The Long Beach Convention Center hosted the closing day of Midsummer Scream on Sunday, Aug. 9, as the three-day horror convention wrapped its 10th annual event. Organizers filled the venue with a mix of panels, walk-through haunts, costumed attendees and a vendor floor that showcased horror-related art, tattoos and merchandise.
Decade milestone highlighted by a themed artistic design
This year’s Midsummer Scream featured a specially commissioned design by Massachusetts-based artist Stephan Andrade, who works in a midcentury movie-poster style. Organizers tapped Andrade to create artwork reflecting a focal theme for the convention: horror musicals.
“David started hashing out a list of what the big ones were, and then we kept on adding more, and we were getting all these that I never realized they made into musicals; it was so cool,” Andrade said.
Andrade, who also sold pieces as a vendor on the show floor, said he drew inspiration from monster and sci‑fi movie posters and pulp magazine art of the 1940s and ’50s. Event publicity and signage prominently used his work, signaling the convention’s emphasis on visual retro-horror aesthetics for its 10th year.
Programming, vendors and on-site services
Attendees encountered a broad mix of attractions across the convention center, with organizers staging star-studded panels alongside interactive experiences. The show floor included walk-through haunts, photo opportunities with cosplayers and live performances tied to the horror-musical theme.
- Panels: industry figures and creators discussed horror genres and musical adaptations.
- Walk-through haunts: immersive attractions allowing attendees to experience staged scares.
- Cosplay and photo ops: fans in horror costume staged group photos, including themed displays such as scary clowns.
- Vendors and artists: providers sold prints, collectibles and original art; tattoo artists offered flash and custom work.
One vendor noted in coverage was Moreno Valley-based tattoo shop Second To None, which offered multiple tattoo styles on site, including flash, fine-line and portrait realism. The shop said many horror-themed designs and Friday the 13th flash tattoos were completed in about 30 minutes, catering to lines of fans who wanted to leave the convention with commemorative ink.
| Feature | Example at the show |
|---|---|
| Theme art | Stephan Andrade’s horror-musicals poster |
| Tattoo vendors | Second To None offering flash and portrait tattoos |
| Attractions | Walk-through haunts and live musical elements |
Local impact and visitor experience
Midsummer Scream has become a fixture on the Long Beach event calendar, drawing genre fans regionally to the convention center. The 10th edition leaned into a distinctive creative direction with its horror-musical focus and retro poster art, elements that shaped both programming and merchandising at the show.
Organizers and participating vendors used the convention as a platform to reach dedicated fans, sell artwork and offer services such as custom tattoos, while panels and staged events invited engagement from attendees interested in both classic and contemporary horror culture.
Photographs from the show captured attendees posing with themed displays — including groups gathered around clown imagery and other classic horror motifs — underscoring the mix of nostalgia and live performance that the convention emphasized throughout its three-day run.
As Midsummer Scream completes its first decade, Long Beach’s convention facilities remain a key venue for niche pop‑culture events that bring specialized fandoms into the city, with economic and cultural effects that extend to local vendors, hospitality and tourism sectors.
