Midsummer Scream 2018 | Slender Man

Midsummer Scream 2018 – Staff Picks and Recommendations

Midsummer Scream - 2018

Since Southern California can never seem to get enough horror, Midsummer Scream 2018 in Long Beach brings us a bite of Halloween in the summer.

 

Now in its third year, Midsummer Scream is the largest Halloween and Horror Convention in the world, boasting over 250 exhibitors on the showroom floor; more than 60 speakers and special guests; 30 classes and panels focusing on immersive entertainment, sneak peeks at theme park haunts,  how-tos, and more; an After Dark party with trivia and costume contest; a “Screaming Room” with a carefully curated mix of film programming blocks; and celebrity photo ops with Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) and Kimberly J. Brown (Halloweentown).

 

But the highlight for fans of haunted houses and immersive entertainment is Midsummer Scream’s Hall of Shadows, which includes 15 haunts and 7 shows/experiences from some Halloween favorites like the return of Sinister Pointe, Force of Nature Productions, Zombie Joe’s, the Shine On Collective and They Played Productions.

 

With so much to see and do during the two-day horror extravaganza, we’ve whittled down the offerings to a handful of must-sees and must-dos. Enter at your own risk, and happy haunting!

Shows / Experiences

Midsummer Scream | Shine On

Echoes in the DarkShine On Collective

Are we ever really alone? Victor doesn’t think so. The troubled young scientist’s studies of the human mind and loneliness have led him down a dark road…and something else is there with him, lurking in the shadows. Begin your experience in the Hall of Shadows.

Midsummer Scream | Fallen Saints

Fallen Saints – Force of Nature Productions

Embrace the dark and face your fears as Force of Nature Productions brings you a preview of the next chapter of their hit theatrical haunt experience, Fallen Saints.

Midsummer Scream | Captivated

Captivated: Mike – They Played Productions

For a conspiracy theorist, allies are nearly impossible to find. But Mike Stone has infiltrated Midsummer Scream seeking recruits for exactly that reason. He’s wants those with open minds and strong investigative skills to join him in a hunt that might unmask the truth behind some missing women. If you think you’re up for the challenge, make sure you stop by a comic book shop and let them know you want to “get blood from a stone”. Mike’s left word there of what you’ll do next.

Midsummer Scream | Prologue

Prologue

Prologue explores the formation of consciousness and the connection between image and analogue in the imaginal realm. This one-on-one full sensory immersion place the audience member at the outset of a life catalyzed by the entropic forces of cultural isolation.

NOTE: Experience includes physical touch, environmental effects, darkness and loud noises. Must be over 18 to participate and must undertake it alone.

Midsummer Scream | Urban Death

Urban DeathZombie Joe’s Underground Theater

Zombie Joe’s Underground Theater Group presents Urban Death, a fifteen-minute taste of their signature horror production that has been haunting Southern California for thirteen terrifying years! Gearing up for both a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, as well as Urban Death: Tour of Terror, their annual October haunted house, Urban Death will showcase inexplicable horrors, unfathomable monstrosities, and the disturbed spirits that walk among us.

Midsummer Scream | Sinister Pointe

Sinister Pointe‘s Boogeyman Express Bar

Be sure to stop by Sinister Pointe’s Scary Place booth and​ grab a drink at the Boogeyman Express Bar​.​ ​Here you’ll be able to relax or just ​give your feet a rest​ in comfortable lounge seating, ​snap a super spooky photo op, plus learn all the gory details (and purchase discounted tickets!) for this year’s most anticipated Halloween event, Sinister Pointe’s Scary Place. Sept. 28th – Oct. 31st, haunt lovers will be scared to death with three stories and over 150,000 square feet of unrelenting terror, including the brand-new haunted dark ride – Boogeyman Express.

Midsummer Scream | After Dark

After Dark

When the showfloor closes, the party begins! This Saturday night event provides something for everybody: a classic Halloween style party, with a DJ spinning dark tunes and Halloween favorites; a $500 costume contest; horror trivia and games; a naughty, adults only magic show; and a special movie screening. Multiple choices for entertainment all under one ticket!

18+ only! Purchase tickets here.

