Creep It Real OC, founded by Megan and Kevin Valantine in 2019, is a Halloween-themed Expo that celebrates all things scary and has been recognized as the largest event of its kind in Orange County, California. Set to haunt the historic Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana, California from September 14 (1-7 PM) to September 15 (11 AM-5 PM), Creep It Real celebrates its 5th annual Halloween Festival with over 120 spooky vendors, specialty entertainment, pop culture celebrities, drinks, and much more! Keep reading to find out more about this spooky but spectacular family-friendly event that’s bound to have you traveling through Halloween’s epic history!
With a different theme every year, the opening theme for 2024 is Nostalgia. Do you have a favorite Halloween film, book, or TV series dating back to the 1980s or 90s? Fear not! Creep It Real Nostalgic has you covered! Creep It Real Nostalgic will allow you to enjoy LIVE informational panels and entertainment, meet and greet from 80-90s Halloween classics, get snappy with custom photo opportunities, partake in a large number of Halloween-themed goodies, and buy from a multitude of local vendors. Halloween fans (and their pets) of all ages are WELCOME to attend! In their press release, the co-founders emphasize that Creep It Real is meant as a family-friendly event, so tasteful costumes (free from excessive gore or suggestive themes) and foam weapons are also welcome and highly encouraged!
Event producer and co-founder, Megan Valantine says “Those coming in costume for photo ops will fit right in at this spooky place.” Meanwhile, event producer and co-founder Kevin Valantine says “Our goal is to create and share an environment where everyone comes together to celebrate creep culture at the spookiest time of the year.” Are you not yet convinced to attend? Then, keep reading! There’s more!
Last year, Creep It Real OC celebrated the 30th anniversary of Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” by hosting “Hocus Pocus” stars Vinessa Shaw, Omri Katz, and Jason Marsden (the voice of Binx) and curating a one-of-a-kind “Hocus Pocus” museum, featuring original artwork, storyboards, props, costumes, and more! This year, attendees can meet the stars of Disney’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” including Chris Sarandon (the voice of Jack Skellington) and Ken Page (the voice of Oogie Boogie). Sarandon and Page are set to host a LIVE 1:30 PM panel on Sunday, September 15, where they will discuss the 1993 phenomenon that was “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” If you are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas like me, I highly suggest purchasing a ticket for Sunday!
As of Thursday, September 12th, weekend and Saturday tickets have officially SOLD OUT, so if you’re an OC local and a Halloween fanatic, buy your Sunday ticket fast! Tickets are extremely limited! Follow Creep It Real OC @creepitrealoc for more updates on this spooky and spectacular upcoming event! And if you miss out this time around, fear not! Creep It Real will return for Round Two in November for its Christmas crossover Creep It Real Festive event!
