REVIEW: midsummer scream

AUGUST 6, 2023

review: MIDSUMMER SCREAM

Last weekend brought us Midsummer Scream (MSS) - the world's largest haunt and horror convention that has now become the official launch date for Southern California’s haunt season. Taking place in the Long Beach Convention Center, MSS is a carefully curated and jam-packed event that has everything including panels, performances, vendors, meet and greets, theater shows, and art. Our favorite feature of MSS is the Hall of Shadows - a blacked out area of the convention center that hosts mini displays, pop-up haunts, and the resident Decayed Brigade Sliders.

Per tradition, the entrance of the Hall of Shadows was created by SoCalHaunts - a private group of some of our favorite haunt builders. This year’s theme of dungeon ruins was an impressive interactive set of displays brimming with imagination and fantasy. There were multiple laser-eyed monsters and treasure chests that spit out smoke - activated by rocks you could manually spin. Hidden people spoke through a massive sword-wielding skeleton - who you could converse with similarly to the beloved Knott’s Berry Farm prisoner, Sad-Eye Joe.

Once inside the Hall of Shadows, you were surrounded by some of SoCal’s best haunts, like Haunted Harvest. Their “No More Late Fees” haunt impressively recreated a 90’s Blockbuster store packed with classic horror VHS tapes. Once you entered the back of the store you ran into various murderous monsters. Haunted Harvest, previously Perdition Home Haunt, continues the tradition of utilizing the most captivating themes that bring out the best in gore. 

Los Angeles’s High Desert was represented by the infamous haunt, Fear Farm, who brought the house down with their haunt and its unique, massive exterior guarded by smoke-breathing dragons. Riverside’s Coble Haunter created a farewell blackout maze, “Scream in the Dark'', filled with tight, dark hallways inhabited by frightening characters. Coble Haunter informed us they will only be doing yard displays now. However, we are holding out hope that they will bring back their incredible backyard dark rides - which are some of the most impressive builds we have ever seen - with their homemade cars, tracks, and animatronics.

Straite to Hale, who have become some of the most impressive and ambitious builders of the past few seasons, presented a wonderful Victorian maze that combined new ideas blended with parts of their Rancho haunt along with their builds for the Winchester Mystery House. Their use of suspense, articulate builds, and dedicated actors always makes visiting them a memorable experience.

Santa Ana Haunt and Ontario's The Dreich Society also brought some surprises. The Dreich Society created an incredible maze in tribute to The Twilight Zone. Their monochromatic world brought to life sci-fi horror classics like Living Doll/Talky Tina and Nightmare at 20,000 Feet. While Santa Ana Haunt utilized their unique sense of storytelling to create a maze filled with people blinded by wichcraft.

Speaking of classics, Pasadena's Ghostwood Manor brought us once again to “Pharaoh’s Hall”. This interactive display recreates a haunted tomb of a Pharaoh. Once inside you encounter animatronic mummies, laser-eyed miniatures, and wonderfully decorated rooms. 

This year, the notorious Pennywise cosplayer, Mr. Floats, had a whole carnival themed corner that included his notorious ice cream truck, scaring all visitors who dared to enter. Next to him was Denver, Colorado’s Wicker Manor. Their mine themed haunt was absolutely incredible to experience with its animatronic skits, rocky elevators, and very well executed underground caverns to walk through.

Midsummer Scream throughout the years has become a powerful force that brings together haunters from all across the United States. Its founders - all active for decades within various forms of haunt and theme park careers - have the background, experience, and knowledge to always curate one of the greatest annual celebrations of horror and Halloween.

VC

August 06, 2023

Hauntsofla.com

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