(Image by Yariel C.)
Boos and ghouls of all ages joined forces to celebrate Halloween, haunts and horror at the bigger—and better-than-ever, sold-out—Midsummer Scream 2018!
The Long Beach Convention center once again became ground zero for the 3rd annual Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, held this past weekend on Saturday July 28th and Sunday July 29th.
Midsummer Scream unleashed a grand and ghoulish gathering of sneak-peek presentations, panels, performances, mini-haunts, macabre makeup effects, creepy crafts, slider shows, and vendors aplenty. What’s more, Midsummer Scream was THE haunting hot spot for fans to experience and enjoy eerie entertainment, paranormal paraphernalia and mystic musings—and get a close-look at the behind-the-scenes scares from the pros and preview what theme parks are conjuring for this Halloween season.
Check out the haunt highlights of what the theme parks have creeping up around the corner:
Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights
(Courtesy of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights)
Universal Studios brought the masterminds behind Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood AND Orlando for the first time on stage at Midsummer Scream to share what the two theme parks have up their sleeves this year!
(Image by Yariel C.)
John Murdy and Chris Williams from Universal Studios Hollywood and Michael Aiello from Universal Orlando joined forces on the Grand Ballroom stage. They shared that things will get turned upside down at both coasts of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights’ with the first look reveal of the “Stranger Things” maze key art designed exclusively by Kyle Lambert, the official illustrator of the mega-hit Netflix original series, with the maze inspired by Season 1. Fans will get to experience iconic scenes, characters, and environments including the Upside Down, the Byers’ house, the Hawkins Lab sensory deprivation tank—and yes, come face-to-face with the predatory Demogorgon!
Check out the sneak peek video…
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood and Halloween Horror Nights Orlando will also each bring a Trick ‘r Treat maze, but each coast will uniquely differ in their mazes. Hollywood will have Emma and Henry’s house as the façade, while Orlando will feature Kreeg’s house. And, Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood has a special treat, it will have a Trick ‘r Treat scare zone, too!
WHEN: September 14 thru November 3. For more information about Halloween Horror Nights visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
WHERE: Universal Studios Hollywood- 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608. Universal Orlando- 6000 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
(Courtesy of Dark Harbor)
Regarded as one of the most haunted places on Earth, the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor returns with an eerie-and-unique “choose-your-own-adventure mega haunt”—as described by Charity Hill, Executive Producer of Dark Harbor—featuring 6 blood-curdling mazes, 5 weeks of terror, 3 new secret bars, 2 electrifying stages, and 1 way out!
This year, Dark Harbor will disorient fans with an entirely NEW park footprint along with NEW maze designs, INTERACTIVE alternate paths, and THRILLING live entertainment.
Put on a detective’s hat and retrace the steps of Samuel the Savage to solve the gruesome murders in B340. Re-live childhood nightmares playing hide-and-seek with Scary Mary and her sinister teddy bear in Lullaby. Escape the Ringmaster’s big top before becoming a specimen in the oddities museum of Circus. Head to boot camp with Half Hatch Henry for a reimagined storyline of the fan-favorite maze, Deadrise, to experience Captain’s rigorous training camp. Feeling Intrepid? Traverse the John Brown Shipyard and try to hide from the lurking creatures in the Scottish Highlands aboard Iron Master’s express train to hell. Clock-in to a shift aboard the infamous Grey Ghost and avoid Chef’s chopping block while working up an appetite for flesh in the maze FEAST.
WHEN: 23 Nights of Terror September 27 – November 2, 2018. Purchase tickets online at queenmary.com/dark-harbor.
WHERE: The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA 90802
Warner Bros. Horror Made Here: A Festival of Frights
(Image by Yariel C.)
Warner Bros. gave fans a sneak peek of this year’s Horror Made Here: A Festival of Frights with props and original costumes, featuring Pennywise and Georgie from It and the Nun from The Conjuring 2. This year, Warner Bros. brings you face-to-face with your fears as you enter their iconic backlot for an epic-and-eerie Halloween party where evil clowns, demon nuns, super villains, possessed dolls and the devil himself will come to life. Be prepared to face your deepest fears and see what nightmares await you from the twisted minds that brought you IT, The Conjuring, Freddy vs. Jason, The Exorcist, and from WB Games, Batman: Arkham Asylum.
(Image by Yariel C.)
WHEN: Horror Made Here: A Festival of Frights is a special ticketed event, held on October 5-6, October 11-13, October 18-21 and October 25-28, open from 7PM to 1AM. The event ticket includes access to the festival, all scare mazes and the night tour. Visit horrormadehere.com for more information.
WHERE: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood 3400 W. Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91505
Knott’s Scary Farm 46th Season
(Image courtesy of Knott’s Scary Farm)
Knott’s Scary Farm will return with 14 mazes and haunted attractions and over 1,000 monsters lurking in the fog for 25 terrifying nights
New scare zone- for the first time the lake underneath Silver Bullet will reveal the horrors and creatures it’s kept hidden, until now. Forsaken Lake will unleash gothic creatures, which have been ravaged by the dark and murky waters, as they wander their crypts preying on unsuspecting visitors, looking for victims to drag back to their watery graves.
New upgrades- the park will feature new themed landscaping and enhanced ride lighting. HangTime will debut its never-before-seen Halloween inspired lighting scheme. And there will be select rollercoasters in the dark!
New dance party- Fiesta Village will feature rhythmic music, performances by a live DJ throughout the night, dancing and sugar skull go-go dancers with Awaken the Dead.
WHEN: Knott’s Scary Farm will return from September 20th – October 31st. Tickets are now on sale at: knotts.com/tickets-passes/scary-farm.
WHERE: Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd. Buena Park, CA 90620
All around, Midsummer Scream 2018 gave fans what they wanted—and more—bringing the best Halloween and horror has to offer. And you can bet your life that Midsummer Scream will sell out again next year—so mark your calendars to raise your spirits and get you in the mood for Halloween season for Midsummer Scream 2019 already set for August 3-4!
For more information on Midsummer Scream, and to stay posted for next year’s event visit midsummerscream.org.
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