Burton Chace Park hosts two free evenings of crafts, games and bigger scares on Oct. 24–25. A waterfront park gives Halloween room to spread out. At Marina del Rey’s annual Spooktacular, children can move between crafts and carnival games while visitors looking for a stronger scare find their own route through the evening.
The free event returns to Burton Chace Park Oct. 24 and 25, running from 4 to 10 p.m. each day. Its mix of activities makes it useful for families and groups whose enthusiasm for being frightened is not evenly distributed.
Face painting, arts and crafts, a digital photo booth and a Graveyard Treasure Hunt provide the gentler side of the program. The tourism board also lists a Haunted Blackout Maze and Scare Zones for visitors who want to raise the stakes.
That distinction matters when planning the visit. The event is described as welcoming all ages, but individual attractions vary in intensity; families can choose the activities that suit their children rather than treating every stop as compulsory.
Food trucks keep dinner close at hand, and the harbor setting offers a different backdrop from the usual enclosed maze. Arriving near the 4 p.m. opening also gives visitors time to find their bearings before the later hours.
Admission is free with an RSVP, and every attendee must complete a liability waiver. Those steps are worth handling in advance, especially for a group; parking and food remain separate expenses.
For an outing that does not require purchasing a theme-park ticket, the draw is clear: a long evening with several ways to spend it. Bring a layer for the waterfront, choose a meeting point and leave room for the person in the group who decides one haunted attraction was plenty.
For more information about the event and to get tickets, visit visitmdr.com
Location: Burton Chace Park, 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey
Hours and Dates: Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 24–25, 2026, 4–10 p.m. Free admission with RSVP; liability waivers required for all attendees. Food and parking cost extra.
Photo credits: Photo courtesy of business/venue.
