<![CDATA[Park Journey - Beyond The Parks]]>

<![CDATA[Park Journey - Beyond The Parks]]>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:55:52 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Midsummer Scream Says Goodbye to Long Beach with Epic 2026 Convention]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:01:54 GMThttps://www.parkjourney.com/beyond-the-parks/midsummer-scream-says-goodbye-to-long-beach-with-epic-2026-conventionWelcome to our yearly update from one of our favorite events of the year, Midsummer Scream!

In this update we've got a lot of fun horror goodies to share with you as well as some videos and updates from some of the theme park panels that were held over the weekend.

This years coverage was a bit different for us, I (Gregg) had a previously planned family weekend the weekend of Midsummer Scream so I enlisted the help of our dear friend Chris and his fiancé Mark to cover the event for us. As you can see we didn't miss a beat (I knew we wouldn't).

I also want to give a shout out to our good buddy Theme Park Wizard who shared some pics of the theme park panels on Sunday.

Thank you once again to the Midsummer Scream crew for not only putting on an amazing event, but for including us as media partners. The privilege is never lost on us.

Let's dive right in for some Halloween shenanigan's.

Welcome to Midsummer Scream 2026!

Every convention should have a greeter like this

I know we all have a list of people we'd like to see abducted by aliens

Fright Fest on the show floor!

To us, the Hall of Shadows is the heart of Midsummer Scream

Looking forward to seeing if Hall of Shadows gets expanded in Anaheim!

It's so amazing what these haunters do with such a short turnaround time

Midsummer Scream cosplay is always amazing

Be careful what you wish for

Halloween Horror Nights had a big presence at the event, as always

All are welcome at Midsummer Scream. It is truly a family event.

So cute!!

Theme Park and Halloween Event Panels

There were a few theme park and other Halloween event panels.

Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest

Click Here For Full Details for Fright Fest 2026

Tricks and Treats is coming back and has been expanded for 2026

Let's dive into Fright Fest

Retiring Mazes and Scare Zones

Returning Scare Zones

Returning Mazes. Trick 'r Treat is taking over the former Saw location and will be revamped for 2026.

Sliders of the Night is returning with an all new show

New to the Full Throttle Stage

Margo Rita's Monster Ball is returning and will be in the Gearworks Theater

The Conjuring Universe is back and will be revamped for 2026 including all new characters

I don't think anybody saw this one coming, which is pretty spot on for this franchise.

An all new maze coming, the first collaboration with their partners at Knott's Scary Farm

Wolves Blood will be taking over the spot vacated by Truth or Dare. So lots of space to work with.

Our good buddy Gus Krueger designed this maze. Cannot wait!

Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood

Click Here For Full Details for HHN Hollywood 2026

Art the Clown is back as a walk around character and ...

TERRIFIER TRAM!

We are doing this tour on September 12th! Can't wait to share it with all of you.

John also announced the Scare Zones for this years event! Included in the Press Release is also the return of the Death Eaters in Wizarding World Hollywood.

Other Midsummer Scream Announcements

Midsummer Scream Moves to Anaheim Convention Center for 2027 and the return of Season's Screamings in December 2027 - Click for Details

Delusion: Den of the Mosquito - Click For Details

That's going to wrap it up for Midsummer Scream 2026! We can't wait to see you in 2027!

We will have MUCH more Halloween event coverage coming up over the next 2 1/2 months including our Annual Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood Survival Guide which should be completed next week.

Related Updates

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]]><![CDATA[Midsummer Scream Partners with Paramount Scares for the Ultimate 30th Anniversary Celebration of Scream!]]>Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:43:37 GMThttps://www.parkjourney.com/beyond-the-parks/midsummer-scream-partners-with-paramount-scares-for-the-ultimate-30th-anniversary-celebration-of-screamThe World’s Largest Halloween and Horror Convention Brings the Original Cast, the Voice of Ghostface, and Legendary Composer Marco Beltrami to Long Beach This August.

LONG BEACH, CA — There are certain rules that one must abide by to celebrate a horror franchise as esteemed as Scream... and rule number one is you never, ever miss a reunion this big. In an unprecedented partnership with Paramount Scares, Midsummer Scream is thrilled to announce a massive, weekend-long celebration marking the 30th Anniversary of Wes Craven’s genre-shattering masterpiece.
Creeping into the Long Beach Convention Center from August 7-9, the massive three-day event includes hundreds of spooky vendors, over a dozen haunted experiences inside the Hall of Shadows, and panels, presentations, and performances across seven different stages all weekend long.

