Big news! The world-famous Winchester Mystery House is coming to the first annual Midsummer Scream July 30 – 31 at the Long Beach Convention Center! California’s original haunted house will share rare Photos, never-before-seen footage, artwork, and ghost stories to thrill fans of the paranormal and the just plain spooky.
WINCHESTER: California’s Original Haunted House
During the inaugural Midsummer Scream, weekend-long event, The Winchester Mystery House will be delivering a monumental 60-minute presentation and panel discussion on Sunday July 31 featuring rare photographs, never-before-seen footage and ghost stories from the sprawling 160-room Victorian mansion in the San Francisco Bay Area. WINCHESTER: California’s Original Haunted House will feature Walter Magnuson, General Manager Winchester Mystery House; Tim O’Day, Director of Communications for Winchester Mystery House; and Peter Overstreet, event producer of Winchester Mystery House’s all-new Halloween Candlelight Tours.
According to The presentation, Winchester Mystery House representatives will discuss…
- the history of the property
- The reputation of the mansion for being a paranormal activity hotspot
- An upcoming episode of Ghost Adventures
- Their recent James Van Praagh séance
- The brand-new Halloween Candlelight Tours
- plans for winter events
- The upcoming feature film Winchester, by Michael and Peter Spierig, starring Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren.
For their very first year on the scene, Midsummer Scream, is certainly swinging for the fences. Southern California’s premier Halloween, haunt and horror festival to be held July 30 – 31 at the Long Beach Convention Center, has let loose announcements, one after the other, from world-class theme park presentations to professional makeup demonstrations, and a massive show floor filled with artisans and vendors of the macabre. The most famous haunted house in California has now been added to the festival’s lineup; a storied mansion so legendary that its name is revered by fans and ghost hunters around the world.
“We’re so excited to be bringing the incredible story and legend of the Winchester Mystery House to Midsummer Scream attendees,” said Walter Magnuson, General Manager of Winchester Mystery House. “Our estate is considered one of America’s foremost and most legendary haunted homes, so it’s fitting that we are a part of this inaugural event and we’re eager to share never-before-seen imagery and never-before-heard paranormal tales.”
Apart from the hour-long presentation on Sunday, Winchester Mystery House’s presence will be felt throughout the Midsummer Scream weekend as well at their booth in the Museum of Paranormal History, a curated section of the show floor featuring all things paranormal. This will be one of those spots on the show floor that you cannot miss.
“Midsummer Scream is already the ultimate convention for fans of haunted attractions. The addition of the Winchester Mystery House as a partner only broadens our appeal to the supernatural and ghost-hunting community, drawing in those enthusiasts as well,” said David Markland, Executive Director of Midsummer Scream.
If you have ever been to the Winchester Mystery House, way up in San Jose, you understand what a huge deal this is. If not, you will soon find out. The mansion is a sprawling victorian-style oddity that began construction in 1884 and is said to have continued, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 38 years under the direction of Sarah Winchester, widow of William Wirt Winchester. She believed that vengeful spirits who had died as a result of her husband’s rifles, were after her. The only way to keep them at bay was to confuse them with passageways that led to dead ends, doors that opened onto two story drop offs, and stairways that led to nowhere.
The lore of this storied estate is legendary. It is a place as beautiful as it is confounding, haunting even. If you haven’t yet, we sincerely recommend you visit the Winchester Mystery House and take a tour. It is a must-see for devotees of the deceased and fans of the paranormal. If you can’t make it to the mansion itself just yet, make sure to get to Midsummer Scream and see the presentation on Sunday, WINCHESTER: California’s Original Haunted House.
Tickets are now on sale, with new information regarding Midsummer Scream being updated frequently at MidsummerScream.org.
