Halloween and haunt fans across Southern California got an early treat last week.
The Queen Mary in Long Beach announced that it will bring back its Dark Harbor event this fall. Dark Harbor had proven one of the region’s most popular and acclaimed Halloween events during its 10-year run before the pandemic. Creative leaders from Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group have yet to reveal the lineup for Dark Harbor’s return on Sept. 20, but past events featured mazes, live entertainment, themed lounges and other haunted experiences aboard the famed cruise ship.
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Following The Queen Mary’s 2020 closure, Thirteenth Floor partnered with former Laker and NBA Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal on the Shaqtoberfest event in the ship’s parking lot, but the nearby presence of the closed ship loomed over that event like a giant ghost. Yes, Shaq is a big star, but the Queen is bigger. Halloween fans want to get scared on that ship — not just next to it.
Tickets for Dark Harbor’s return will go on sale later this summer. Dark Harbor joins the growing lineup of Halloween events in the area this fall, including Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights and the return of Knott’s Scary Farm, which arrives Sept. 19. In addition, Disneyland has announced that its Oogie Boogie Bash — A Disney Halloween Party will return Aug. 25 to Disney California Adventure for a 27-evening run leading up to Halloween night.
On the East Coast, Walt Disney World is starting its annual Halloween party even earlier, with its Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom kicking off on Aug. 9 this year, as the Florida resort looks to push attendance during hurricane season.
The nation’s biggest annual Halloween convention, Midsummer Scream, is happening July 26-28 at the Long Beach Convention Center — just two weeks before the start of the Halloween party at Walt Disney World. It used to be that Midsummer Scream provided a welcomed preview of the coming haunt season months before it arrived. Now it’s in danger of being overtaken by actual Halloween events.
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In recent years, Halloween has provided the last line of defense in keeping the Christmas holiday season from encroaching even earlier into the year. Thanksgiving provided no resistance to Santa and Company, as the annual feast has become an economic afterthought outside the grocery industry.
Now the question becomes, which holiday will be able to stand in the way of Halloween’s march up the calendar? Columbus Day fell on its face. Now Labor Day has proven no more effective at containing the Halloween season than Thanksgiving was with Christmas. You’re up next, Fourth of July. Can America’s Independence Day help the first half of the year maintain its freedom from the now-rampaging Halloween season?
It’s the perfect Halloween horror story, this time starring the holiday itself as the seemingly unstoppable villain, picking off rival holidays one by one. Move over Freddy, Jason and Michael. It’s Halloween time.