REVIEW: SPOOKY SWAP MEET

April 29, 2025

REVIEW: spooky swap meet

Spooky Swap Meet’s annual Halfoween celebration and shopping extravaganza took place this past weekend. This beloved event is the brainchild of Scarlett Creative Inc. partners Claire Dunlap (co-creator/producer of Midsummer Scream) and Sarah Cooke (GOREnaments), with production assistance from David Markland (co-creator/producer of Midsummer Scream) and Jon Cooke (Plague Productions).

Spooky Swap Meet has dramatically expanded from its initial debut years ago. Its setting, located in Heritage Square, is an enclave of mesmerizing Victorian buildings - creating the perfect backdrop for the lurking monsters and vendors who welcome thousands of guests of all ages. Children and adults alike can enjoy trick-or-treating and ghoulish encounters at this family-friendly event.

The environment was festive with a wide variety of spooky vendors offering everything from masks to haunted maze props. Many of the historic buildings were re-themed for the event, like the former Lincoln Avenue Methodist Church which became a home for the infamous cosplayer “Spooky Professor” who transformed the space into “Poe’s House Party”. The party included a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, face painting, and musical performances by Satin Puppets at the top of the hour. Outside of the church, some of our favorite builders - The Farm, Restless Souls Manor, and Samhain’s Lot - collaborated to create a remarkably unique and beautiful tribute to the Haunted Mansion. This display included a real Ford Model A whose driver, Silas Crump (aka the Caretaker), honked the car’s horn and flashed the headlights. On the roof of the car was another feature paying tribute to the epic dark ride: a casket from which a skeleton was trying to escape as it shrieked, “Let me outta here!” This was all situated across from the LA Haunted Hayride area that included the devilish residents of Midnight Falls, photo-ops, and a very enjoyable mini walkthrough maze.

Spooky Swap Meet is the first taste of Halloween we get in the new year, conjuring up excitement and anticipation for the upcoming season. This event is a wonderful respite that brings together the community to experience the energy, creativity, and characters we’ve missed - all while shopping and supporting local vendors.

VC
April 29, 2025

Hauntsofla.com

#spookyswapmeet #hauntedmarket #haunteddisplay #hauntedmaze #halloween #hauntsofla