The Ultimate Woodsboro Reunion
Horror fans can meet the original survivors and killers of Woodsboro for autographs, selfies, and professional photo-ops throughout the weekend, including:

Matthew Lillard (Stu Macher)
Skeet Ulrich (Billy Loomis)
David Arquette (Dewey Riley)
Jamie Kennedy (Randy Meeks)
Lee Waddell (stunt actor), Joseph Whipp (Sheriff Burke), and more!

For those needing something that stabs deeper, an incredibly limited number of fans can book a private meet-and-greet with Roger L. Jackson, the voice of Ghostface himself, record a custom voicemail or audio greeting.

Celebrity photo-ops and the Roger L. Jackson meet and greet can be ordered through Pose Photo-Ops here.

Step Inside the Paramount Scares Bradley Video Store
PARAMOUNT SCARES is rewinding to Woodsboro 1996 for SCREAM's 30th anniversary, recreating Bradley Video — the fictional store where the nightmare began — right on the Midsummer Scream floor, with best fright-friends FANGORIA manning the counter old-school style, playing genre expert to help fans dig up hidden gems worth renting instantly. Ghostface photo ops and merch giveaways await anyone brave enough to ask "do you like scary movies?"

Can’t-Miss Weekend Panels
The weekend’s programming is packed with dynamic, heavy-hitting panels that will gut you like a fish:

Saturday, August 8: Matthew Lillard takes the stage to host the SCREAM 30th Anniversary Panel, promising special guests, wild franchise insights, and plenty of chaotic audience engagement.
Sunday, August 9: Dive deep into the auditory terror that kept you looking over your shoulder with THE SOUND OF SCREAM. This panel features master horror composer Marco Beltrami, Spencer Charnas (frontman of Ice Nine Kills), Roger L. Jackson, film producer Marianne Maddalena, and music supervisor Ed Gerrard. Together, they will dissect the spine-chilling music, terrifying vocal delivery, and razor-sharp audio that defined the franchise.

An Exclusive Slice of Horror History
In honor of the anniversary, attendees can snag a special Midsummer Scream edition of Fangoria magazine, available only at the show. Featuring a blood-pumping cover starring Ghostface, this collector's item is packed with archival articles, deep dives, and retrospective looks at Midsummer Scream’s 2026 guest line-up.

Don’t Get Woozy! Admission Will Sell Out Soon!
"Weekend" and "Gold Bat VIP" passes have already been slashed to zero and are completely sold out. If you want to make it to the final credits, you need to move fast, and visit midsummerscream.com as single-day passes are on the verge of selling out next.

About Paramount Scares
Before Rosemary had her baby, before Jason arrived at Camp Crystal Lake, and before Ghostface asked “Do you like scary movies?”, Paramount has been there to scare. Paramount Scares is a dedicated brand from Paramount Pictures that showcases more than a century of iconic chills and thrills and super-serves fans all year round as a horror community hub. Through online, theatrical, and live events, Paramount Scares connects with audiences and creates a space where all fans—from the newly curious to the deeply devoted—feel seen, celebrated, and part of the exciting and ever-evolving horror genre.

About Midsummer Scream
Midsummer Scream is presented by David Markland (Co-Founder/Executive Director), Gary Baker (Co-Founder/Executive Producer), Claire Dunlap(Co-Founder/Producer), and Rick West (Co-Founder/Creative Director). Their goal is to showcase the diversity of Southern California’s haunt and horror communities as a welcoming beacon for fans around the world to converge on Los Angeles for a weekend of excitement, networking, and non-stop spooky fun.

]]><![CDATA[Midsummer Scream Reveals Most Ambitious Hall of Shadows EVER for 2026!]]>Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:21:31 GMThttps://www.parkjourney.com/beyond-the-parks/midsummer-scream-reveals-most-ambitious-hall-of-shadows-ever-for-2026MIDSUMMER SCREAM REVEALS
MOST AMBITIOUS HALL OF SHADOWS EVER
FOR 2026

“Descent Into Darkness” Beckons Guests to Explore Renowned Dark Zone Featuring an Incredible Variety of Haunted Attractions, Halloween Displays, Photo Ops, and Live Entertainment
Passes Now on Sale!

LONG BEACH, CA — The massive Hall of Shadows dark zone returns to Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, featuring a monstrous array of haunted attractions, photo ops, and live entertainment August 7 to August 9 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Passes for this year’s show are on sale now at MidsummerScream.com.

