‘Season’s Screamings:’ Halloween and Christmas collide at outdoor festival
Looking to have yourself a very merry and scary Christmas?
Whether perusing through horror-themed wares, posing with a ghastly “Creep Kringle” or following a procession led by Michael Myers in a Santa hat, Creep it Real Festive is chock-full of season’s screamings.
The outdoor festival nestled in November between Halloween and Christmas offers two days of holiday-mashing mayhem with an assortment of vendors, food trucks, live bands and spooky surprises.
“We love both of the seasons,” said Kevin Valantine, who co-founded Creep it Real Festive. “We thought that bringing some twisted sense of Halloween darkness into the good and pure of Christmas would be fun.”
Valantine and Megan, his wife, are also the husband-and-wife duo behind Creep it Real OC, an outdoor Halloween festival in September that first began as an expo five years ago in Laguna Niguel before burgeoning into the largest event of its kind in Orange County.
With Creep it Real OC’s early success, the idea for a Christmas-fused festival to cure Halloween hangovers was inspired by vendors, fans and a creative impulse to do another event before the year’s end.
Creep it Real Festive emerged from that crucible and offered an alternative to saccharine yuletide celebrations from the grounds of the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana.
“We knew we had something special with the concept,” Valantine said. “Then we saw that the demand was there with the first festival. Vendors outdid themselves and showcased their creativity by blending both of the seasons.”
The Heritage Museum of Orange County has hosted the festival since it first began in 2022.
“For those of us who live spooky all year long, which I do, it’s great, big way for us to transition out of Halloween and into the holiday season,” said Darcy Staniforth, the museum’s paranormal coordinator. “Historically, people used to tell ghost stories at Christmas. A creepy event during the holiday season only makes sense.”
The Valantines plan both Creep fests in tandem about a year in advance.
It’s been a remarkable journey for the Valantines, who started out humbly in 2019 with a few dozen vendors, a DJ and a costume contest.
Last year’s Creep it Real Festive sold out and drew about 2,300 people across both days.
The event promises even more morbid merriment this year with holiday sweets, apothecary products, horror apparel, original artwork, handmade crafts, photo ops and a tarot card reader rounding out the biggest assemblage of vendors to date.
Valantine likens the mood of the festival to the “unfinished business” of Halloween and sees the event as a way to get an early jump on Christmas shopping for horror enthusiasts while supporting small businesses in a niche market.
Even though Creep it Real Festive is close in spirit to the Valantines’ September Halloween festival, it is its own event, and they have learned from past events on how to best accommodate the shift in seasons.
There won’t any celebrity meet-and-greets like Creep it Real OC, which takes place during daytime hours, as guests have shown a preference for the evening’s ambiance as its own attraction.
But there will be Haunted OC ghost tours of the museum’s landmark Kellogg House for those that purchase “VIC” or “Very Important Creep” passes.
As the museum’s paranormal coordinator, Staniforth helps crews investigate reports of supernatural activities at the Victorian home on the property. During Creep it Real Festive, she’ll serve as the primary Haunted OC “ghost host” for tours.
“It is definitely haunted,” she said. “On one of my last tours on Halloween, we all heard footsteps on the second floor as if someone was walking around in the attic — and no one was in the attic.”
Nearby, the museum’s gazebo will serve as the focal point of festivities. It’s where Frankie & Igor, a musical comedy act, and No More Somedays, will take the stage to perform.
Valantine hints at surprise events that will happen throughout the day in addition to scheduled live entertainment.
There will also be a bar with spooky-themed libations to keep the mood merry.
Valantine calls Creep it Real Festive his personal favorite event to plan with its uniqueness in mind. Ticket sales have already outsold last year’s total attendance.
“It has certainly gotten more successful with every passing year,” he said. “It’s a wonderful way to meander around and enjoy the night.”
For more information, visit creepitrealoc.com.
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