From life-size pumpkin houses to spooktacular festivals across the city, here are 30+ ways to celebrate Halloween in Los Angeles.
Boo at the L.A. Zoo
Oct. 1-31. The Los Angeles Zoo offers Halloween fun for kids with festive additions every day and special entertainment on weekends that includes live performances, special animal feedings and pumpkin carving. Made sure to wear a costume for trick-or-treating October 28-29. 5333 Zoo Drive, Griffith Park, L.A., 323.644.4200. lazoo.org
Spooktacular Flavors at Salt & Straw
Oct. 1-31. The family-run ice cream company brings a sweet twist to the Halloween season with its slate of Spooktacular flavors. New variations for October include Creep Crawly Critters (grass-green matcha with real dark chocolate covered crickets and coconut toffee-brittle mealworms), Dracula’s Blood Pudding (a combo of warm spices, cream and blood pudding), The Great Candycopia (salted butterscotch ice cream loaded with homemade snickers, whoppers, heath bars and peanut butter cups), among others. Spooktacular flavors available at all five Los Angeles locations. saltandstraw.com
Creep LA: Lore
Opens Oct. 5. This year, the frightening, interactive 1-hour walk-through experience focuses on creepy folklore within dynamic environments: moody rooms, intimate encounters, and terrifying scenarios. 1933 S. Broadway Blvd., downtown. creepla.com
Halloween Movies at El Capitan Theatre
Oct. 6-15, 20-31. Dive head first into Halloween with screenings of two seasonal traditions: Disney’s Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D with 4D Sensory Effect. Continue the fun by adding a backstage tour of the legendary El Capitan Theatre, plus enjoy props and photo opportunities before and after the show. Check website for show times and pricing. 6838 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. 800.347.6396. elcapitantickets.com
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
Oct. 6-30. A family-favorite since 1987, the Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch returns to Culver City this fall season. Stroll through life-size pumpkin houses, navigate a straw maze or decorate a pumpkin of your choosing. Other kid-friendly activities include bounce houses, a petting zoo, face painting and the Mr. Bones Super Slide. In addition to the main Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch, Mr. Bones will also host an exclusive patch at Platform LA, complete with a carefully curated Halloween boutique. F-Sa 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Su-Th 9 a.m.-8 p.m. See website for full schedule and pricing options; VIP options available. Main Patch: West LA College, 10100 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City; Boo-tique by Mr. Bones at Platform: 8850 Washington Blvd, Culver City. mrbones.com
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Oct. 7. Celebrate the full harvest moon at this Chinatown festival, which offers traditional Chinese cultural demonstrations, local bands and DJs, a dessert-eating competition and moon viewings through telescopes. 5-11 p.m. Free. Central Plaza, 943 N. Broadway, downtown, 213.680.0243. chinatownla.com
Street Food Cinema
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28. Outdoor film series hosts screenings every Saturday night at locations across L.A. Enjoy live music and food from the city’s top trucks. Spooky highlights this month include Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Silence of the Lambs. See the website for a full schedule. Doors 5:30 p.m.; band 6:30 p.m.; movie 8 p.m.. $6-$21, under 6 free. 323.254.5068. streetfoodcinema.com
Cinespia
Oct. 7, 21, 28. The popular Amazon Studios-sponsored film series extends its season at Hollywood Forever Cemetery with screenings of Ghostbusters and Night of the Living Dead. Cinespia also kicks off its downtown L.A. series with a screening of David Bowie’s Labyrinth, followed by a costume ball. See website for start times and venue locations. $16-$85. 877.435.9849. cinespia.org
Mr. C Beverly Hills’ Poolside Cinema
Oct. 10, 17, 24, 31. Summer may be coming to an end, but Mr. C Beverly Hills will be continuing their popular Poolside Cinema Series well into the fall season. This month’s lineup includes Halloween classics Jurassic Park (Oct. 10) and Ghostbusters (Oct. 31). Relax on chic loungers and pre-reserve your seats by purchasing in advance a Mr. C Cinema prix-fixe menus ($35 or $45/pp) featuring Cipriani classics, cocktails, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and popcorn. Doors open at 7 p.m. 1224 Beverwil Dr., L.A., 310.277.2800. mrcbeverlyhills.com
Haunted Little Tokyo
Oct. 13-31. Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Little Tokyo will transform for the month of October with spooky-themed activities and frightening fun. Throughout the month, partake in pumpkin patches, ghoulish games, trick-or-treating, Halloween movie screenings and haunted walking tours. The spooky event culminates on Saturday, October 28 for a hair-raising block party, which includes a costume parade, bar crawl, live entertainment and special food and drink discounts. Visit website for full schedule. Little Tokyo, downtown. hauntedlittletokyo.com
Fall Festival
Oct. 14-15. The Original Farmers Market is bringing L.A.’s favorite country fair back for another spin in 2017. In addition to pig races, pie-eating contests and live music, enjoy a pumpkin patch, face painting and a beer garden for those over 21. Sa 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Su 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. 6333 W. Third Street, L.A. farmersmarketla.com
Pumpkin Festival at Kidspace Children’s Museum
Oct. 14-15. This family-friendly event includes live music, a petting zoo, pony rides, bouncers, carnival games and seasonal crafts. 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Free, some food and festival attractions require tickets. All proceeds benefit Kidspace Children’s Museum. 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. kidspacemuseum.org
