Midsummer Scream 2026 wrapped up with one massive surprise.
Warming up for the final Halloween Horror Nights panel of the weekend, the Midsummer Scream team took the stage to thank fans for another incredible year before making a pair of huge announcements about the future of the convention.
After calling the Long Beach Convention Center home since the event began in 2016, Midsummer Scream is officially moving. Beginning in 2027, the Halloween and horror convention will head to the Anaheim Convention Center. However, that doesn’t mean the team is abandoning Long Beach.
Instead, Long Beach is getting another horror convention of its own with the return of Season’s Screamings.
So, what exactly is changing for Midsummer Scream in 2027? Let’s break it down.
Where Will Midsummer Scream Be Next Year?
Midsummer Scream will officially move to the Anaheim Convention Center for its 2027 event, taking place August 6-8, 2027.
Midsummer Scream has traditionally called the Long Beach Convention Center home, so for tradition’s sake, I have to admit that it is a little sad to see it go for the locals. Long Beach has become almost synonymous with Midsummer Scream over the years, and the beach plus horror fans has become part of the experience.
That being said, I think Anaheim is a very welcome move. The Anaheim Convention Center gives Midsummer Scream considerably more room to work with as the event continues to grow. That growth was especially noticeable in 2026, which reportedly brought in more than 50,000 attendees and over 350 vendors throughout the weekend.
Personally, I’m excited to see what the Midsummer Scream team can do with the additional space. Whether that means a larger Hall of Shadows, more vendors, bigger activations, additional panels, or simply a little more breathing room between everything, there is a lot of potential here.
Plus, Anaheim is already built around handling massive conventions and tourist crowds, so the move makes a lot of sense. Of course, if you're a Long Beach local, you might be asking one very important question: What about us? Don't worry. Midsummer Scream isn't completely abandoning its longtime home.
Will Midsummer Scream Return to Long Beach?
Technically, no.
The main Midsummer Scream convention will not return to the Long Beach Convention Center in 2027. Instead, Anaheim becomes its new home.
However, the same team is bringing Season’s Screamings back to Long Beach.
Season’s Screamings is a holiday horror convention combining the spooky side of Halloween with Christmas and the holiday season. The event isn't technically brand new — previous editions were held in Pasadena — but its return gives Long Beach something completely different to look forward to.
The newly revived Season’s Screamings will take place at the Long Beach Convention Center on December 4-5, 2027. The announcement also confirmed the return of the Hall of Yuletide Spirits, alongside spooky vendors and more holiday-horror festivities.
Honestly, I love this idea.
Instead of simply moving Midsummer Scream and leaving Long Beach behind, the team is essentially creating two major opportunities for Southern California horror fans to get together every year. We get Midsummer Scream during the summer to kick off the Halloween season, then Season’s Screamings arrives toward the end of the year for everyone who refuses to stop celebrating spooky season just because October is over.
Is the Midsummer Scream Move to Anaheim a Good Thing?
As someone who has gotten used to Midsummer Scream being in Long Beach, it's definitely going to feel strange walking into the Anaheim Convention Center in 2027.
But I think this could ultimately be a great move for the convention.
Midsummer Scream has gotten incredibly popular, and the 2026 event showed just how massive the community surrounding Halloween and horror has become. Moving into a larger convention center gives the team more opportunities to grow rather than trying to squeeze an increasingly large event into the same footprint.
At the same time, bringing Season’s Screamings to Long Beach feels like a great way to honor the city that helped Midsummer Scream become what it is today.
Instead of losing one convention, Southern California horror fans are essentially gaining another.
Midsummer Scream returns August 6-8, 2027 at the Anaheim Convention Center, while Season’s Screamings takes over the Long Beach Convention Center December 4-5, 2027.
