I Went to a Halloween Convention in August
**If you haven’t already, make sure to check out my blog post on my week-long trip to Cancun!
Greetings to my friends and readers. Spooky season is starting a little earlier this year (at least for me) 👻! Recently, I went to a Halloween convention in Pasadena with my BFF Jenny.
I’ve mentioned this several times before but when Jenny and I first met, we bonded over our love of the paranormal, the strange, and the unexplained.
Although we both scare easily, we love doing spooky-based activities. That is where Midsummer Scream’s Awaken the Spirits comes in.
Back in 2018, Jenny and I went to Midsummer Scream for the first time. I’m not too sure how we found out about it (perhaps an email). Whatever the case, we went and had a great time. Thus, when we saw there was going to be another event this year, we quickly purchased tickets.
So what exactly happens at a Halloween convention? Read on below to learn more!
Midsummer Screams Awaken the Spirits Convention
Let’s start with the basics! Awaken the Spirits took place on August 14th and August 15h at the Pasadena Convention Center. Jenny and I went on the 14th. Tickets for a single day cost $25 (admission for the entire weekend was $40 and VIP tickets were $75).
I’m going to cut to the chase and say at the end, Jenny and I were a little disappointed by the price. Not because it wasn’t fun or we didn’t have a good time; but because the previous convention in 2018 was the same price and had a lot more.
A vendor at Awaken the Spirits
Essentially, this event was a sort of spooky swap meet of sorts. They had over 200 vendors selling various Halloween, gothic, and spiritually based items. That being said, it’s a lot of fun to walk through each aisle and look at all the handcrafted items made with love and care.
Did I buy something? Of course, I did! I got a candle for good luck (as did Jenny) and Washi tape (random, I know).
Halloween props being sold by a vendor
Besides this, people get all dressed up and decked out in Halloween costumes and cosplay. Jenny and I did not dress up. However, we enjoyed viewing those who did! Jenny even snapped a photo of me with Krampus (a Christmas devil who scares children).
Krampus and I
Besides vendors, there were different panels regarding Halloween events in California and what was in the store for the season. They included Six Flags, the Winchester Mystery House, the LA Haunted Hayride, and more.
Jenny and I actually missed all of the panels but if we had a choice, we would have definitely gone to the one regarding the Winchester Mystery House as it is the top place we want to go together!
More Halloween props
However, let’s discuss how this convention compared to the one we went to in 2018. First and foremost, we gotta talk about the size. As I said above, this one took place at the Pasadena Convention Center, the previous one was held at the Long Beach Convention Center. That being said, that one was much larger and Jenny and I waited for a good hour before we even got in.
Spooky themed artwork
For Awaken the Spirits, the venue was much smaller and there was no line to get in. Perhaps this size reduction had to do with pandemic but I’m not certain. There were also special guests and various performances.
Moreover, the biggest difference is that the 2018 convention had mazes and attractions from places like Knott’s Scary Farm and Halloween Horror Nights.
This had been our favorite part of the 2018 convention and so, we were pretty disappointed to find out that this wasn’t a thing at Awaken the Spirits.
This leads me to the $25 price point. Jenny and I both agreed that $25 to shop at a Halloween-themed swap meet was a little too high. In my personal opinion, it definitely should have been a little lower (Jenny suggested $15).
Jenny and I
