Spooky Swap Meet 2024 Review

We are officially HALFWAY to Halloween 2024! And we here at Theme Park Duo can think of no better way to celebrate this milestone than with a delightfully spooky trip To Heritage Square in LA for Spooky Swap Meet 2024! As the name implies, this event has a ton of vendors and haunt enthusiasts selling a vast array of goodies! There were rows and rows of stalls filled to the brim with treasures to be found and we definitely had trouble narrowing down our purchases for the day. We wanted it all!

While we could easily spend all day shopping…seriously, we could. Spooky Swap Meet has SO MUCH MORE! Trick or Treating, Ghost scavenger hunt, interactive art installation, and a haunted house! You name it, it was probably at Spooky Swap Meet this year. So let’s get into it and talk about all the fun we had this past weekend.

The Spooky Swap Meet

Whether you were in the market for hauntingly beautiful trinkets, jewelry, spooky cute art pieces, or were on the lookout for some gently used Halloween decorations to spruce up your yard display, there is definitely something for everyone to be found amongst the vendor booths. We loved how there was such a wide variety of items for sale. We walked away with a few art pieces to add to the spooky shelf by our stairs, and the kiddo struck gold with a cute little zombie girl plush and a candy corn ghost!

We especially loved the Spooky Swap Meet merch! This years shirt was absolutely adorable, and we LOVE the idea of the branded pillowcases for trick or treating. Whoever came up with that one deserve a raise!

Trick or Treating

When you pass through he front entrance, everyone in your party is given a trick or treating bag. That’s right, trick or treating in May! To say our kiddo was thrilled is a complete understatement. We thought it was such a cute touch to add the trick or treating aspect to the event, and it fit so perfectly well with the whole venue being essentially a street with several houses to “trick or treat” at. And our kiddo came away with a pretty nice haul. It didn’t hurt that she may have gotten an extra candy or two as a reward for making it through the haunted house…(but more on that later!)

This was definitely one of the highlights of the event for our little girl. We were playing “trick or treating” at home for days after and, as a parent, that is a clear sign that something was a big hit and made a lasting impression. As such as it is a simple addition, it adds so much value to the event.

Additionally, for those adults interested in the historical side of Heritage Square, there were museum staff that gave us some cool pieces of information regarding the beautiful homes. We had no idea that the homes came from all over Los Angeles and were moved to Heritage Square and were built in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The old victorian era of homes becomes the perfect backdrop for Spooky Swap Meet.

The Paranormal Research Company

Another major hit for us, and such an unexpected treat was AdamJessFX’s interactive ghost hunting in the church of Heritage Square. We walked into the church not exactly knowing what to expect, and found ourselves signed up as ghost hunters tasked with finding ghosts as we went about our day. We were sent off with a check list and instructions to return for certification after we found all 10 ghosts.

This whole experience was so well thought out and detailed, it honestly blew us away. Our kiddo had the best time searching throughout the event for all the hidden ghosts and would squeal with delight whenever she found a new one. She took her job very seriously and it was adorable.

At the end of our day, we returned to the church after successfully finding all 10 ghosts. Some of them were very well hidden! We got our seal of approval, and our kiddo was officially enlisted into the Paranormal Research Company. In our opinion, this whole experience was an unexpected gem and it gives kids (and kids at heart) something to do throughout their day and is just plain ol’ spooky fun! It fit the vibes of the event perfectly.

Mr. He Photo Op

Definitely one of the most eye catching installations at the event (and a particular favorite of the Theme Park Duo) was definitely the Mr. He Sheet Ghost photo op. As you approach, it looks as though someone has set their sheets out on the line to dry, but on closer inspection they are all SHEET GHOSTS! When it’s your turn, you are invited to take a little photo op in a coffin, and then proceed through the sheet ghosts hanging on the line. You then get to pick your own super stylish sheet ghost persona and pose for a photo on the steps of one of the historic houses on location.

This photo op was definitely a highlight for us and let us fulfill all our Beetlejuice sheet ghost fantasies. And this family photo may or may not be our Christmas cards this year… just saying.

LA Haunted Hayride: Sanatorium Emporium

What?!? We even get a haunted house? LA Haunted Hayride took their show on the road so set up a small haunted house, which was placed on one of the homes’ wrap around porch. Surprisingly, our kiddo was also extremely excited about potentially going through a truly spooky haunted house.

While a little hesitant at first, after a nice chat with Monte Revolta, we made our way through the haunted house. And we are happy to report that our kiddo loved it! We went through roughly 5 times throughout the course of the day. We do have to give a massive shout out to the whole LA Haunted Hayride team and Monte for handling kinds so well under the scary circumstances. While Monte can be fairly…abrasive…he was fantastic with our kiddo and even walked through the haunted house with her. All the monsters gave her tiny scares as well. The whole experience made our black hearts so very happy.

Stage Fright Theatre Company

One of the last things we did for the day was see the performance put on by the Stage Fright Theater Company. This show was truly a delight, it had the whole audience cheering, laughing, and dancing! Our kiddo loved how silly it was and we did as well! This was a great taste of the comedic horror theater performance that this group has to offer, and I definitely want to see more!

OVERALL

Our little family truly had a frightfully good time at Spooky Swap Meet 2024! This event just keeps getting better year after year! We loved how they really did have something for everyone. There was family friendly halloween entertainment and scarier options for those willing to test their nerves. Or maybe those, like our kiddo, wanting to take the step up into experiencing a taste of “big kid” halloween. The location works so well to add charm and ambiance to the event and is really a star character in its own right. While magnificent, the location does add a few logistical challenges such as parking. We recommend trying to get an early time to make sure you get a spot, as parking is limited. Or upgrade to VIP parking for only $25, which moves you significantly closer to the front gate.

All in all, this event was a complete blast and does exactly what it sets us out to do…GET EXCITED FOR HALLOWEEN! There never seemed to be a dull moment, and this event is truly SO MUCH more than what the name implies. We left feeling happy, excited for Halloween, and ready for Midsummer Scream!