Midsummer Scream 2022 Newsapalooza

Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA

The past week has seen a lot of news from Midsummer Scream as it prepares for its first full convention in three years this July 29th through the 31st. From the scoop on this year’s Hall of Shadows to a ground-breaking panel announcement featuring Metallica’s Kirk Hammett moderating a discussion with the children of legendary horror actors to a reminder of the conclusion of the Midsummer Scream pre-sale, it’s been quite an eventful past several days on the horror con newswire. To work through it all, we’ve put together this superpost compiling all the recently released details for Midsummer Scream 20202!

(Image courtesy of Midsummer Scream.)

2022 Hall of Shadows Line-Up

The mini-haunts of the Hall of Shadows are arguably the most exciting attractions at Midsummer Scream, giving guests a taste of what’s to come later in Halloween with compact versions of walk-through mazes. This year’s Hall of Shadows will feature mores screams than ever, spanning over 100,000 square feet, with a whopping 17 haunts and attractions and all their associated ghoulies and ghastlies lurking within!

The “theme” of this year’s Hall of Shadows is “Halloween Comes Home”. As Midsummer Scream Creative Director Rick West notes, “That couldn’t be more on-the-nose as we return to the Long Beach Convention Center for the first time since 2019. This July, guests will experience the biggest and most incredible Hall of Shadows yet with more thrills and chills than ever before! It’s a fantastic mix of home and pro haunts, walk-through experiences, and spooky displays that everyone is going to want to see for themselves!”

CalHauntS will once again be creating the entry portal from the show floor into the Hall of Shadows. This year’s entry is called “Midsummer Estates” and will feature a small neighborhood with homes decorated for the community’s annual Halloween Festival. Beyond “Midsummer Estates”, guests will find 17 other haunts and attractions waiting within the darkness of Hall of Shadows. They include:

Bones Gulch (Castaic) - From the minds that brought you Beware the Dark Realm, Restless Souls Manor, and The Farm home haunts, a brand-new attraction is coming! Bones Gulch is proud to bring a small display of what we have in store for you this October to the Hall of Shadows.
Fear Farm (Victor Valley) - Venture deep into the cold earth beneath the farm, where a labyrinth filled with pure evil awaits your arrival.

Reichland Asylum: The Return of Sarah Crawford (Riverside) - They said she worshipped the occult, locking her deep in the wards of Reichland Asylum and throwing away the key. Little did they know she was the least of their worries… Unearth the secrets of the Crawford family and the dark powers that lie deep in the corridors with Reichland Asylum: The Return of Sarah Crawford.
Straight to Hale Productions: Demon Creek (Alta Loma) - The town of Casket Creek has a sordid history, rife with witches using black magic and wreaking havoc. The townsfolk fear they may never escape the wickedness that hangs like a menacing cloud over their once-peaceful town, but it appears that an even more sinister entity looms in the shadows.

(Photo courtesy of Straite to Hale Productions and Midsummer Scream.)

The Witching Hour: HALLOWEEN - A Terrifying Walkthrough Experience (Atwater) - Encounter the Myer's home and come face-to-face with The Shape himself. Enter if you dare: everyone is entitled to one good scare!
Casa Calaveras: A Walk-Thru Art Experience - Stroll through an intimate series of glowing, peek-in dioramas and uncover the heart-filled tale of José & Gloria, the couple from the hereafter. A great way to introduce your kids to Día de los Muertos - Since 1999.

(Photo courtesy of Casa Calaveras and Midsummer Scream.)

Gothic Hills Cemetery (Riverside) - Gothic Hills Cemetery returns to the Hall of Shadows with a new interactive theatrical display based on their Riverside, California haunt. This Halloween guests will experience the prequel to the Fitzroy story in their biggest season ever.
The Quail Run Carnival (Agoura Hills) - Come win some Halloween candy in a handmade, vintage-style, Halloween Carnival! Play either MASH THE MONSTERS or THE SEANCE, play a spooky vintage ARCADE CABINET, or spin our FORTUNE WHEEL to see your future! New games added every Halloween!
Exquisite Corpse: REDWATER! Vol. 1 - In the first part of this three-part walk-through series Obadiah, Elijah, and Beauregard Manning (children of the infamous crazed scientist Dr. Joseph R. Manning) set out on a strange and gruesome journey to find their recently missing father. Step back into 1985 and join us in Redwater, Louisiana, to embark through the ratty pages of a mysterious old comic book titled: REDWATER! Vol. 1
Boomers! Parks - Guests begin training as new overnight security for Boomers! and encounter paranormal entities!
Lights OUT: ICON - Welcome to Club ICON. Tonight’s category is Battle Royale, where two legendary houses compete to be the most ICONIC house of them all. Who will slay, or sashay, away?

(Photo courtesy of Lights OUT Creative and Midsummer Scream.)