Long Beach Zombie Fest
Oct. 20-22. Apocalyptic festival brings rotting revelers to the annual zombie outbreak festival at Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach. Activities over the jam-packed three day festival include costume contests, the infamous Zombie Walk, free zombie make-up by special effects artists, a haunted maze, an interactive reptile exhibit, film screenings and much more. See website for complete lineup. F 5-10 p.m., Sa-Su 3-10 p.m. $5-$20. Rainbow Lagoon, 400-403 Shoreline Village Dr., Long Beach. longbeachzombiefest.com
34th Hollywood Forever Cemetery Walking Tour
Oct. 21. Join the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles for a walking tour of the legendary 118-year-old Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Visit the gravesites of early Hollywood stars and movie moguls, while hearing their fascinating tales from historians. Tour lasts approximately 2.5 hours and will be depart every 20 minutes from the fountain inside the main gate of 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. 10 a.m.-noon. $20. brownpapertickets.com
‘Shaun of the Dead’ at Greek Theatre
Oct. 26. Focus Features and Fandango join forces for a special one-night screening of cult film Shaun of the Dead. Guests are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character and to arrive early to receive a Shaun of the Dead t-shirt. 7:30 p.m. $12. Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave., L.A. ticketmaster.com
UNICEF Masquerade Ball
Oct. 27. Break out your finest attire and dance the night away in support of UNICEF. This signature philanthropic event brings together over 800 emerging global leaders, innovators and celebrites each year. Masks and celestial attire encouraged. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $175+ Clifton’s Republic, 648 S. Broadway, downtown. unicefmasqla.org
4th Annual Haunted Hotel
Oct. 28. Head to the Westside for one of the city’s biggest and sexiest bashes as Viceroy Santa Monica transforms into a Halloween hub. Entertainment for the evening includes costume contests (prizes include in-home massages and trips to Las Vegas), a psychic, two dance floors and DJs spinning tunes late into the night. 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $20+. Viceroy Santa Monica 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. tdrhauntedhotel.com
Dia de Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Oct. 28. Come dressed in your finest Calaca apparel to the 18th annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration. The country’s largest Dia de Los Muertos gathering will feature fine Mexican cuisine, Aztec Ritual Dancers, 100+ Altars created by community members, musical performances by Grammy Award winning artists, four stages of music and theatrical performances, a children’s arts area, as well as arts and craft vendors. Noon-midnight. $20/pp, children 8 and under and Seniors 65+ free until 4 p.m. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. ladayofthedead.com
Drama After Dark: A Night of the Macabre with Poe & Gorey
Oct. 28. The Guild of St. George presents a chilling evening of drama at The Huntington. Haunted works of Edgar Allan Poe and Edward Gorey will be enacted through the moonlit ground. Not suitable for children under 10. 6:30-10 p.m. Non-members $55, members $45. huntington.org
Howl-O-Ween
Oct. 28. Pint and pup lovers alike are invited to Angel City Brewery for an afternoon of fun. Both two-legged and four-legged creatures will receive treats for tricks while enjoying grub, games, a canine costume contest and dog-themed Beer Bazaar. Dog owners are welcome to sip and savor the brewery’s latest hops: Number of the Yeast (dark, bitter) and Zero Flocs Given (bright, vivid). Noon-4 p.m. 216 South Alameda St., downtown. angelcitybrewery.com
KCRW’s Masquerade Ball
Oct. 28. L.A.’s iconic Halloween dance party rises from the dead to keep you grooving late into the night. Spanning multiple ballrooms, expect belly-dancing flappers, high-flying luchadores, KCRW DJs, bands and special musical guests. Top musical acts include The Black Madonna, Matthew Dear and Tensnake, among others. 21+. 9 p.m.-2 am. $125. The MacArthur, 607 S. Park View St., L.A. masquerade.kcrw.com
Pumpkin Decorating
Oct. 28. Little ones can get busy with glitter, glue sticks and markers to decorate their very own pumpkin. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena, 626.564.1066. onecolorado.com
‘La Belle et la Bête’
Oct. 28-29, 31. See the 1946 classic, set to a live operatic soundtrack at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. A “Beastly Ball” follows the October 28 screening. 933 S Broadway, downtown, 213.235.9614. theatre.acehotel.com
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20th Annual L.A. Cancer Challenge
Oct. 29. Thousands of costumed runners and walkers take to the streets to tackle a 5K, 10K or 15K in the Race for a Pancreatic Cancer Cure. This family-friendly event includes a Fit Family Expo, a Halloween Kids Zone, celebrities, live course entertainment and more. Race starts at 7 a.m. See website for registration prices. UCLA campus, 120 Westwood Plaza, Westwood. lacancerchallenge.com
Costume Party at Sofitel Hotel
Oct 31. Grab your sexiest or scariest costume for an extravagant evening in Beverly Hills. Dance the night away, listen to tunes from the “beyond” and win fabulous prizes in the costume contest. See website for details. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $30+. Tickets
“Crawloween” in DTLA
Oct. 31. Don your finest costume for this one-night only “Crawloween” special. 6th Street Tavern, Library Bar, Beelman’s, and Spring Street are partnering to offer guests $5 beer, $5 punch, and $7 cocktails. 7 p.m.-close. Downtown Los Angeles.
