr. Piggy from AHS to zombies and aliens. There were stands that were selling clothing, art, masks, etc related to horror. There is also a laser shooting game set up for zombies so you can win a prize like huge dolls. There was also some bartenders with a table where you may purchase drinks. Keep in mind I paid $4 for water so come prepared. Just like all conventions, they had panels and meet and greets. It was an amazing experience and you got to see so many people dress up while staying in character. It really got my excited for Halloween. There was a performance with actors dressed up in scary costumes. It was strange and eccentric, maybe? I didn't quite get it. The actors pretended to fight and then had knee pads to slide on, then jump over each other? There were food trucks outside like miso hungry and this waffle truck--but you're also next to the Pike so you can definitely stop by and get food somewhere nearby. Parking is $15 but you could find parking near the Pike and walk. read more

First time going this year and it was amazing! Only pay for the Gold Bat if you don't want to wait in lines for the mazes. Not really worth it as I will save my money and use it for the fast passes to Knotts or Universal for their parks at Halloween. Still, lots to do and see. Kid friendly too. Tons of sick pic opportunities and lots of cool stuff to buy. I do wish they could get bigger names to sign though. As for the crowds...it gets mega crowded. We got there at 11:45 and waited in line for 45min before we got in. The line does move though so its not all that bad. The smart thing to do is drive in to another part of the LBC and take a 10min uber ride. That worked out great in my opinion. Can't wait till next year! read more

This year was the convention's first major year since 2019 due to the pandemic, so it was a real test to see how well they've prepared for the inevitable crowds of horror fans who are itching for a fun and spooky escape from the mid-summer heat. Unfortunately, I do think they failed in many aspects. The line to get into the convention this year was absolutely the worst I've ever been in anywhere, and that's a real statement given we are in SoCal where lines and traffic are a way of life. There were simply not enough staff checking attendees in. One check-in employee shouted at us that "kindergartners could figure it out" as we tried to figure out where to go amongst the disorganized, clunky mess of a line. No, ma'am, kindergartners certainly could not have figured out that disjointed mess. The line for our group was well over an hour and I saw reports on social media of others waiting 2+ hours to get in, standing outside in the blazing summer sun. I don't know if it's the convention center at fault for this one or the organizers of the event, but it left much to be desired. At the very least, there needs to be more check-in areas and a more streamlined check-in process. Then, inside the event, the lines for mazes in the Hall of Shadows were each over an hour for general admission attendees, plus there weren't simply not enough interesting panels or panels that overlapped with others to make it feel truly worthwhile of the money spent. I 100% believe that Midsummer is trying to make the GA experience as horrendous as possible so you'll shell out for the Gold Bat front of line pass. If the problem is LBCC, then the event needs to be moved to a bigger venue, like LA Convention Center. Whatever the problem is, it's becoming increasingly uncomfortable and not worth it to attend on the GA ticket. Really disappointing as a horror fan who has also been coming to Midsummer Scream every year since its inception in 2016. One positive -- the vendors! Lots of great items for purchase from small businesses. read more

This was my first year going to Midsummer Scream. I've heard good things about it so decided to go pretty last minute. I bought a gold bat weekend ticket (which included 1 hour early entry/could go in at 10 AM instead of the regular opening time of 11AM). Also you get a Gold Bat pin, FOL privileges, and entrance to the costume party on Sat night. Cost of Gold Bat weekend pass was $94 (including tax). I think most parking lots around the convention center was $15 (not sure since I stayed at Hyatt next door and paid for parking there. Get there early for parking since parking lots do fill up. I give it 4 stars because it's a pretty decent festival. Lots of vendors selling interesting stuff (all Halloween themed or related). Loved seeing people dressed up in costume or cosplay. There were wandering "monsters" that would come up to scare you. Panels were pretty good. I went to the Queen Mary's Dark Harbor panel, and the Universal Studios HHN panel. Both were done well. The Hall of Shadows was pretty cool. Quite a few mazes that were pretty good. Theming was on point and lots of people out to scare you :) This is the 3rd year for Midsummer Scream, and from what I could see, they attract a lot of people who want to check it out. Both days were sold out (which is great for a 3 year old festival). Cons: The food choices were not the best. Mostly greasy type food (pizza, etc) inside the Convention Center. Outside there were about 3 food trucks (a pizza one, a BBQ one, and one other that I don't remember). The BBQ one was tasty (cost was $17 for pulled pork sandwich, a side of mac n cheese, and a bottled water). The convention building AC wasn't that strong. It seemed that the AC on the main floor and the entrance area was lacking and it was really hot. The AC in the main ballroom was nice and cold though. I probably will try to go to Midsummer Scream again next year since I had a good time this weekend read more

I had a blast at Midsummer Scream! Thank you, Ryan C! Parking was easy (and free!!), the check-in/wristband process was completely easy and fast, the exhibitors in the Hall of Shadows were varied (and scary!!), and the exhibits and presentations were a scream! Midsummer Scream is a unique event sure to please horror and cosplay enthusiasts alike. I especially enjoyed watching Mudd the Magnificent's performance and the various MUAs showcasing their amazing talents live! The one thing I would like to see done differently next year is that I would like the vendors/exhibitors to be more varied. read more

A fun time for Halloween fans of all ages. I was especially impressed by the professionalism and organization achieved by this first year festival/convention. It was wonderfully done. There was a great variety of booths from haunts to escape rooms to merchandise to VR experiences. The workshops and panels were great too. read more