Midsummer Scream creeps back in to Long Beach
For fans of horror, the true nightmare has been the long wait for this weekend, which brings ghouls, zombies, slashers and other monsters as well as celebrities to Long Beach for the Midsummer Scream Horror Halloween and Horror Festival.
“I've been looking forward for this to come back for more than two years. It's felt like forever, but I'm so stoked it's finally here and I can be with my people,” said LosAngeles resident Carlos Cortes.
For Cortes, who was sporting a hockey mask and torn and bloody clothing while holding a large plastic knife splattered with dry blood, his people were the hundreds of other fans of all things horror who lined up in front of the Long Beach Convention Center Friday evening as the doors opened at 6 p.m. for day one of the July 29-31 convention.
“Look around, everyone here loves horror, and it's pretty awesome,” said Cortes, who yes, was dressed up as his favorite movie slasher: Jason from the “Friday the 13th” movies.
It rises again
Midsummer Scream returned to Long Beach after a two year absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The horror-themed event, which typically draws about 30,000 fans, includes more than 350 vendors selling everything from props to costumes to artwork and all else horror related.
There are also several panel discussions, a horror film festival and even a Halloween themed puppet show for the kids.
One of the biggest attractions is the Hall of Shadows, which is located in a low-lit area of the venue and features more than a dozen walk-through haunts. Because of the shorter event hours on Friday the Hall of Shadows wasn't open on Day One but the haunts will be terrifying people today.
So Friday night was mainly about shopping, and one huge horror celebrity.
“This is amazing. I've never been to the show before and I'm so excited and it's only been open for like an hour so I can only imagine how exciting it's going to be tomorrow when all these fans get to come back and celebrate,” said Greg Nicotero, a special effects legend, executive producer and main director for the wildly popular AMC series “The Walking Dead.”
Nicotero started his night in the vendor area signing autographs and taking pictures with fans who lined up to meet the horror icon.
One of those fans was Covina resident Alex Corcuera, whose arms are tatted with horror-related images that include a portrait of Michael Myers from the “Halloween” films and Wednesday from “The Addams Family.”
After posing for a selfie with Nicotero he got the producer to sign his arm, and the signature will become his next tattoo, Corcuera said.
“I was so nervous meeting him, this guy is a legend and for me to get to meet him in person, it's just surreal” he said. “This is getting tattooed, now he's going to live right here,” he added, pointing to the signature.
While it was his first time at Midsummer Scream, Nicotero said he was in his element at the convention.
“I'm a fan of all this too. I went to my first convention in 1975 when I was 12 years old so this is an opportunity for me to pay back the fans for their dedication,” Nicotero said before heading to a panel discussion where he talked about his love of horror, his career and what really truly scares him.
“I'm terrified of spiders, terrified,” he confessed during the panel.
Today there will be a sneak peek at the plans for the L.A. Haunted Hayride and Shaqtoberfest, a new horror event that makes its debut at the Queen Mary in Long Beach in September.
IF YOU GO
What: Midsummer Scream Halloween and Horror When: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. today
Where: Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach
Cost: $32-$135 at mid summerscream.org