Halloween Trick or Treat Stroll
Oct. 31. Don your best costume and bring an empty treat bag for this beloved Redondo Beach tradition. Catalina Ave. from Ave. I to Palos Verdes Blvd. will be closed to traffic to create a fun and relaxing atmosphere. After trick-or-treating, stop for dinner at one the new restaurants in the area. 4-6 p.m. Riviera Village, Catalina Ave. from Ave. I to Palos Verdes Blvd., 310.251.5194. rivieravillage.net
Tricks, A Flick & Family Pix
Oct. 31. Dress up the tots and head over to One Colorado for trick-or-treating at participating stores. Once the candy bag is full, pose in the Halloween courtyard for a free family portrait. Cap off the evening with an outdoor screen of ParaNorman. 5-8 p.m. Free. 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena. onecolorado.com
The W Hollywood Rooftop Halloween Masquerade
Oct. 31. Don your finest mask and ring in Halloween night above the city. Entertainment includes three of Los Angeles’ top DJs, two areas to mingle, haunted decor and bottle service. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $28+. W Hollywood Rooftop, 6250 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. eventbrite.com
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval
Oct. 31. Billed as the largest Halloween street party in the world, the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval sees 500,000 wildly dressed revelers turn out for its costume party, which features live entertainment, photo stations and food vendors. 800.368.6020. westhollywoodhalloween.com
Halloween Extravaganza at Westbound
Through Oct. 31. This month Downtown L.A.’s speakeasy-inspired craft cocktail bar Westbound will play host to a spooky cocktail menu and double-feature screenings on the back patio . Movie lineup includes double screening of Friday the 13th (Oct. 13), The Addams Family and Beetlejuice (Oct. 15), Young Frankenstein and Killer Clowns from Outer Space (Oct. 22), Shaun of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead (Oct. 29) and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Halloween (Oct. 31). 300 S Santa Fe Ave., downtown. westbounddtla.com
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Through Oct. 31. The annual event returns to the Old Zoo at Griffith Park with a singular, terrifying theme: clown. 4730 Crystal Springs Ave., Griffith Park, L.A., 310.993.8289. losangeleshauntedhayride.com
Pumpkin Stroll at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
Through Oct. 31. Trade the big city Halloween hustle for the old-warm charm of The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside. Holiday highlights include spooky tours through the property’s catacombs, a Pumpkin Stroll featuring over 12,000 pounds of pumpkins and delectable dishes like the Maple Pumpkin Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake—chocolate brown sugar graham cracker crust topped with whipped cream, maple syrup and pecans. See website for details. missioninn.com
Rooftop Cinema Club
Through Oct. 31. The U.K.’s “Number One Outdoor Cinema Series” continues their fall lineup with a series of Halloween-themed screenings. Enjoy street food and drinks while you take in views and watch the likes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Oct. 14), Halloween (Oct. 31) and The Shining (Oct. 31) The series recently expanded to the terrace at Level in the heart of downtown. See website for full lineup and schedule. Ages 18+; Level screenings 21+. $19-$35. 615 Vine St., L.A.; 888 S. Olive St., downtown. rooftopcinemaclub.com
Dark Harbor at Queen Mary
Through Nov. 1. SoCal’s most haunted Halloween event returns this fall with more nights, monsters and mazes than ever before. Additions for 2017 include an all-new Feast maze, Ice Bar Experience and the Chef’s Feast Experience. Visit website for ticketing options. 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach. queenmary.com
Halloween Horror Nights
Through Nov. 4. Immerse yourself in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror at Universal Studios. This year’s edition features a new Jabbawockeez live show, three new scare zones and eight terrifying experiences based on popular films and TV shows such as Stanely Kubrick’s The Shining and FX’s American Horror Story: Roanoke. See website for hours and ticket options. 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 800.864.8377. halloweenhorrornights.com
‘Hocus Pocus’ at Rockwell Table & Stage
Through Nov. 4. Fall under a spell this fall as The Unauthorized Musical Parody of Hocus Pocus takes the stage at Rockwell Table & Stage. Brimming with jokes, witchcraft, magic and creepy fun, this musical parody puts a new spin on the cult favorite. Th, F, Sa 8 p.m., Su 12 p.m. $29-$59. 1714 N. Vermont Ave., 323.669.1550. rockwell-la.com
Pumpkin Rock Trail
Ongoing. There’s no better time of year to explore this 2.7 mile trail that leads to an epically large, bright orange pumpkin rock. Share your halloween moment with us on Instagram by using #LoveSoCal. Be sure to bring water and watch out for snakes. Free. alltrails.com
Dark Harbor photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for The Queen Mary.
