REVIEW: SPOOKY SWAP MEET

July 5, 2026

REVIEW: spooky swap meet

This past April the Spooky Swap Meet once again took over Heritage Square near the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Heritage Square, which is a museum of Los Angeles's Victorian architecture, contains buildings that once were homes and businesses from the 1800's and early 1900's. This naturally makes the location the perfect site for a halfway to Halloween celebration as it feels like you are setting foot onto a classic horror film set.

This event centers around vendors and displays where children and adults alike can trick-or-treat as they interact with scare actors lurking around the Victorian edifices. Some buildings were open for visitors, like the former Lincoln Avenue Methodist Church, transformed into Stage Fright Theater. Audiences enjoyed interactive variety shows hosted by the talented team of monsters. Swap meet vendors abounded throughout the grounds - offering everything from spooky clothing to horror collectibles. The food court this year included a delicious vegan vendor (Fruit Bat LA) - much to the joy of guests.

Our favorite elements of the Spooky Swap Meet were the haunt builders who showcased their creativity, skills, and original characters. Home haunts The Farm, Samhain's Lot, and Restless Souls Manor once again combined forces to form Samhain’s Restless Farm. We loved their murderous, manic farmers who lured us into a dilapidated barn, where we stood in an upright casket surrounded by demonic scarecrows. This photo op was enhanced by the barn erupting, on cue, with flashes of lightning and sonorous thunder. Upon exiting the barn we were greeted by a trio of ghoulish witches, two who came to life beckoning us closer to their cauldron of oozing green spells.

We were happy that Reichland Asylum made the trek from Riverside, offering a taste of their trademark hospital-gone-awry flavor to the event. We loved the nurse in horrifying make-up and prosthetics which distorted her mouth with massive needles. It was fantastic to see Reichland’s characters wandering amongst their set, posing with eager guests.

Every year the Spooky Swap Meet gets better and better, offering a festive way to celebrate that we are halfway towards Halloween. It was wonderful to shop around while running into some of our favorite Halloween and convention icons, like the undead, silently dancing inimitable Skeleton Sam, The Spooky Professor's marvelous Poe character, and the sassy monster puppet influencer we all love, Barry Under Your Bed. Spooky Swap Meet truly set the vibe and made us excited for what's to come for this upcoming Halloween.

VC

July 05, 2026

#hauntsofla #spookyswapmeet #halloween #heritagesquaremuseum