What’s Happening in Southern California October 2018
It’s my favorite time of the year! There is so much going on over the holidays in Southern California. From haunted mansions at Disneyland to Spooky good times at Knott’s Berry Farm – there is something for everyone!
Disneyland
Friday, September 7 – Wednesday, October 31
Halloween is so much fun at the Disney Resorts. Disneyland returns with such seasonal favorites as Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost, along with a pretty Pumpkin Parade. California Adventure turns Cars Land into “Radiator Screams,” and has a special Guardians of the Galaxy: Monsters After Dark Halloween experience. Times vary for these events.
Disneyland
1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim
714-781-4565 | https://disneyland.disney.go.com
Knott’s Spooky Farm/Scary Farm
Saturdays – Sundays, September 29 – October 28
If Knott’s Scary Farm is just too scary for your little ones, visit Knott’s Spooky Farm instead. This daytime Halloween celebration (10 am-4 pm) is geared especially for kids ages 3-11. There will be special holiday attractions and activities with childhood favorites Charlie Brown and Snoopy joining in the fun.
8039 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90620
Pirates Dinner Adventure Presents: Vampirates!
There will be an extra bite to the Pirates Dinner Adventure this month. Because at this stunt-stuffed, swashbuckling Halloween Spooktacular musical adventure, families will follow the Vampire Hunter escape from the Vampire Pirates of Captain Sebastian the Black. Showtimes are 7 pm (Monday-Friday): 5 pm & 8 pm (Saturday), and 3:30pm & 6:30pm (Sunday).
7600 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90620
Spooktacular Fun Days
From 9 am-3 pm this weekend, the Great Park will be populated with a Treat Town, a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, live entertainment, crafts, inflatables, carnival games and food trucks. Advance tickets are required since this event sells out. Please bring canned goods or non-perishable food items to donate to the OC Food Bank.
6950 Marine Way
Irvine, CA 92618
Fall Harvest Festival
Carnival games, balloon twisters, kids’ crafts and DJ entertainment help to create the good times at Aliso Viejo’s autumn celebration (10 am-12 pm). And bring your Halloween ensemble for the costume parade! Children’s pony rides this year are only available for those who bring at least five canned food or pet food items (or make a donation); the food drive benefits South County Outreach.
Brick-Or-Treat Party Nights
Saturday October 6, 13, 20, 27
Every Saturday night in October, from 5 pm-9 pm is a Halloween party night at Legoland. Guests can also make their own monster with the Monster Machine and check the comical stage show “Mail Order Monster.” Trick-or-treaters will have a sweet time finding the more than 30 treat stations around the park, and there will be other goodies for guests as well.
1 Legoland Dr
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Spooky Science – The Cube
The Monster Academy returns to the Cube (10 am-5 pm), letting kids receive some wild science lessons from some rather famous monsters. Learn about chemistry by making potions in the BeWitchery, and about the human body by putting together Skellee the skeleton. Experiments also can be done in Bolton’s Shock Lab while Webster the spider provides Web design tips.
2500 N Main St
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Boo At The Zoo – Santa Ana Zoo
Saturday October 20-Sunday October 21
Saturday October 27-Sunday October 28
Enjoy plenty of boos during the zoo’s two weekends of Halloween amusements (5:30 pm-8 pm). We use to go to the Santa Ana Zoo all the time when Kate was little. Such a great zoo with lots to see and do! Festivities include costume parade, animal presentations, storytelling, games and 10 Trick-or-Treat Stations for kids (ages 2-12) to visit. The “Boofari” Express Train, Carousel, Ferris Wheel and Teen Scream Haunted House have an extra fee. Advance reservations recommended.
1801 E Chestnut Ave
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Treats in the Streets
With Halloween less than a week away, children can sharpen their trick-or-treating skills with the help of participating merchants around Orange’s Old Towne Plaza. Youngsters should make sure they have their Halloween outfits too because there’s a costume parade. Running from 4 pm-7 pm, this Autumn Festival also has live entertainment, games and food available for purchase from local non-profits.
1 Plaza Square
Orange, CA 92866
Trick or Treat at the Senior Center
LOVE this idea! At this generation-spanning Halloween party, children can visit the Lakeview Senior Center and enjoy holiday-themed activities, snacks and the trick-or-treat stations. Tours will be done between 9:30 am-11 am and last approximately 30 minutes. Registration is recommended but walk-ups are accepted as space permits.
20 Lake Rd
Irvine, CA 92604
Scarium of the Pacific
The Aquarium will be unusually eerie this weekend (9 am-5 pm) when it transforms into the “Scarium” for its annual Halloween celebration. The family-focused festivities feature the creepy coloring contest, spooky storytelling, holiday-related craft projects and magic shows. Don’t miss the always-popular underwater pumpkin carving demonstrations and the adorable children’s costume contest.
