What Is Midsummer Scream?

Midsummer Scream is the Halloween community’s biggest summer gathering — a three-day convention where haunt fans preview the coming season months before October. The 2026 edition returns to the Long Beach Convention Center August 7–9 with a “Horror Musicals” theme celebrating the intersection of theatrical storytelling and genre cinema, headlined by a 20th-anniversary celebration of Repo! The Genetic Opera presented by Lionsgate.

For visitors, it’s the single best place to plan your fall: major theme parks and independent haunts reveal their seasons on stage, and the show floor is a one-stop shop for props, masks, and decor.

When Is Midsummer Scream 2026 and How Much Are Tickets?

• Dates: Friday, August 7 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
• Location: Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA
• Friday pass: $42
• Saturday pass: $60
• Sunday pass: $54
• Weekend pass: $80
• VIP Gold Bat pass: $199 (early entry and priority queues at many Hall of Shadows attractions)

Passes are on sale now at midsummerscream.org. Weekend passes are the best value if you plan to attend two or more days — Saturday alone is $60.

What Can Visitors Expect Inside?

The Hall of Shadows

The convention’s signature draw is the Hall of Shadows, a massive darkened section of the convention center transformed into a fog-filled scream park with more than a dozen haunted attractions and displays, open all three days and included with every pass level. Southern California’s best home haunts and independent attractions build walk-through mazes here — it’s effectively a haunted house sampler months before the season starts.

The Show Floor

Expect more than 350 vendors and artists selling costumes, collectibles, original artwork, masks, and seasonal decor — from indie prop makers to the same brands stocking your favorite haunts.

Panels and Celebrity Guests

The 2026 guest list includes Matthew Lillard, Barry Bostwick, and Jasmin Savoy Brown, plus Repo! director Darren Lynn Bousman and actor Bill Moseley for the anniversary celebration. Theme parks including the region’s biggest Halloween events traditionally use Midsummer Scream panels to announce mazes and scare zones for the fall.

What Announcements Should You Expect This Year?

Midsummer Scream has become the unofficial press conference of the Halloween season. In past years, Southern California’s biggest haunt events — from theme-park scare festivals to standout independent attractions — have used the convention’s main-stage panels to reveal maze lineups, themes, and opening dates for the fall. If you’re planning an October trip to Southern California, the announcements made this weekend effectively write your itinerary two months early. Follow the panel schedule when it posts in late July and prioritize the marquee park presentations, which fill the largest hall quickly on Saturday.

Is Midsummer Scream Good for Families and First-Timers?

Yes — daytime hours are broadly family-friendly, and scares inside the Hall of Shadows are optional and clearly contained to that space. Sensitive visitors can enjoy the show floor, panels, and daytime programming without entering the haunts. First-timers should budget a full day minimum: arrive at opening, hit the Hall of Shadows before mid-day lines build, then work the show floor and panels in the afternoon.

How Should You Plan Your Visit?

• Book Long Beach hotels early — convention-adjacent rooms sell out weeks ahead.
• Go Saturday for the biggest announcements, Friday for the lightest crowds.
• Wear comfortable shoes — the show floor plus Hall of Shadows is miles of walking.
• Bring cash and card — many indie vendors move fast with both.
• Plan your fall haunt calendar while you’re there — nearly every major Southern California haunt has a booth or panel.

Planning your 2026 haunt season? Use the Haunt Harvester directory to find every major haunted attraction opening this fall — by state, scare level, and opening date.