The world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, Midsummer Scream, is looking to kick off the Halloween season early this year when it takes over the Long Beach Convention Center from August 15-17, 2025. With more than 350 vendors from around the world, horror icons galore, and the return of the jaw-dropping Hall of Shadows, this year’s event promises to be the ultimate kickoff to Halloween season.
Whether a lifelong horror aficionado, fan of the paranormal, or just someone who likes their summer with a side of screams, Midsummer Scream is the can’t-miss event of the season. Fans can expect bone-chilling haunted attractions, eerie exhibitions, immersive experiences, and celebrity sightings you’ll be dying for.
“This is one of our most robust lineups yet,” commented David Markland, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Midsummer Scream. “From legendary film icons and groundbreaking creators to immersive haunted attractions and family-friendly fun, we’ve pulled out all the stops to make this the biggest, boldest Midsummer Scream ever. It’s truly a celebration of the entire Halloween and horror community.”
With over 50,000 fans expected to attend across the weekend, Midsummer Scream offers thrills for all ages. Details, programming updates, and schedules can be found on the official Midsummer Scream app, available on all major mobile platforms.
Highlights this year include:
- Storm King Comics – the award-winning graphic novel publisher founded by film producer Sandy King, will host legendary filmmaker and composer John Carpenter (“Halloween,” “The Thing”) at their booth on Saturday. Throughout the weekend, fans can purchase Storm King Comics and meet Sandy, as well as writers and illustrators.
- “The Conjuring: Last Rites” Experience – Ahead of the September 5 theatrical release of “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” guests will have the opportunity to experience this exclusive experience, where they will enter the world of “The Conjuring” to see if they can hide from the malevolent spirits within.
- Celebrity guests – This year’s lineup includes David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown from “Terrifier”), Henry Winkler (“Scream”), Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), David Naughton (“An American Werewolf in London”), horror hosts Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl, Linda Blair (“The Exorcist”), and “The Walking Dead” Executive Producer, Greg Nicotero.
- Cast members from the “Halloween” franchise – Nick Castle (the original Michael Myers), PJ Soles (Lynda Van der Klok), Tommy Lee Wallace (Director, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch”), and Will Sandor (Michael Myers Age 6).
- Presentations from Halloween Horror Nights, Ghost Files with Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej, Knott’s Scary Farm, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Paramount Studios, the creators of “Hell House, LLC“, and dozens more across five stages.
- Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group will be featured with several displays on exhibit, as well as with a major presentation on Saturday discussing their events, LA Haunted Hayride, Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns, Delusion, and their brand-new Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House.
- Peaches Christ’s “Midnight Mass” podcast – A special live edition with special guest, actress Barbara Crampton, followed by a 40th anniversary screening of “Re-Animator.”
- The “Screaming Room” – This short film festival, presented by HorrorBuzz, returns to screen horror shorts all weekend long and introduces the Blood Bat Film Competition, daring guests to make a movie at and during the convention.
- “The Party from Beyond” – This Saturday night party features a special advance screening of “Jester 2,” a dance party, a $500 costume contest, photo-ops, and performances from Antony Zioni’s “Tales of the Ancient East.”
- Black Cat Lounge – The wildly popular kitty lounge offering guests an opportunity to meet and adopt cats and kittens, with appearances throughout the weekend by host Nathan the CatLady.
- Paranormal Pixie’s Pumpkin Patch – This scare-free zone is dedicated to ensuring that younger fright fans have a place at the convention where they can have fun.
- Showfloor displays, experiences, and photo-ops, including from Mystic Museum, Art’s Sideshow, Chris Kiszka’s “Jaws” collection of original screen-used props, and horror pinball from Revenge Of.
Midsummer’s Scream’s Hall of Shadows will feature 18 attractions and displays across nearly two indoor acres of darkness, showcasing a horrifying array of walk-through haunted houses and eerie “yard displays” from professional and home haunters alike. This year’s theme is “Le Carnaval du Diable,” featuring the largest entryway experience yet — fog-shrouded woodlands that lead to a sinister old-world carnival, hosted by the infamous soul-collecting clown, Mr. Floats. Once inside, some of the highlights include:
- The Smashed Pumpkin – A themed bar for those 21 years and older
- Decayed Brigade – The renowned high-energy haunt slider exhibition team will perform throughout the weekend in the Hall of Shadows, thrilling guests with their unreal stunts and gritty showmanship in an all-new show — “Fear the Skid, Honor the Slide.”
- Lionsgate’s Gears of Fear 2: Stranger Danger – Lionsgate returns with the thrilling next chapter of last year’s unprecedented debut as the first attraction ever created for the Hall of Shadows by a movie studio.
Midsummer Scream passes are still available, but Saturday passes are already sold out! Friday and Sunday single-day passes, as well as weekend passes, start at $40 for adult admission. A three-day VIP “Gold Bat” pass is also available for $199. Children under 10 receive free general admission with an accompanying adult (excludes Gold Bat pass level). For more information or to buy tickets, visit https://midsummerscream.org/.