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
The OC Ghostbusters Visit!
Pretend City wraps up Costume Week (which started on Sunday the 21st) with a visit from the OC Ghostbusters. From 11 am-1 pm, there will be photo ops with the Ghostbusters’ car. The Ghostbusters themselves help with an 11 am science lesson, help with a ghost hunt through the museum (11:45 am) and show kids how to make slime at 12:45 pm.
29 Hubble
Irvine, CA 92618
Pumpkin Carving & Costume Contest
Vampires and ghouls will make for a spooky time at the Huntington Beach Gym & Pool tonight (6 pm-8 pm). C’mon down, pick out a pumpkin, and see what type of Jack O’Lantern you can carve. There will be costume contests for children and adults, along with other contests, games and a kid-friendly haunted house. Advance registration required.
1600 Palm Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Happy Hallowiener Doggie Dress-Up & Kid Costume Party
The Old World German Village wraps up its annual Oktoberfest celebration by celebrating Halloween (2 pm-7:30 pm). There will be costumes contests for kids (ages 12 and younger) as well as canines, with winners receiving prizes. Speaking of winners, the day’s festivities will also feature the Wiener Dog Championship Races!
7561 Center Ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Halloween At Pretend City
Tuesday 11:30am-1:30pm
Wednesday 10am-3pm
On Oct. 30, the organization Serving Kids Hope visits the museum (11:30 am-1:30 pm) to share some tips and activities for a healthy Halloween. On Halloween (10 am-3 pm), kids can come in costume and trick-or-treat around Pretend City (11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm). They can also bust some moves at a Monster Mash Dance Party at 12 pm and 2 pm.
www.pretendcity.org/event/healthy-halloween
Mini Monsters Bash
Is there a better way to start off your Halloween than with a morning Halloween party? The Children’s Museum at La Habra certainly thinks there isn’t, and that’s why, from 10 am-12 pm, they will host this Halloween celebration. Kids—and adults—are invited to come dress up in their costumes and have fun with games, crafts and a mini-maze.
301 S Euclid St
La Habra, CA 90631
Cops n’ Goblins
Can there be a safer Halloween Spooktacular than this one hosted by the Buena Park Police Department? Kids will trick-or-treat through the police department and city hall. They can meet members of the department along with some traditional Halloween characters. A haunted maze and music are other highlights of the afternoon’s festivities, which will go from 2 pm-5 pm.
6640 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90621
Halloween Howl
Before the sun goes down, children can have a “howling” good time from 3 pm-5 pm at Tustin’s Halloween party, which annually offers up costume contests, carnival games and other family entertainment. There will also be plenty of Halloween treats and candy to help tide kids over until they go out later for trick-or-treating.
17522 Beneta Way
Tustin, CA 92780
Main Street Halloween Fest
Huntington Beach turns into “Haunting-ton” Beach when its annual Halloween party takes over the city’s downtown area (4 pm-8 pm). The streets will be packed with an array of holiday revelry. You can expect to encounter live entertainment, live animals and lively games. Also, kids can go trick-or-treating and get candy from participating downtown businesses.
Walnut Ave & 5th St
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
La Palma’s Halloween Carnival
At the city’s annual Halloween night celebration (6 pm-8:30 pm), you can explore the Mystical Maze and play carnival games. Kids (from sixth-graders to infants) can participate in the annual costume contest, with prizes in each age division. Little ones (five and younger) will have their own play area. Bring your Jack O’Lantern and see if it’s judged a winner!
7821 Walker St
La Palma, CA 90623
Pageant of the Monsters
Pick of the Month
Friday October 26-Sunday October 28
Wednesday October 31
The legendary Pageant of the Masters transforms into the spookier Pageant of the Monsters this month. But this masterfully creepy event doesn’t come around every Halloween, so you don’t want to miss it. Located on the grounds of Laguna Beach’s Festival of Arts, the unique evening of eeriness (6 pm-9:30 pm) offers wandering zombies encounters, creepy crafts projects and an artfully twisted haunted house.
650 Laguna Canyon Rd
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Melissa
Melissa Northway, M.S. is a mom, founder of dandelion moms, and a children’s book author. Her award-winning book Penelope the Purple Pirate was inspired by her little tomboy. Penelope is a modern-day Pippi Longstocking who teaches girls and boys the importance of having fun while at the same time teaching them to be kind and respectful of others and their differences. Dandelion moms was created for moms to share their stories and to inspire and be inspired! You can reach Melissa at: info@dandelionmoms.com and follow her @melissanorthway and @dandelionmoms. Check out her author web site at: www.melissanorthway.com, as she hands out loads of goodies from the treasure chest.
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