Shaq is back with his massive Halloween party on the grounds of the Queen Mary in Long Beach.
But this year, things are getting a little scarier since the basketball star is taking part of the celebration inside the famously haunted ship.
Shaqtoberfest, a Halloween event conjured up by former Los Angeles Lakers all-star Shaquille O’Neal that features walk-thru haunts, mazes, carnival rides, themed bars and DJs returns for select evenings on Sept. 28-Oct. 31.
“We are making our haunted trails longer and scarier and we are opening a new haunted trail on the Queen Mary,” said Brett Bertolino, director of special projects for Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, who along with the NBA legend and ABG Entertainment, launched the event in 2022.
In the beginning, Shaqtoberfest was meant to be a family-friendly festive Halloween celebration with more emphasis on spooky fun than pop-out scares and gore. This year, the scare factor has been elevated, but there’s still safe spaces for those not into being spooked.
“All the trails are pick and choose. If scary things are not your cup of tea that’s fine,” Bertolino said. “So for folks that don’t want to do these scary trails, there’s additional entertainment, there’s additional bars and lounges and people can do other things if you’re not into the scares.”
While outside there’s a party vibe, aboard the Queen Mary is a new walk-thru haunt dubbed The Grey Ghost. This experience will mark the first time a haunt has been constructed on the recently reopened vessel since Dark Harbor in 2019.
“There’s no other experience like stepping on board that ship,” Bertolino said.
The new haunt incorporates the history of the Queen Mary, which was originally designed as a luxury ship. But during WWII the ship was…
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