With the 2026 Hall of Shadows theme of “Descent Into Darkness,” guests are invited to venture beyond the veil into a world of perpetual nightfall, where the most ambitious collection of haunted attractions in Midsummer Scream’s history have been assembled. Creating the entry portal experience this year is Eulogy Collective, Southern California’s only year-round haunted attraction. With each step deeper into the hall, guests will encounter vignettes and characters from its various seasonal overlays, each more twisted and macabre than the other.

Universal Horror Unleashedis bringing the heat from Las Vegas with a terrifying character encounter that marks the attraction’s blood-soaked debut at Midsummer Scream. Guests will get up-close-and-personal with some of the attraction’s most infamous icons.

Lionsgate Entertainmentreturns for their third year with an all-new walk-through attraction, inviting guests deep into the woods, where they’ll come face-to-face with an ancient evil.

All passes for Midsummer Scream include admission to every attraction in the Hall of Shadows. Guests holding Gold Bat VIP credentials will enjoy priority access to most attractions in the Hall of Shadows, bypassing General Admission standby queues. Hall of Shadows will be open to guests all three days of Midsummer Scream — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 7 to August 9.

“I sound like a broken record every summer,” says Rick West, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “But yet again, this year’s Hall of Shadows is absolutelythe most intense and ambitious lineup of haunts and attractions we’ve ever assembled at Midsummer Scream. It’s so exciting to welcome the team from Universal Horror Unleashed — this is the first time we’ve hosted an attraction from Las Vegas; a very important bridge between the SoCal and Southern Nevada haunt communities. Of course, we’re also thrilled to have Lionsgate returning with a brand-new walk-through for fans to experience. Our friends at Eulogy Collective will set the tone for everyone’s descent into the darkness and fog-filled belly of the beast, where fans will find more than 15 unique attractions created by some of the most talented haunters anywhere in the world.”

Within the darkened expanse of the Hall of Shadows, guests can explore an incredible assortment of haunted attractions, chilling displays, thrilling photo ops, and live entertainment that include:
•  A visit to the Hawkins National Laboratory for some photographic fun provided by Rawl of the Dead
•  A terrifying witch hunt through a cursed forest led by H&L’s Realm of Horror
•  Kooky, spooky home haunt fun with the return of Clowns v Skeletons
•  A shot of fear and a round of terror as guests explore a ramshackle Floridian distillery presented by Straite to Hale
•  The eerie, hallowed grounds of a long-forgotten Celtic graveyard known as The Haunt With No Name… Yet
•  The Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns Bar, serving up spooky libations for guests 21 and older, in the glow of dozens of grinning gourds, courtesy of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment
•  A blood-sucking horde hidden away for generations within a dilapidated manor fromFear Farm
•  Another go-around with your favorite soapy and sudsy monsters from The Haunted Carwash
•  A totally tubular romp through an old movie theater showcasing some of the best horror flicks of the 1980s, presented by The Dreich Society
•  A chilling exploration through whisper-filled halls of the Shadows Hollow Asylum, created by Realm of Shadow
•  The continued twisted cinematic misadventures of Sid from Toy Story, from Monclova Media Group
•  And an abandoned old morgue where forgotten souls refuse to decay in silence, from Black Casket Productions.

The Decayed Brigadereturns to Long Beach with three days of slider exhibitions that must be seen to be believed. Fans of all ages gather each year in the Hall of Shadows to witness this epic display of inhuman agility and terrifying precision. Midsummer Scream guests can catch this world-class sliding team on Friday night, followed by three shows daily both Saturday and Sunday.

All of this and more await within the fog-filled corridors of the Hall of Shadows, as fans dying to get in pry open the doors to Midsummer Scream the evening of Friday August 7, in Long Beach.

Guests will want to plan their weekend in advance -- “like” panels and presentations, as well as attractions they’re interested in, connect with fellow fans, and browse hundreds of vendors with the official Midsummer Scream app, now available as a free download in the Apple and Android stores.

For breaking information about Midsummer Scream, sign up for our digital newsletter at MidsummerScream.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook by searching @midsummerscream.

About Midsummer Scream
Midsummer Scream is presented by David Markland (Co-Founder/Executive Director), Gary Baker (Co-Founder/Executive Producer), Claire Dunlap(Co-Founder/Producer), and Rick West (Co-Founder/Creative Director). Their goal is to showcase the diversity of Southern California’s haunt and horror communities as a welcoming beacon for fans around the world to converge on Los Angeles for a weekend of excitement, networking, and non-stop spooky fun.

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Theme Park and Halloween Event Panels

Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest

Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood

Other Midsummer Scream Announcements

Related Videos

Related Updates