Midsummer Scream 2027 runs August 6 to 8 at the Anaheim Convention Center, a move from Long Beach that the organizers announced at the 2026 show. Its holiday event, Season’s Screamings, returns to the Long Beach Convention Center on December 4 and 5, 2027.
The 2026 convention ran August 7 to 9 in Long Beach with a Horror Musicals theme, more than 300 exhibitors, the Hall of Shadows dark zone, and a guest list that included John Carpenter, eight members of the Scream cast and crew, and Dee Wallace. The sections below recap that show, and I will add 2027 tickets and guests as Midsummer Scream posts them.
Also on the convention calendar: registration is open for Halloween & Party Expo 2027, January 11 to 13 in New Orleans.
Midsummer Scream 2026 at a Glance
| Dates | Friday through Sunday, August 7–9, 2026 |
| Hours | Friday 6 to 10 p.m. · Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. · Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Location | Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, California |
| Tickets | Friday $42 · Saturday $60 · Sunday $54 (passes). Weekend + VIP Gold Bat: SOLD OUT |
| 2026 theme | Horror Musicals |
| Scale | Roughly 50,000 attendees, 300+ exhibitors |
| Dark zone | Hall of Shadows: “Descent Into Darkness,” all three days |
| Early pickup | Thursday, August 6, 1 to 7 p.m. at the convention center |
| Parking | $30 per vehicle per day in Long Beach Convention Center lots |
What Is Midsummer Scream?
Midsummer Scream is the Halloween and horror convention that kicks off the season in Southern California each summer. The show floor packs more than 300 exhibitors selling props, masks, art, and haunt merchandise, alongside panels and presentations from major theme parks and haunts, live entertainment, workshops, and the Hall of Shadows, a convention-floor dark zone where SoCal home haunts and professional groups build working walkthrough experiences. The 2026 convention theme was Horror Musicals.
The show is produced by David Markland, Claire Dunlap, Gary Baker, and Rick West. Markland and Dunlap are also the team behind the Spooky Swap Meet at Heritage Square Museum, which has sold out every day since its 2021 debut.
Who Appeared in 2026, and on Which Days
Most 2026 guests signed all weekend, but several did not, and the exceptions clustered on Saturday and Sunday.
John Carpenter was the headline name and appeared Saturday only. The director and composer behind Halloween, The Thing and They Live returned to Long Beach after a Saturday appearance at the 2025 convention, when he signed alongside Storm King Comics. Storm King founder and editor Sandy King was again on the guest list, and Storm King Comics was again an exhibitor.
For a convention themed around Horror Musicals, the composer bench was the quiet story. Alan Howarth was both a guest and a vendor. He scored or co-scored Halloween II and III, Escape from New York, Christine, Prince of Darkness and They Live with Carpenter, which makes him half of one of horror’s defining sonic partnerships and the single most underrated name on the list. Marco Beltrami, who wrote the Scream score, appeared Sunday only. Also on the floor: Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills (Saturday and Sunday), Richard Elfman of Forbidden Zone, and Piggy D of Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson.
The Scream contingent was deeper than the reunion billing suggested. Eight guests connected to the franchise: Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich (Saturday and Sunday only), David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface, Lee Waddell as the original Ghostface performer, Marco Beltrami (Sunday only), and Joseph Whipp, who played Sheriff Burke and also appeared in A Nightmare on Elm Street (Sunday only).
Beyond Scream, the genre lineup included Dee Wallace (E.T., Cujo, The Howling), Bill Moseley (House of 1000 Corpses), Sean S. Cunningham, who created and directed Friday the 13th, Barry Bostwick from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Michael Dougherty of Trick ‘r Treat and Krampus, Kevin Tenney of Night of the Demons, and makeup legends Ve Neill and Tony Gardner.
Two guests cancelled: Jasmine Savoy Brown of Scream 5, 6 and 7, and Megan Lawless.
The Haunt-Industry Names
If you come to this convention for the business rather than the autographs, the 2026 guest list had a second tier of industry names. Karin Bryeans, show director at Knott’s Scary Farm, and John Murdy, creative director and executive producer at Universal Studios Hollywood, were both listed. So were Walter Magnuson and Olivia Maldonado from the Winchester Mystery House, David Bertolino, the founder of Spookyworld, Peaches Christ of Terror Vault, and Rebekah McKendry of Fangoria.
