Creep It Real OC Kicks Off This Halloween Season!

It’s September, but celebrating Halloween only one month of the year often isn’t enough for true lovers of the spooky season. Some decorate their living spaces year-round with ceramic skulls, plush pumpkins, and black candles. Some celebrate “Summerween” in June or July, hosting Halloween-themed barbecues, costume contests, and pool parties. There are subtle and unsubtle ways to celebrate the spooky season outside October, and one Orange County couple found a monumental way to bring thousands together annually.

Halloween-loving husband-wife duo Kevin and Megan Valantine co-founded Creep It Real OC, a Halloween-themed, family-friendly festival and expo that started as a one-day event in 2019. In the past seven years, Creep It Real OC has grown into the largest event of its kind in Orange County, California. Hosted annually by the historic and potentially haunted Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana, CA, Creep It Real OC takes over its 12 acres with spooky vendors, live entertainment, and wicked decor based annually on a yearly theme.

This year, the theme was “Vintage Hometown Halloween,” celebrating the Golden Age of Halloween. From September 11-13th, Creep It Real OC brought its flagship event back to the Heritage Museum of Orange County, and I was invited to attend its opening night. As a returning Creep It Real OC attendee and a Halloween enthusiast who enjoys horror any time, I was ecstatic to explore this year’s expo.

Off the bat, Creep It Real OC cast members dressed as witches welcomed me onto the property, and I was immediately wowed by the wicked decor. Twelve-foot-plus skeletons, jack-o’-lanterns, stretched spiderwebs, and more created peak photo opportunities everywhere. The Kellogg House, the HMOC’s centerpiece and crown jewel, was especially decked out for the spooky season, and I was loving it.

Besides the decor, Creep It Real OC’s curated marketplace got me giddy with Halloween spirit. This year, 120+ vendors were spread across six sections of the venue. Sam’s Patch. Haunter’s Corner. Haddon Field. Murderer’s Meadow. Spook Central. Lopper’s Loop. Vendors made up of local artisans, vintage curators, and haunt-industry workers sold numerous oddities, collectibles, and homemade goods. Some sold vintage horror VHS tapes, Goosebumps books, and wearable masks. Some sold insect-sculpted earrings, severed-head planters, cauldron bath bombs, haunted house dioramas, and other creepy creations. A caricaturist was also on-site, taking requests and drawing attendees as zombies and other iconic horrors. It was a Halloween lover’s haven.

Other vendors sold Halloween- and horror-themed drinks and sweets. My favorites were the buttercream brain cakes, knife-shaped sugar cookies, and pumpkin spice everything. There was also a fair share of food trucks to choose from, which is always a plus at any event. 

Near the food trucks, Spook Central Stage hosted many of the live performances. I stopped dead in my tracks to watch singer-songwriter Kitty Antix perform, singing “Oogie Boogie’s Song” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Hearing it immediately got me singing along and thinking back to Ken Page’s final fan appearance at Creep It Real OC Nostalgic in 2024. It was an honor to meet him and thank him for his iconic voice. Elsewhere on the property, the Gazebo Stage featured the a cappella trio The Boo Belles, who caught my ear with their eerie, alluring rendition of the jazz song “Jeepers Creepers.” The live entertainment did not disappoint, and things only got livelier when the sun set and night set in.

As a family-friendly event, Creep It Real OC and its vendors focus on offering Halloween fun for all ages rather than jump scares. For the kids, there were arts, crafts, and games. Parents and anyone else above the legal drinking age could choose from Halloween-themed spirits and other alcoholic concoctions. Cast members were dressed as witches and pumpkinheads, and attendees were encouraged to wear family-appropriate cosplay and costumes. Many attendees wore Halloween costumes, dressing as ghosts, killer clowns, and monsters. As a pet-friendly event, plenty of pups were dressed up too. I saw little dogs dressed as big spiders, and despite my mild arachnophobia, it was incredibly cute. 

I only attended opening night, but Creep It Real OC went on for two more nights. With Saturday and Sunday nights sold out, thousands poured onto the property to shop and celebrate the spooky season. Over the weekend, attendees could enjoy a Victorian walkthrough of the Kellogg House, partake in a “Creep On” trick-or-treat parade, and meet and greet Disney’s 1998 Halloweentown cast members Kimberly J. Brown, Judith Hoag, and Daniel Kountz. 

To honor its special guests, Creep It Real OC had a replica of the Halloweentown Jack O’Lantern, much to the delight of attendees. At the end of the weekend, co-founders Kevin and Megan Valantine offered the giant pumpkin for FREE to anyone willing and able to transport it to its new home. Orange County locals can find that iconic replica at The Labu’Tique Shop in Anaheim, CA!

Does Creep It Real OC sound like your scene? Know you’ll miss Halloween when it’s come and gone again until next year? Fear not! The Heritage Museum of Orange County will host Creep It Real Festive, Creep It Real OC’s spin-off, holiday horror crossover event, this November 20-22, 2026, from 4-10 PM. From now until Halloween, event organizers will offer weekend and single-day passes at a discount. Every ticket purchase supports the Heritage Museum of Orange County’s maintenance and restoration. Support a Southern Californian historic site, shop small, and keep the Halloween spirit alive by attending Creep It Real Festive this November!