It's a little shocking, and somewhat strange, that temperatures over the first weekend of August in Southern California won't be deep into three-digit territory.

In some places the thermometer will only hit the 70s, a pretty unusual occurrence for this particular week, at least in popular opinion. It can mean only one thing: Halloween has made an early appearance, and has brought the kind of weather we sometimes see around late October.

Thanks ScareLA, the mondo and mondo-ly macabre Halloween convention that's alighting, much like a crow on a pumpkin, at the Pasadena Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 6 and Sunday, Aug. 7.

The frightful festival, which made a dastardly debut in 2013 -- or lucky '13, if you prefer -- is dedicated to prepping Southern Californians for the spookiest season via workshops on DIY haunting a home, creating the ideal monster costume, or decorating for a party.

It's also about whetting appetites for the eerie through panels and presentations that cover upcoming thrill experiences and theme park mazes.

The 2016 eek-travaganza has none other than Elvira, Mistress of the Dark at the haunty helm. Look also for appearances by CryptTV bigwigs, the Masterminds of Interactive Horror, Halloween Horror Nights, and SyFy's "Face/Off."

Vendors'll be out with an impressively ghosty array of gewgaws, wearables, artworks, and things you'll want to hang on various walls come October (or all year long, if that's how you roll).

Did ScareLA order up these slightly cooler August temps? Does it have a line into late October, or some sort of portal, to make it seem as though that time of year is here?

There is a bit of magic to Halloween, and to this fearsome fest, which is ready to rattle its chains and slam some doors, proverbially, in Pasadena.