The Hall of Shadows: Descent Into Darkness
The 2026 Hall of Shadows carried a “Descent Into Darkness” theme and featured more than 15 attractions, with Universal, Lionsgate, and Thirteenth Floor Entertainment appearing alongside Southern California home haunts and independent groups like Eulogy Collective. The dark zone was open all three days in Hall C and was included with admission.
The Scream 30th Anniversary Reunion
Midsummer Scream and Paramount Scares staged a weekend-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of Wes Craven’s Scream, bringing much of the original Woodsboro cast, Ghostface voice actor Roger L. Jackson, and composer Marco Beltrami to Long Beach. Matthew Lillard made his first Midsummer Scream appearance.
Why the Industry Watches Midsummer Scream
Midsummer Scream doubles as Southern California’s reveal weekend. My 2026 guides to the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, Six Flags Fright Fest at Magic Mountain, and Festival Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House carry each haunt’s 2026 lineup. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor broke the pattern in 2026, publishing its full lineup on July 31, ahead of the convention. The California hub, and the opening-dates guide track the rest of the season.
2026 Tickets and Rules
Single-day passes for 2026 cost $42 for Friday, $60 for Saturday, and $54 for Sunday. Weekend Passes and the VIP Gold Bat Pass sold out, and so did both official hotels. The Gold Bat tier included weekend access, 10 a.m. early entry Saturday and Sunday, priority entry to panels and attractions, a laminated credential and enamel pin, and admission to the Saturday night After Party. Celebrity photo-ops and the Roger L. Jackson private meet-and-greet were bookable add-ons.
The 2026 rules for a first visit:
- Printed passes. Midsummer Scream required printed passes for entry.
- Kids 10 and under were free on general admission with a paid adult guardian, two children maximum per adult. Gold Bat was excluded.
- Bags were capped at 12 by 12 by 6 inches. No outside food or drink, no metal water bottles or Hydroflasks, and empty plastic bottles only. Prop weapons could have no sharp edges, and nothing resembling a firearm was allowed.
Midsummer Scream FAQ
When is Midsummer Scream 2027?
August 6 to 8, 2027, at the Anaheim Convention Center. The 2026 convention ran August 7 to 9 at the Long Beach Convention Center.
What is Season’s Screamings?
The holiday event from the Midsummer Scream team. It returns to the Long Beach Convention Center on December 4 and 5, 2027.
How much are Midsummer Scream tickets?
In 2026, single-day passes cost $42 for Friday, $60 for Saturday, and $54 for Sunday, and the weekend and VIP Gold Bat passes sold out. Check midsummerscream.org for 2027 pricing.
Did John Carpenter appear at Midsummer Scream 2026?
Yes. Carpenter appeared Saturday, August 8 only, after a Saturday appearance at the 2025 convention alongside Storm King Comics.
What is the Hall of Shadows?
A dark zone where haunts build working walkthrough attractions on the convention floor. The 2026 Hall of Shadows, themed “Descent Into Darkness,” featured more than 15 attractions from Universal, Lionsgate, Thirteenth Floor, and SoCal home haunts in Hall C, open all three days with admission.
Do haunts announce their Halloween lineups at Midsummer Scream?
It is Southern California’s reveal weekend, though not every haunt waits for it. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor published its full 2026 lineup on July 31, ahead of the convention.
Our Midsummer Scream Coverage
- Scream returns to theaters October 30 as Paramount marks the 30th anniversary at the cast reunion (August 2026)
- Midsummer Scream moves to Anaheim for 2027 and revives Season’s Screamings in Long Beach (August 2026)
- Scream 30th anniversary reunion announced with Woodsboro cast (July 2026)
- Universal, Lionsgate, and Thirteenth Floor join the 15-plus attraction Hall of Shadows lineup (July 2026)
- Tickets on sale for Midsummer Scream 2026 (March 2026)
- Midsummer Scream 2025: thrills, haunts, and horror in Long Beach (2025)
- John Carpenter joins Midsummer Scream 2025 (2025)
For every haunt convention and trade show on the calendar, see our Tradeshows & Conventions hub.
Updated September 24, 2026, with the 2027 dates and Anaheim venue. The 2026 recap draws on the official 2026 guest list and FAQ.
