Midsummer Scream Announces Mini-Haunts

Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA

A few months ago, some major news was dropped on Halloween fans with the announcement of Midsummer Scream, a new Halloween festival and convention produced by Creepy L.A. and friends-of-Westcoaster Theme Park Adventure, who previously helped produce the Scare L.A. convention that has taken place the past three years.  This con will take place the weekend of July 30-31 at the Long Beach Convention Center.  Like the Scare L.A. events that have taken place in the past, this event will have featured presentations (and likely haunt announcements) from big names such as Knott's Scary Farm, Halloween Horror Nights, Dark Harbor, and Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain.  In addition, there will be plenty of vendors, exhibits, performances, and workshops available.

But's it's not something Halloween without some scares, and that was the big news last week, as Midsummer Scream announced the "Hall of Shadows," an ambitious and sprawling haunted attraction in its own right that is sure to whet the appetites of Halloween fans and get them in the mood for the spooks and frights of fall--even if it will be the thick of the summer when this convention takes place.

In their words:

Hall of Shadows to Feature Full Scare Zone, Roaming Monsters, and 9 Haunted Attraction Previews to Midsummer Scream

Thrills and Chills Await Those Brave Enough to Venture into “Dark Zone” on Show Floor at Long Beach Convention Center

LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2016 – One of the most exciting and unique components of Midsummer Scream – California’s premier Halloween, haunt and horror festival – will be its Hall of Shadows dark zone, featuring roaming monsters, entertainment, and 9 terrifying mini haunted attraction experiences.

Hall of Shadows will occupy more than one third of the Halloween festival’s 90,000 square-foot show floor this year, giving thousands of fans the opportunity to preview home and professional haunts each day, included with their admission to Midsummer Scream. In addition to the haunted attractions, those brave enough to venture into Hall of Shadows will experience a full-blown scare zone, Toxicity, high-energy performances by the Decayed Brigade slider team three times each day, and many terrifying monsters lurking in the fog, waiting to pounce!

FULL SCARE ZONE
Created by Larry Bones and his crew at Bone Yard Effects, Toxicity is an immersive experience set within the walls of a genetics lab that has suffered a toxic explosion that will leave guests screaming as they are attacked by twisted, mutated scientists from all sides. Bone Yard Effects creates the makeup applications and prosthetics each year for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Creature design for creatures coming to the Toxicity scare zone, coming to Midsummer Scream.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

A concept sketch from the Toxicity scare zone, coming to Midsummer Scream.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

THRILLING SLIDER SHOWS
Three times daily, the Decayed Brigade will perform and entertain guests within the Hall of Shadows as they showcase the art of sliding – a scare tactic that was created some 40 years ago by monsters roaming the streets of Ghost Town at Knott’s Scary Farm. These men and women push their bodies and the laws of gravity to the limit in high-energy demonstrations that leave fans cheering and astounded.

(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

TERRIFYING HAUNTED ATTRACTION PREVIEW EXPERIENCES
Midsummer Scream is excited to present 9 stand-alone mini haunt experiences that allow fans to preview things to come this Halloween season. From home to pro haunts, guests may sample the handiwork of some of Southern California’s hottest haunted attractions throughout the weekend at no extra cost with paid admission to the festival.

Featured at Midsummer Scream 2016 are:

Fear Station: Escape the Windigo – The harvest moon has awoken the Windigo from its slumber, and the creature is hungry for blood. No one is safe from the beast as it hunts its prey in the darkness. Will you escape the season of the Windigo?

Concept sketch of haunt facade from Fear station.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Dead Zone 805 – Fight for survival as you enter the zombie-filled post-apocalyptic world where infection and violent gangs threaten you every step of the way!

Dead Zone 805
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Savage House – Every family has a secret… Enter the home of the Wytner clan, a family that has lived in the rural countryside, kidnapping tourists passing by for years. Witness the atrocities as they taunt and torture the unsuspecting victims that have ended up in their home.

(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Perdition Home – Houston, we have a problem! The notion that in outer space, no one can hear you scream simply isn’t true. Venturing into the depths of an ill-fated spacecraft, everyone will hear you cry for mercy when you face the horrors within.

The Fleshyard – Not every home is safe. Madness lingers beyond the threshold of a decrepit old cabin, concealing evil so vile that those who manage to escape will never be the same. The Fleshyard is a bad place. A very, very bad place…

Concept art from The Fleshyard haunt.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Higgins Manor – You’ve wandered into the most feared place in the Old West: the Higgins & Co. Work Camp. Can you survive the rowdiest, most dangerousest, most horriblest clan of townsfolk this side of Deadwood? Why don’t y’all come take a gander and see fer yerselves?

The Soiled Doves entice guests/victims from last year's Higgins Manor home haunt. 
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream and also originally Westcoaster last year before the web site kaputz.)

Concept art for Higgins Manor's mini-haunt at Midsummer Scream.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream and Deadlands Fear Factory.)

Spooky Hollows – Follow the trail of a madman through the basin swampland, where he attempted and failed to achieve mortality. Through sick and twisted science experiments, he left a trail of wasted souls in his wake before falling victim to his own worst nightmares.

Spooky Hollows haunt.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Spooky Hollows haunt.
(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Scareventures Presents: Sea of Terror – To date, man has explored less than 5% of Earth’s oceans. Perhaps there’s a reason why... Take a terror trip into the depths where undersea creatures lie in wait as you attempt to escape your watery grave. If dead men tell no tales, then where do the stories come from?

(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

Gorlesque: The Haunted Burlesque – Are you “perfect” enough to join the Weltschmerz Society? Come find out and experience a naughty taste of the frights, frills, and frolic that awaits you this Halloween in Los Angeles!

(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream)

“Hall of Shadows is one aspect of Midsummer Scream that I am most excited about,” said Rick West, Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “When I think of Halloween, I instantly think of haunted houses; stand-alone attractions as well as home haunts are the very essence of the season. It’s completely thrilling to bring nine very different haunt previews to our guests in an environment that is totally unique to our show. Midsummer Scream’s Hall of Shadows is the closest anyone is going to get to the spirit of Halloween during the summer, and our haunt partners are ready to bring the terror!”

Midsummer Scream features more than 150 vendors and exhibitors, education offerings, make-and-take workshops, world-class panel presentations, live entertainment and incredible experiences throughout the venue, black cat adoptions, and a Saturday night costume party featuring Oingo Boingo Dance Party.

Tickets are now on sale, with new information regarding Midsummer Scream updated frequently at MidsummerScream.org.

Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers.  Be sure to follow Midsummer Scream on social media as well – Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook: facebook.com/midsummerscream.