Santa Ana Haunt: Shades of Hell (Santa Ana) - Shades of Hell serves as the gateway to your worst nightmares. Everyone has different fears - and they are all here, waiting for you.

(Photo courtesy of Santa Ana Haunt and Midsummer Scream.)

Corona Haunt: Tales of Halloween (Corona) - A modern look into the horror stories that kept you up at night as a child. Brave the ghosts, witches, and demons of Halloween night!
The Dreich Society: Nightmare (Ontario) - Deep in the woodlands of Japan stands an ancient temple, originally designed to trap the land’s spirits of the night. Will you survive a peek behind the curtain in their realm, or be trapped forever in their eternal nightmare?
The Haunt With No Name… Yet (Tarzana) - Wandering on a eerie night, you find an unknown place. It is forgotten by time but seems haunted and filled with mysterious and spooky things. You decide to take the time to explore what is happening at the Haunt With No Name.. Yet.
Realm of Shadow: Hamre Manor (Norwalk) - The Lord of Shadow and his Matron have returned to the attic space of Hamre Manor. Come find your way through his minion-filled hallways, and prepare to confront the evil within!

In addition, Decayed Brigade will also return with their awesome slider performances. They’ll have three incredible exhibitions on Saturday July 30th, and three on Sunday July 31st - show times to be announced soon.

Please note that the Hall of Shadows will be in operation Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31 from show open to close; it will not be operational Friday July 29th as haunters put the final touches on their amazing creations.

Kirk Hammett Moderates Ground-Breaking “Horror Kids” Panel

Some Earth-shaking news came yesterday when Midsummer Scream announced what is sure to be a heavily attended, spectacular feature panel on Saturday afternoon of this year’s Midsummer Scream. Kirk Hammett, classic horror memorabilia better known as the lead guitarist of the legendary Metallica, will host a panel with the children and grandchildren of four horror icons—Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price—as they share what it was like growing up with the Mount Rushmore of classic horror. Talk about a panel loaded with big names! This is sure to be one of the most popular panels of the weekend!

From the press release:

MIDSUMMER SCREAM ANNOUNCES HISTORIC PANEL PRESENTATION FEATURING THE FAMILIES OF BORIS KARLOFF, BELA LUGOSI, LON CHANEY JR. AND SR., AND VINCENT PRICE HOSTED BY RENOWNED HORROR COLLECTOR AND FAMED MUSICIAN KIRK HAMMETT

LOS ANGELES, CA - Midsummer Scream is thrilled to announce an unprecedented event in its Main Stage ballroom Saturday afternoon, July 30th, at the Long Beach Convention Center. Original Monster Kids will feature Sara Karloff, daughter of Boris Karloff; Ron Chaney, grandson and great grandson of Lon Chaney Jr. and Sr.; Lynne Lugosi Sparks, granddaughter of Bela Lugosi; and Victoria Price, daughter of Vincent Price. During the 90-minute presentation, these esteemed guests will share personal family stories, photos, and perhaps a home movie or two, giving fans a very personal look into the private lives of the actors who brought some of film’s most iconic characters to life.

Moderating this presentation is Kirk Hammett, a renowned collector of classic horror memorabilia, and lead guitarist in Metallica. As a long-time friend of the Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney, and Price families, Kirk is excited and honored to have the opportunity to moderate this panel of the original monster kids.

“We couldn’t be more excited about bringing this panel to the community,” says Gary Baker, Executive Producer of Midsummer Scream. “Through the years, we have hosted some pretty spectacular moments on our stage. Having these kids and grandkids of such important horror and pop-culture icons is not only a thrill, but also important and a very special look into the private lives of Hollywood royalty.”

Pre-Sale Time Running Out

There are only a few days left to get heavily discounted pre-sale tickets to this year’s Midsummer Scream! After this Saturday, prices go up. So make sure you “buy the dip” and save!

From the press release:

PRE-SALE NEARLY OVER; LAST CHANCE TO RECEIVE 40% OFF ALL GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS FOR JULY 29 - 31ST

LOS ANGELES, CA - Now through Saturday, April 23, use discount code SCREAM at checkout for 40% off tickets to Midsummer Scream, returning July 29-31 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Don't miss out on the lowest prices available to attend this legendary Halloween and horror convention in it's fifth year!

Shop from over 350 spooky exhibitors selling Halloween decor, horror merchandise, and all sorts of eerie goodies.
Explore over a dozen haunted attractions in our massive dark zone, the Hall of Shadows.
Kick back and enjoys panels, presentations, and entertainment from horror and haunted attraction celebrities and professionals.

Click here to purchase tickets!

And that does it for this recap of the latest in Midsummer Scream! After two years off due to the COVID pandemic (though last year did bring a pop-up Awaken the Spirits event and a winter holiday Seasons Screamings event), Midsummer Scream is looking to roar back with a vengeance. The SoCal kickoff to Halloween Season starts the last weekend of July. Get your tickets now to make sure you don’t miss it!