Long Beach, CA — Passes are now on sale for Midsummer Scream 2026, which returns to the Long Beach Convention Center August 7-9. Single-Day Passes range from $42 to $60, Weekend Passes are $80, and VIP Gold Bat Passes are $199. The convention also announced its 2026 theme of “Horror Musicals,” confirmed the return of the Hall of Shadows with a new lineup of local haunters, and revealed that Matthew Lillard will make his first-ever Midsummer Scream appearance.
This year’s theme draws inspiration from productions including Phantom of the Opera, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video, represented in this year’s hand-painted event poster by pop-culture artist Stephen Andrade.
Headlining the theme, Lionsgate will bring Repo: The Genetic Opera to Midsummer Scream to celebrate the cult film’s 20th anniversary. Director Darren Lynn Bousman and actor Bill Moseley are confirmed as special guests, with additional cast and crew to be announced. The 2008 film also starred Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Sarah Brightman, and Paris Hilton.
“This year’s theme is for all of the theatre kids that are a huge part of the haunt and horror community,” said David Markland, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Midsummer Scream. “We will be honoring horror musicals of all kinds with a variety of panels, presentations, and performances all weekend.”
Additional confirmed celebrity guests include Matthew Lillard (Scream, Five Nights at Freddy’s), Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and Jasmin Savoy Brown (Scream 5, 6, and 7; Yellowjackets), with more to be announced.
Hall of Shadows and Show Floor
The Hall of Shadows returns for all three days, featuring more than a dozen haunted attractions and displays set within a darkened area of the convention center. VIP/Gold Bat passholders will have access to priority queues at many of the attractions. Confirmed haunters include:
- Eulogy Collective
- Fear Farm
- Straite to Hale Productions
- H&L’s Realm of Horror
- The Dreich Society
- CalHauntS
- The Haunt With No Name… Yet
- Decayed Brigade
The show floor will feature more than 350 vendors and artists offering apparel, masks, artwork, props, and more.
Panels and Programming
Midsummer Scream’s panel schedule will feature presentations from Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights, Knott’s Scary Farm, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, and Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Fright Fest, among others. Programming partners include Paramount Scares, Fangoria, and Bloody Disgusting.
Returning components include Paranormal Pixie’s Pumpkin Patch children’s zone, the black light exhibit Casa Calavaras, the Black Cat Lounge kitten adoption center, and the Screaming Room Film Festival presented by HorrorBuzz.
Dates, Location, and Tickets
Midsummer Scream 2026 takes place August 7-9, 2026, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA. Single-Day Passes are priced at $42 (Friday), $60 (Saturday), and $54 (Sunday); Weekend Passes are $80; and VIP Gold Bat Passes are $199. All listed prices include fees with no additional charges at checkout. Children ages 10 and younger receive free general admission with a paid adult guardian, with a maximum of two free children per adult. Passes are available now. Organizers note that passes do sell out.
