Step back in time and celebrate the spookiest season with a nostalgic twist. The fifth annual Creep It Real convention is set to return to Orange County Sept. 14-15, bringing the eerie charm of Halloween we all love while also paying tribute to ’80s and ’90s pop culture.
“Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, Halloween was like the best time ever,” said Megan Valantine, one half of the husband-wife duo who produce the annual event at Heritage Museum of Orange County. “I remember trick or treating being the best night of the year with all of the fun costumes, and lots of people would decorate, and it was just so much fun. Just all the nostalgia and the great times and feelings of growing up in that time period, I was like, ‘we have to celebrate it. We have to embrace it.”
This year’s event also promises an extra dose of nostalgia with special appearances from the stars of the cult classic film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Voice actors Chris Sarandon (Jack Skellington) and Ken Page (Oogie Boogie) will sign autographs and snap photos with fans for both days of the event. Attendees can also look forward to a discussion panel featuring the actors reflect on the film’s enduring legacy.
Saturday’s lineup also includes a celebration of the Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark? Where fans can meet the series co-creator and directors of the iconic episode “The Tale of the Midnight Madness.”
“With every event we tend to do more, we change things up and we try different ideas so the experience itself and the event will feel different. It’s bigger than we’ve ever done, we’ll have the most vendors we’ve ever had before, so in that way we grow and change each year,” said Kevin Valantine, the other half of the duo.
Beyond celebrity appearances, more than 120 local artisans and vendors will offer unique merchandise while live music and props from horror movies and TV shows will be scattered around the space, available for event goers to enjoy.
The Gory Details:
Creep It Real OC
When: 1 – 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 14
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15
Where: Heritage Museum of Orange County
3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana, Calif. 92704
Tickets: $17 -$49. Kids 10 and younger are free.
More info: CreepItRealOC.com
