If you haven’t heard of Midsummer Scream, let me just say it’s become the world’s biggest Halloween and horror convention. Since 2016, it has haunted the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA, annually. I started attending in 2018 and have covered it on Vamp Jenn’s Corner ever since.
David Markland is one of the co-founders, but Midsummer Scream is not his first horror con creation. He actually started Scare LA in 2013, which took place in Los Angeles and was one of the first of its kind. He also established the website Creepy L.A. in 2007, which highlighted the spooky side of the city. It’s apparent that Markland’s fervor for the strange and unusual runs deeps and that he’s committed to spreading spine-tingling cheer wherever he can.
Markland is joined by Claire Dunlap, Gary Baker and Rick West who collectively make up the Midsummer Scream team. Together, they produce this event for the masses with each of them throwing their bit of magic into the cauldron to brew a spellbinding affair that includes haunts, celebrity appearances, intriguing discussion panels and live entertainment. When it debuted, the convention drew a crowd of about 8,000 attendees. Last year, it attracted more than 45,000 guests.
While Midsummer Scream is the perfect place for Halloween and horror lovers to unite, it’s also become a safe space for the outliers of society. It welcomes anyone who’s felt like the outcast and weirdo for having uncanny interests. And the event has made strides to spotlight diversity and the LGBTQIA+ community. They’ve hosted panels centered on Black and Latino representation in horror and featured appearances and performances by drag artists. Midsummer Scream is committed to being inclusive and helping all individuals feel seen and understood.
It’s such an honor getting to speak with one of the masterminds behind this spooky event. In the following interview, co-founder David Markland gives more insight into their macabre machinations.
Q: First, thank you so much for taking the time to join us on Vamp Jenn’s Corner. Now, let’s take it back to the beginning. How did the concept for Midsummer Scream arise? And how did each person that’s now part of the scream team come together?
A: We wanted to create an event that appealed to fans who love the Halloween season and all that comes with it. This included adding theme parks to the line-up as there was nothing out there that seemed to bring it all together into one event.
The Midsummer Scream team was all acquainted through previous work experience. We are all fans of Halloween and each member brings a unique background to the table. We have an award-winning theatre producer, a journalist who covered theme parks for over two decades, the producer of Ghost Train, one of LA’s top attractions, and an event producer who hosted a creepy blog about the LA area. And those are only a few. There are so many more who pour themselves into creating this experience and the backgrounds are truly amazing.
Q: This horror con has so many moving parts, from spooky vendors to haunted attractions to live entertainment. How do you go about planning for an event of this magnitude and what is the experience like? Did you encounter any challenges in the early years that made you question if you could pull this off?
A: We have to start planning more than a year out. It takes a great deal of coordination, both for logistics and creative development. Our goal is to make it an event each of us would want to attend as a fan.
Q: Every year that I attend this event, I come away with so many great memories. Since Midsummer Scream’s inception, what have been some of your favorite moments and major highlights? Has there been anyone you were really excited to feature as a guest?
A: There are so many highlights we could name. The most recent was the success of last year’s show. We were scheduled the same weekend as San Diego Comic-Con which as you know, is a huge show. And yet, Midsummer Scream had its biggest year yet. We are extremely proud of that.
During CoVID, we had already sold passes before the lockdown hit. We had to cancel the show for that year with the intent to come back the following year. We were still in lockdown mode the following year. Although we offered refunds, the community entrusted us for two years and over 80% kept their passes for the next show. We felt humbled and honored by this.
We are proud that Halloween Horror events has been with us since the beginning and that legends like Cassandra Peterson and Greg Nicotero not only attend once, but want to return. And other talent that support us by attending, not as guests, but as fans. That is gratifying.
And it’s also fun to see horror creators get excited by meeting others in their field.
Q: So, because this is a convention dedicated to all things spooky, there’s something I have to ask. What does Halloween mean to you and why is it so special?
A: Halloween to me is about being able to openly celebrate the macabre and spooky.
For Midsummer Scream, Halloween is represented by anywhere horror becomes an active part of people’s lives – either going to or making a haunted house, dressing up and trick or treating, decorating, sharing scary stories, and more. The event allows for these various avenues to come together and come alive for a community of fans. It’s beyond simply watching a scary movie – it’s when those characters and settings are recreated in the real world.
Q: There’s no doubt that this event keeps getting bigger and better every year. What are your hopes for the future of Midsummer Scream? Any teasers you’d like to drop regarding how it will be evolving in the coming years?
A: This is our 8th year producing Midsummer Scream. We are so honored with the continuous positive response we’ve had to-date. We just hope to continue to generate excitement for the fans through fresh takes on the genre and the ability to evolve as well as entertainment [for] those fans.
Where to Stalk
Midsummer Scream official website
Vamp Jenn's Corner 
You certainly get and do some amazing interviews
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Thank you!
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