Midsummer Scream | The Meet-Up

The Meet-Up

You’ve never seen him before, but he’s seen you. He’s finally coming out of the shadows to deliver a special message, just for you. Sign up at the HorrorBuzz booth for this uniquely hilarious immersive experience with something that goes bump in the night.

Haunted Attractions

Midsummer Scream | Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko Experience – Opechee Haunt

Enter the mind of Donnie Darko, and discover the terrifying world that awaits as you embark on a psychological journey like no other… completely alone. This walk-through experience will fully immerse guests in the eerie world of the 2001 cult classic film, featuring familiar environments, creepy character encounters, and more.

Midsummer Scream | Anneliese

Anneliese – Twisted Minds Productions

This year, Twisted Minds Productions welcomes you home… and you have visitors. Anneliese: The Experience is an immersive mini haunted attraction that will take guests through the true story of Anneliese Michel, a young girl who was possessed at the age of 16. You will embark on a research tour of the house and get a first-person perspective of the possession and other demonic events. Guided by two ghost hunters, you will navigate dark hallways and rooms, not knowing what sinister entity is waiting around the corner.

Midsummer Scream | Seance

Seance: The Nightmare Begins – The Dreich Society

Venture into the cemetery and catacombs beneath the legendary Wexler estate with the Spirit Hunters paranormal group. You have been selected as a Spirit Hunter In Training to help set up investigation equipment to capture evidence of manifestations that have occurred there. Reports over the last 200 years have stated that the spirits of serial killers, savage sociopaths, witches, demons, and monsters lurk in the catacombs and the house itself. However, these are just rumors and urban legends according to your supervisors and team leader. What harm can a little seance of your own do?

Midsummer Scream | #VIRAL

#VIRAL – Phobia Productions

ATTENTION: The HP18 virus has been confirmed at Midsummer Scream. Please calmly proceed to #VIRAL in the Hall of Shadows for a screening and vaccine. Immediately.

Midsummer Scream | Castle Frankenstein

Castle Frankenstein – CalHaunts

Guests will enter this year’s Hall of Shadows by way of Frankenstein’s castle… but BEWARE! The doctor has been seen roaming the nearby graveyard in search of body parts, and screams and bright lights have been coming from his laboratory. Enter with extreme caution!

Midsummer Scream | Trick 'r Treat

Trick ‘r Treat Experience – Murder House Productions

The classic tale of Trick ‘r Treat comes alive in this wildly-popular haunted attraction transplanted from Thousand Oaks to the Hall of Shadows at Midsummer Scream. Encounter werewolves, zombies, vampires, and Sam, the keeper of Halloween, as you wind your way through the five tales of terror in this thrilling immersive walk-through. Don’t break the rules – you never know where Sam might be hiding…

Midsummer Scream | Wicked Pumpkin Hollow

Wicked Pumpkin Hollow

Hay bales disrupt the musty fog that clings to the ground. Upon them, an army of Jack o’lanterns flicker, casting a warm-yet-eerie glow. A closer look reveals carvings of ghosts, vampires, witches, and almost every nostalgic Halloween tableau imaginable.

Take a closer look and discover that this hollow has more to offer than its creator’s wickedly fun pumpkin carvings. Masked trick-or-treaters, bats, skeletons, and a menacing seven-foot-tall pumpkin figure, to name a few, are set against a backdrop of festive corn stalks, towering trees, spooky sounds, and haunting lighting.

Midsummer Scream | Hyde Street Massacre

Hyde Street Massacre – The Bloodshed Brothers

The Hyde Street Massacre is what your worst nightmares are made of. Go ahead and take a step through the doors of this nightmare-inducing fright house. The only question is, will you survive the massacre? Guests will find themselves lost in within the haunting walls of Otis Hatcher’s killing chambers; a man so obsessed with Halloween, he lost his mind and became an infamous serial killer. “It was a very bloody night…”

Asylum – Shattered Realm

Shattered Realm is a mom-and-pop home haunt created by a small team of enthusiasts each Halloween season. They strive to bring a sense of sheer terror to each production, and Midsummer Scream is no exception. Step inside the Inland Empire Asylum; the patients are all very friendly, and would love for you to stay a while…

Midsummer Scream | Spooky Hollows

Spooky Hollows

Terror unfolds back in the swampland of the Sepulveda Basin. Mysterious disappearances rumors of odd experiments, and strange sightings of a slender creature dubbed “Mr. Sticky” haunt visitors of this year’s incarnation of Spooky Hollows. What lurks in the dark? Do you dare find out?

