The Halloween season is kicking off.
A celebration of all things Halloween, Creep It Real OC is returning to the Heritage Museum of Orange County Saturday Sept. 10 and Sunday Sept. 11. The vendor-driven event mixes local businesses and artists, merchandise, food, and live performances.
Halloween Every Night talked with co-producer Megan Valantine to find out what’s new at this year’s event.
HalloweenEveryNight: What can guests expect at this year’s Creep it Real OC?
Megan Valantine: At this year’s Creep It Real OC, we have introduced a theme to get everyone into the spirit of Halloween. We picked Alfred Hitchcock because he was the Master of Suspense and such an icon. We thought that having a 1960’s horror theme would really make all the creeps want to come out to play. People always love a good theme, and one they can dress accordingly or bring props or theme merchandise to. We believe it helps steer them in a direction of how they want to approach going to an event and sets the tone.
HEN: It’s now two days right? Is it bigger and better? How so?
MV: Yes we are two days this year. Last year we sold out and then added tickets and then sold out again. We were limited by a Covid capacity placed on the event by the venue last year — which was still a great number. This year we added a second day so more people could have the chance to experience it. Each day will be slightly different with different live entertainment, like our horror punk bands, and a few different elements like the hearse’s too.
HEN: What are some highlights you’d like guests to know about?
MV: Highlights are definitely our Horror Punk bands, we have three of them. And our magician. Our 1960’s hearses and themed Hitchcock photo ops.
HEN: Do you have many returning vendors from last year you’d like to spotlight?
MV: We do have many returning vendors like Misfits of Halloween, FX Faces, Shadows 13 Bows, and so many more. But we also have a lot of really great new ones joining us too like Hayden Evans Art, who did our flyer artwork, Backstitch Bruja, SpooksieBoo, Lucky Hellcat, Graveyard Mafia, to name a few.
HEN: As you’ve planned for this event, what has enthusiasm been like? Are horror and Halloween fans ready for a more normal season?
MV: Definitely. Halloween and Horror season is 100 percent in full swing. Midsummer Scream was the event everyone needed to launch them fully into the spooky season. We like to consider ourselves as the kick off of the spooky season to get everyone ready for all the haunted event attractions around So Cal. We have had so much fun planning this event with a Hitchcock theme this year. We have two Alfred Hitchcock impersonators who will absolutely crush it. We also have truly enjoyed promoting our event at trade shows that we have never done before and by doing that we’ve realized how many people were excited we are having this event again and all the new people we met who want to check us out. People are ready for a full spooky season.
HEN: Anything else you’d like to add?
MV: At Creep It Real OC you can expect to see an Alfred Hitchcock theme with 1960’s hearses, Hitchcock performers, themed Hitchcock-inspired photo locations, other roaming characters, live horror punk bands, a magic show, a chance to tour the haunted and historic Kellogg House with Haunted Orange County – with a V.I.C. Ticket – more than 100 vendors, more food trucks, sweets and treats, themed mocktails, a Halloween Vinyl DJ, and more.
The Gory Details:
Creep It Real OC Expo
1 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11
Heritage Museum of Orange County
Santa Ana, Calif.
