Photos: Horror fans descend on Long Beach for biggest Midsummer Scream yet

Tens of thousands of horror fans streamed into the Long Beach Convention Center over the weekend for Midsummer Scream, the seventh annual convention for fans of all things scary.

Some were doused in fake blood, while others sported T-shirts featuring their favorite horror movie titles.

Maddy Lopez came dressed as a Ghostbuster who lost her battle with the ghouls, featuring fake blood on the iconic Ghostbusters uniform along with a light-up proton pack.

The biology major at Cal State Long Beach said the inspiration for her getup was “Ghostbusters but not family-friendly.”

Lopez attended the event for the second straight year and said she was most excited to meet up with friends at the Hall of Shadows.

This year, Hall of Shadows featured a haunted maze, a Celtic cemetery and a search for Scooby-Doo at the Long Beach Pike.

Lionsgate made an immersive attraction called Gears of Fear for this year’s Hall of Shadows, marking the first time a studio has produced a walk-through experience for the event.

Richard Osborn and Christina Giangiulio, of Las Vegas, said they were in town to attend the Midsummer Scream for their eighth anniversary.

The couple bonded over their love for the occult, and they try to attend the convention every year.

This year’s event was the biggest in the seven times it’s taken place.

A spokesperson for the event said they were still tallying attendance numbers and selling tickets for Sunday, but the attendance was expected to exceed 50,000.

Last year’s attendance came in around 45,000.

Cast members from The Black Phone horror film — including Jeremy Davies,  Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw — were available for autographs Friday along with Elvira actress Cassandra Peterson, the voice of Ghostface Roger L. Jackson, and other celebrities from the horror genre.

Legendary designer Bob Gurr, who crafted the vehicles in Disney’s Haunted Mansion, the Disneyland Monorail and other attractions, was also in attendance meeting fans.

More than 350 exhibitors had goods on display ranging from Halloween pajamas to original artwork.

Vicente Morales, head designer at Death Dealer Props, said it was his first year at the event. On display, he had a door with eight arms sticking out of it.

Each arm and hand was bendable, “so they can choke you,” Morales said.

The Harbor City resident said he has worked in fabrication for 10 years but this is his second year owning his own prop business.

Saturday’s event schedule includes a “Party for the Recently Deceased,” with the winner for best costume receiving $500.

Staff from The Queen Mary are set to make an announcement during its panel at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on the Promenade Stage. The announcements will likely be related to the Dark Harbor haunted event on the iconic ship, which is returning this year after a pandemic-related pause.

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