Midsummer Scream | Camp Calavera

Camp Calavera – ScareVentures

Camp Calavera was created with children in mind to have a summer they would never forget. Unfortunately, those memories were filled with the horrors of what creeps in the darkness of the forest. The campgrounds that were once only haunted by the playful ghost of a young girl who disappeared years ago, is now inhabited by maniacal creatures that help her terrorize these woods.

Midsummer Scream | Black Bayou

Black Bayou Terror Truck – HallowEve Designs, Inc.

HallowEve Designs, Inc, designs and manufactures innovative mobile attractions for the Halloween and amusement industries. Their ScAir Structures have been a part of the industry for 16 years, and this year, they are introducing their newest design at Midsummer Scream. They will also be showcasing their newest Terror Truck, the Black Bayou for guests throughout the weekend. Black Bayou is an immersive, haunted-swamp attraction housed inside a 32′ trailer.

Midsummer Scream | Dark Hollow Cemetery

Dark Hollow Cemetery – HallowEve Designs, Inc.

HallowEve Designs, Inc, designs and manufactures innovative mobile attractions for the Halloween and amusement industries. Their ScAir Structures have been a part of the industry for 16 years. They will be demonstrating one of these with a cemetery theme at Midsummer Scream.

Midsummer Scream | Fright Fest

Fright Fest – Six Flags Magic Mountain

Details coming soon.

Escape Rooms

Midsummer Scream | CrossRoads

Asylum – CrossRoads Escape Games

In Asylum, a 10-minute, 2-person game, you and a partner are strapped together in a straitjacket, thrown into a small, padded cell and forced to work together to unlock yourselves and the door to your cell. This mini-game is a teaser for CrossRoads’ upcoming The Psych Ward, which is coming very soon. For TOP SECRET info on The Psych Ward, tell an attendant, “I think I lost my marbles.

The Asylum will be open for groups of 2 every 15 minutes during the convention. Arrive early to sign up for a time slot!

Midsummer Scream | Stash House

Give Up the Ghost – Stash House

Are you cunning enough to help a criminal mastermind expand his empire? If so, Ray Jones, local entrepreneur and owner of the escape room Stash House, would like to talk to you. Look for his representative outside the convention center if you think you’ve got what it takes.

Deadzone 805

Deadzone 805 travels throughout Southern California as a mobile escape room. This year for Midsummer Scream, guests will experience a brand-new terror they will never forget, as they stumble upon the work shed of a scientist devoted to the occult. Curiosity will bring you inside… but you may quickly regret that decision.

Presentations / Classes

Midsummer Scream | Physicality in Immersive Class

And They Will Touch You: Physical Contact in Immersive Theater

Josh Randall  (BLACKOUT) presents a hands-on workshop designed as an entry point for actors, directors, and creators to explore the many different facets of physical contact within an immersive theater environment. Participants will work on their feet exploring topics like the quality of touch, the extremity of contact, strength and safety, personal boundaries, and an in-depth conversation surrounding the moral and ethical debates of this new physical entertainment.

Saturday – 4:30pm-5:30pm (Classroom)

Midsummer Scream | Neibolt House

Hollywood Goes Immersive

Studios are now using haunted attractions and immersive productions to promote their films or big-budget programs, and fans are loving it. Meet three professionals behind some of the most elaborate activations ever conceived for marketing efforts, as they discuss why studios are investing so much in experiential attractions, and how they create environments that allow guests to step into the worlds of their favorite horror and fantasy films, and TV shows.

Guests: Josh Randall (BLACKOUT), David Wally (Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor) & Christie Decker (IT‘s Neibolt House Experience); Moderated by Bryan Bishop (The Verge)

Saturday – 1p-2p (Second Stage)

Midsummer Scream | MurderCo

Immersive Horror: New Trends Outside the Box

Join hosts Mike Fontaine and Russell Eaton from the My Haunt Life podcast as they delve into the immersive horror industry to discuss new trends and attractions in Southern California along with their creators.

