Halloween has a way of bringing out the best in the alternative scene, and there’s perhaps no better place to celebrate it than at the church that holds a special place in the hearts of My Chemical Romance fans everywhere. On October 31st, 2026, Ghouls’ Day Out returned to Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles for its Halloween Edition, bringing together music, art, vendors, cosplay, and plenty of familiar faces for a full day of all things My Chem.
This marked my third time attending Ghouls’ Day Out, but my first time experiencing it from behind the camera. And while I’ve loved attending in previous years, getting to document the event made this visit especially memorable.
For anyone unfamiliar with Ghouls’ Day Out, the event offers considerably more than a typical fan gathering. The church itself becomes an immersive experience, with various art installations and photo opportunities throughout the grounds. From the iconic casket and podium shots to the many carefully arranged details scattered throughout the space, there is no shortage of opportunities for fans to step into the world that My Chemical Romance helped create. The full Helena church experience is a big part of what makes this event so special, and having actress Tracy Phillips, the original Helena, there for a meet and greet made the day extra special.
Outside of the church’s many photo opportunities, the grounds were filled with alternative clothing, art, and merchandise vendors, along with food vendors and live entertainment. Fans and cosplayers were everywhere, many arriving in elaborate costumes and spending the day posing for photos, catching up with fellow fans, discussing the lore of the four previous shows at the Hollywood Bowl, anticipating what that evening’s show had in store for us all, and taking in everything the event had to offer. There’s something so special about seeing so many people embrace the same music, aesthetic, and creative world, each bringing their own interpretation to it.
Live performances throughout the day included The Cello Doll, Qbomb, and Sweet Revenge, an incredibly talented and spot on MCR cover band, all of whom we had the opportunity to catch portions of between photo ops, food, and shopping. The lineup also featured Ghost Of You, Paramore or Less, and Catrat, who would go on to open alongside Thrice, for My Chem at the bowl show later that evening, as well as the night before alongside The Used.
Adding to the excitement, the MCRmy showed up and had a little surprise planned of their own, hiding tickets to that night’s show throughout the grounds. Unfortunately, we weren’t among the lucky ones who found any, but we definitely joined in on the search. Fans could be found digging through bushes and searching just about every corner of the property, turning the whole thing into an impromptu scavenger hunt. It was pretty fun being part of the chaos and seeing just how far everyone was willing to go for those tickets, even if our night ended up being a bit more expensive than those lucky souls.
Another meaningful part of Ghouls’ Day Out is the support it provides to the surrounding community. A portion of every ticket purchased goes directly toward Immanuel Presbyterian Church’s community outreach efforts, including its food program and the Immanuel Food Pantry. The pantry helps provide groceries and hot meals to hundreds of local families and individuals in need each week. It’s a great addition to an already special event.
I attended this season’s event alongside my son, Aiden, who came dressed as Dictator Gerard, and became my muse for the better portion of the day. Between the costumes, the photo opportunities, the music, the vendors, and the people, we had an absolute blast. It’s always fun to see the creativity that comes out of this particular corner of the music community, and getting to share the experience with him made the day that much better. The MCR-tists truly gave it their all this time.
Three visits in, Ghouls’ Day Out continues to be something I look forward to every year. It’s a gathering built around a band and a body of work that has inspired an entire community of artists, musicians, photographers, and fans, and seeing all of those people come together in one place is a pretty wonderful thing. Whether you’re there for the music, the costumes, the artwork, the photo ops, or simply the opportunity to spend a day surrounded by people who love the same things you do, there’s something for everyone to take away from the experience.
I can’t think of a better way to have spent our Halloween than celebrating our favorite band.
We’d like to thank Ghouls’ Day Out for having us out to enjoy the festivities!
GALLERY: Ghouls’ Day Out returned to Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, California (October 31, 2026)
