What a way to spend the Saturday before Valentine’s Day: Picking up a few darkly sweet gifts in a creaky old house.
Bloody Valentine and Maag Marketplace Feb. 11 can kill two birds with one stone: Orange County’s Heritage Museum will host a horror market featuring more than 50 vendors for Valentine’s gifts, as well as photo ops, food trucks and live music.
The event will raise money for the restoration of the Maag Farmhouse on the property of the Heritage Museum. The two-story 19th Century farmhouse in Santa Ana is part of Orange County’s quickly disappearing past, with the hope of turning into an immersive, educational experiences for students and community alike.
Halloween Every Night spoke with Maag Marketplace’s Louise Arnold about the use of historic places to enhance haunt community events.
Halloween Every Night: How did this partnership with the horror and Halloween community develop?
Louise Arnold: I met Jamie, the museum director about six years ago. I have always had a good relationship with her and the museum. My paranormal team has Picking up a few darkly sweet gifts in creaky old house. the Kellogg House a couple of times, and we finally had access to the Maag Farmhouse. It’s in desperate need of restoration, so I contacted her to see what we could do to help. It turned into creating events where all of the vendor fees go straight to the museum for the Maag Farmhouse.
HEN: Do you see a potentially larger trend of historic locations partnering with this community to raise needed funds? Is it a natural fit?
LA: I think the horror/Halloween community is a perfect fit for historical properties. I also help out with Summer Spook Nights in Rancho Cucamonga, which is on a historical property. There’s a respect and love from the horror/Halloween community for historic — potentially haunted — properties. We hope to have multiple events throughout the year. We are excited for this new journey with the museum.
The Gory Details:
Bloody Valentine and Maag Marketplace
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Heritage Museum of Orange County
3101 W. Harvard St.
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Tickets are free, but RSVP required