Guests: Justin Fix (Just Fix It Productions), Rachel Foti (The Count’s Den), Ricky  Brigante (Inside the Magic) & Ted Dougherty (Designer)

Sunday – 4p-5p (Second Stage)

Midsummer Scream | Acting Seminar

Living in the Dark: Acting for Haunted Attractions and Immersive Theater

Scott Swenson (Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream) shares the best acting and character development tips from his 25 years of experience. Learn the importance of developing multi-layered characters. Understand the need for organized auditions. Explore specific training techniques. The goal of the haunt/immersive actor is to engage the audience and evoke an honest emotional response. This seminar will focus on the skills needed to do just that!

Sunday – 3p-4p (Classroom)

Midsummer Scream | Epic Home Haunts

Epic Home Haunts

Filmmaker Josh Quillin presents an exclusive look at Epic Home Haunts, the soon-to-be-released documentary that chronicles the creative process of four of Southern California’s most iconic home haunts: Boot Hill (Shea Foley & Glenn Schmidt), Beware the Dark Realm (Christian Sivley & Scott Sivley), Restless Souls Manor (Greg Packard & Donovan Packard), and Rotten Apple 907 (Diane Meyer & Preston Meyer).

This will be a must-see presentation for Halloween and haunt fans, giving them the opportunity to peek behind the curtain at the incredibly talented individuals who help keep the spirit of the season alive and thriving here in Southern California; it’s going to be… epic!

Saturday – 2:30p-3:30p (Second Stage)

Midsummer Scream | Split Personalities

Split Personalities: Finding Your Career in the Theme Park & Haunt Industries

“Who am I, anyway?” Instructors Cassie Lopez (Set/Prop Designer) and David Ruzicka (The Willows), veterans of the haunted attraction, theme park, and immersive theater industries, tackle a career “personality crisis”: how do you break into these fields, and what do you do once you get in? Is it possible to live simultaneously in the light and the shadows? Cassie and David share insights from their crooked career paths. From theme park giants to scrappy indie haunts, they will teach attendees how to apply best practices from all these worlds on the path to a dream career.

Sunday – 1:30p-2:30p (Classroom)

Midsummer Scream | Next Generation

Next Generation Haunters: A New Breed of Terror

The future of the haunted attraction industry isn’t just about new technologies or the latest props and gags; it’s about young designers who are out there right now, learning from today’s leaders as they create their own experiences and chart the course for their own success.

Guests: Sam Kellman (Opechee Haunt) & Aurora Persichetti (Murderhouse Productions); Moderated by Rick West (Creative Director, Midsummer Scream)

Sunday – 2:30p-3:30p (Second Stage)

Midsummer Scream | Large-Scale Attractions

Large-Scale Attractions Panels

Large theme parks, and even film studios, have made a killing with their haunted attractions. Midsummer Scream will feature panels with behind-the-scenes looks at juggernauts Knott’s Scary Farm, Six Flags’ Fright Fest, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor and Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Sneak peeks of Warner Bros.’ Horror Made Here and the Winchester Mystery House 2018 tours are also on the schedule, as well as an unprecedented look at the infamous 2012 Trapped maze at Knott’s.

Follow Midsummer Scream on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the most current information about the event.

For the complete Midsummer Scream 2018 schedule, click here.

Tickets on sale now! Buy here.

https://midsummerscream.org

 

Interested in seeing our coverage from last year’s event? Take a look at some of the articles below:

Immersive Horror Panel – Stage & Scream

Alone – A Photocopy of a Photocopy of a Memory

Theme Park Haunt Announcements

Interview with John Murdy of Halloween Horror Nights

Larry Bones Leads Haunters Into the Black

Cabaret le Fey Marries Sensuality & Horror at the Vampire Lounge

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About The Author

Lacey Pawlowicz
Ever since seeing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video, Lacey has been obsessed with all things horror and Halloween. Now, she watches, produces and acts in horror films, and is lucky enough to attend haunts/immersive events and write about them. Groovy!

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