Horror and Halloween fans, mark your calendars: Midsummer Scream is returning to the Long Beach Convention Center on July 28-30, 2023, for the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention. Passes go on sale on March 4th, so be sure to grab yours and prepare for a weekend of thrills, chills, and excitement.

Midsummer Scream, Long Beach Convention Center, Halloween and Horror Convention

Special Guests and New Theme

This year’s special guest lineup is already shaping up to be impressive, with the Boulet Brothers headlining the event. The creators and producers of Boulet Brothers’ Dragula will be meeting fans all weekend and leading panels on both Saturday and Sunday. Other special guests scheduled to appear include Rachel True (actress, The Craft), Naomi Grossman (Actress, American Horror Story), and Trevor Henderson (creator of the viral Sirenhead urban legend), with more to be announced soon.

Midsummer Scream is also putting a new spin on its theme this year, with “Ghoulish Games” celebrating horror in gaming. From creepy board games and toys from our youth to video games featuring zombies and terrifying creatures, the Ghoulish Games theme will be a common thread throughout the event. Guests can expect a variety of panels and presentations, a gallery and game room, and experiences that tie into the theme.

Hall of Shadows and Panels

For the first time, the Hall of Shadows will be operational all three days, featuring the underlying theme of “Demons & Dragons”. Guests will enter the darkened scare zone by way of a foreboding dungeon, presented by CalHauntS, who have designed the entryway to Hall of Shadows since 2017. Once inside the hall, fans will find nearly 20 haunts and attractions to visit and explore. In the middle of it all, the Decayed Brigade slider team will perform three shows daily on Saturday and Sunday.

Throughout the weekend, Midsummer Scream will present a robust lineup of world-class panel presentations. Programming partners include Bloody Disgusting, Screambox, and LVCRFT. The panels will cover Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group (LA Haunted Hayride, Delusion, Shaqtoberfest), Winchester Mystery House, Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest and other Halloween events, a special look at the 100th Anniversary of the Anaheim Halloween Parade hosted by Disney fan favorites Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily, and a variety of live interviews with leading horror podcasters.

Show Floor and Returning Favorites

Featuring over 350 vendors and artists, the Midsummer Scream show floor will have an amazing variety of apparel, masks, posters and prints, unique artwork, toys, oddities, and spooky decorations. Some of the vendors include Immortal Masks, Trick or Treat Studios, Halloween Shirt Company, Backstitch Bruja, Sin City Props, and Froggy’s Fog. Returning favorites from previous years include Paranormal Pixie’s Pumpkin Patch children’s zone, the Black Cat Lounge kitten adoption center, and the Screaming Room Film Festival presented by HorrorBuzz.

Don’t miss out on this exciting weekend of Halloween and horror fun at Midsummer Scream. Tickets go on sale THIS SATURDAY!

About the Author

Norman Gidney is a nearly lifelong horror fan. Beginning his love for the scare at the age of 5 by watching John Carpenter's Halloween, he set out on a quest to share his passion for all things spooky with the rest of the world.