Long Beach was once again the center of horror in all the best ways possible as the annual Midsummer Scream convention returned to the city this weekend, featuring walk-through haunts, monsters, and the celebrities who bring them to life on screen.
“Every year I get dressed up and come here. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and this is one of my favorite events,” said Downey resident Jaime Flores, who was sporting a Grabber mask from the film “The Black Phone,” as he waited outside the convention center before doors opened for day two on Saturday.
He was among the 50,000 horror fans expected this weekend in Long Beach for the Aug. 7-9 Midsummer Scream, which is marking its 10th anniversary.
“If you love these movies and this is your thing, this is where you need to be,” he said.
Midsummer Scream is now marketed as the biggest horror convention in the world by officials. The popularity was obvious Saturday when crowds walked shoulder-to-shoulder through the Long Beach Convention Center, which was entirely taken up by Midsummer Scream. The event included industry panels, musical shows, haunts, vendors and other attractions.
Although cosplay is not as prevalent as events like San Diego Comic-Con, many people wore costumes inspired by characters from films like “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “Scream” and “Hellraiser.” And of course there were a lot of random crazy clowns, including Pennywise from “IT” and Art from “Terrifier.”
Haunted floor
While people took pictures with characters walking around, the real star of the show was the Hall of Shadows, a darkened area that houses more than a dozen haunted walk-through attractions and displays.
That’s where home-haunt maker Hector Velasquez set up his “Realm of Horror: Witchualz-The Hunter’s Reckoning,” haunt for his second year at Midsummer.
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“The witch hunter is recruiting you to go into the woods to kill witches, but by the end you find out who the real monster is,” he warned. “I love being here. It feels like a privilege being here among these great haunts.”
Filled with jump scares, the haunt has a bit of a demonic feel with horned creatures, characters screaming in cages and evil rituals. It all impressed horror fans like Riverside resident Isabella Calderon.
“I screamed a lot, even in the parts where no one jumped out. It was just creepy,” she said.
Veteran haunts like “Lionsgate Horror: Roots of Evil” were there too, with a walkthrough haunt about an abandoned cabin. While the haunt was short and lacking a bit in scares, the forest hall of mirrors was worth it. It made you feel actually lost deep in the woods.
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Shop until you drop
Many came ready to take a piece of Midsummer home from the Showfloor, where more than 350 booths were set up selling everything from costumes to props to art and handmade accessories. The biggest lines early in the day were for horror-themed eats and drinks like those made by Horror Vibes Coffee, a North Hollywood-based shop that was selling drinks like The Rise of Espressa, Carrie with Mocha and One Wish with Willow, a chocolate chai inspired by the recent film “Obsession.”
Another long line was for Oxnard-based Spooky Dessert Club, where people waited patiently for treats like Red Velvet Slasher Cake and Scary Movie S’mores adorned with scenes from movies or horror characters.
“It’s sweets that are all horror, creepy-themed, and I’ve been following on Instagram and been wanting to come,” said Pomona resident Elyssa Alatorre as she was about to get in line for the Spooky Dessert Club. “I love all of this; this is my first time here,” she said of Midsummer Scream.
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Nostalgia was also big this weekend with many people crowding booths that were selling horror DVDs and VHS tapes.
“Yes, people still do have VCRs, and there’s no better way to watch 80s horror films than on a VCR,” said West Hollywood resident Randy Kim as he hunted for VHS movies from a rack of tapes at the Play it By Fear movie booth.
Kim found the original “Halloween” and “Scream,” and he also happened to be just a few steps away from some of the stars of the “Scream” franchise, including Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard, and the legendary “Halloween” filmmaker John Carpenter.
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They were among the celebrities signing autographs and taking pictures on the convention floor. Also on the celebrity list was 1980s icon Dee Wallace, whose many films include “Cujo,” “E.T.,” “The Howling,” and of course “Critters.”
“I’ve met a lot of beautiful, kind people. I just look at the conventions as a way to exchange a lot of love about all the things I’ve done over my career,” Wallace said.