Categories: Beth Accomando, CULTURE GEEK, THE BUZZ

CULTURE GEEK: Midsummer Scream Delivers Halloween Vibes in the Heat of Summer

By Beth Accomando

August 13, 2025

Image courtesy of Summer Scream

It is only 78 days till Halloween and if you are like me, you can’t wait. So to help feed that desire to keep Halloween 365 days a year there is a horror and haunt convention up in Long Beach this weekend called Midsummer Scream. Founder and organizer David Markland likes to boast that it is “all the chills and thrills of October over one summer weekend.”

If you love Halloween, not merely as an annual event but as a way of life, then Midsummer Scream is exactly what you need. You can shop at 350 spooky vendors (featuring everything from doggie costumes to movie quality props to horror themed clothing), get sneak peeks of more than a dozen haunted attractions, enjoy panels and how-to seminars, and meet some horror icons.

Image courtesy of Summer Scream

Markland started Midsummer Scream in 2016 out of a love for Halloween and not because he anticipated how popular the event would become. And it has become popular, with Saturday passes already sold out. The convention is an event made for people who love Halloween however they define it and for whatever their scare level might be. So there is Hall of Shadows if you want some serious scares but also Paranormal Pixie’s Pumpkin Patch which promises to be “gore-free and scare-free” for the littlest monsters. You can also enjoy a curated selection of short films in The Screaming Room or chill with feline friends in the Black Cat Lounge.

But my highest recommendation would be to check out Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group and Urban Death. They will be performing all day Saturday and Sunday. I have experienced some of their immersive horror theater and it is stunning. It is inventive, clever, creepy, sometimes comical and always wicked fun. It is also only for seventeen and up.

Image courtesy of Summer Scream

As with all the Halloween conventions I have attended, Midsummer Scream feels very inclusive and diverse. There are families, a balanced mix of men and women, young and old. Everyone feels welcome and bonded by a common love for horror and Halloween.

Midsummer Scream’s recent additions to the show include: an exclusive attraction inspired by the new film The Conjuring: Last Rites; Fangoria and Paramount Scares present The Legacy of Friday the 13th panel featuring cast and crew from the franchise; and The Last Podcast on the Left and David Dastmalchian will make a special announcement.

So if you are craving some Halloween fun in the dead of summer, Midsummer Scream offers the perfect tricks and treats.

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Vanguard Culture is an online media entity designed for culturally savvy, socially conscious individuals. We provide original interviews and reviews of the people, places, and events that make up San Diego’s thriving arts and culture community, as well as curated snapshots of the week’s best, most inspiring and unique cultural and culinary events. We believe in making a difference in the world, supporting San Diego’s vibrant visual and performing arts community and bringing awareness to important social and community causes.