Events

“Halloween Aglow” at Birch Aquarium

Oct. 27-28. Looking for some Halloween family fun? The Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is hosting two evenings of festivities. The kiddos can trick-or-treat around the aquarium; watch skeleton divers in the Giant Kelp Forest; get hands-on with an interactive bioluminescence experience (i.e., discover how movement causes bioluminescent plankton to glow); play games and dance to live music; and learn about research happening at Scripps Oceanography. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged. 6-8:30 p.m. $27 members; $30 general public. 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, 858.534.3474. More Info

San Diego Zombie Crawl

Oct. 27, 28, 31. Can you handle three days of partying with the undead? Get ready for one hell of a weekend at this bonanza of booze, ghouls and graveyards in the Gaslamp. The chaos kicks off with Fright Night on Friday at American Junkie and ends with Freakish Finales at Parq Nightclub. Tickets include access to more than 20 bars, clubs and restaurants, all within walking distance; hosted “welcome potions”; dining and drink discounts; special parking and hotel rates; and more. 6 p.m.-midnight. Tickets start at $35. 628 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. More Info

Día de los Muertos Celebration in Chula Vista

Oct. 28. The largest Día De Los Muertos celebration in South Bay, this third-annual, family-friendly event returns to downtown Chula Vista—which will be transformed into a place to honor deceased ancestors and welcome their return as memories. Festivities include an altar-building contest with cash prizes; a Catrín/Catrina ensemble competition; myriad themed photo opportunities; a screening of Guillermo del Toro’s film The Book of Life on the Papel Picado Stage (7:30 p.m.); live music and dance performances; face painting; and food vendors. 3-8 p.m. Free entry. Downtown Chula Vista. More Info

Nightmare on Normal Street

Oct. 28. Eat, drink and be scary with the return of Hillcrest’s infamous Halloween block party and costume competition. Highlights include a “monstrous bar” serving beer, wine and cocktails; a special VIP area; local food trucks; beats by top local DJs all night long; a massive outdoor dance floor; and some of the best people-watching you’ll find anywhere. The evening’s famed costume competition will offer $3,000 in prizes, complete with celebrity guest judges. There’s even a pet costume competition! 5-11 p.m. Tickets start at $25. Pride Flag Plaza, 1500 University Ave., Hillcrest. More Info

Trick-or-Treat on India Street

Oct. 29. The Little Italy Association promises a spooktacular time at Trick-or-Treat on India Street—during which Little Italy’s India Street will be closed for families and kiddos to safely stroll among local businesses to collect candy and treats. Start at the Piazza della Famiglia, whose 10,000-square-foot alfresco gathering space will be transformed into The Nightmare Before Christmas—complete with a 13-foot-tall Jack Skellington photo op; Halloween decor, music and stacks of pumpkins; and an Oogie Boogie booth offering maps of local participating businesses. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Along India Street, Little Italy. littleitalysd.com

Food + Drink

North Park Halloween Pup Crawl

Oct. 29. It’s creative costume time for dogs and their humans! Dress the part and embark on a fun pub/pup crawl through the North Park ‘hood. Start and stop at any of these participating outposts—Second Chance Beer Company, Black Plague Brewing, The Original 40 Brewing Company, Pure Project and Barley & Sword Brewing Company—and enjoy specials and shop for retail items at each; plus get entered into a raffle if you complete all stops. Puppy Picnic Co. will also be on hand for photo ops. 3-7 p.m. 4045 30th St., North Park. More Info

New Dinner Menu at Coco Maya

Now Available. Be transported to the tropics without leaving Little Italy at Coco Maya (sibling to the popular Miss B’s Coconut Club in Mission Beach)—known for its locally sourced, Yucatan-inspired cuisine and airy rooftop bar. In honor of its one-year anniversary, culinary director Quinnton Austin (aka “Chef Q”) has expanded Coco Maya’s dinner menu to include dishes like short-rib birria tacos, chili-rubbed prime ribeye, and Rasta Pasta (pictured)—short rib blended with penne pasta, jerk seasoning, peppers, onions, cotija cheese and cilantro. See website for hours. 1660 India St., Little Italy, 619.943.9439. More Info

Arts + Culture

The Old Globe: The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Oct. 28-Nov. 5. Featuring a cast of 14 students from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, Shakespeare’s timeless play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, runs for just 11 performances only at The Old Globe’s White Theatre. (The graduate program nationally recruits seven students annually to participate in a two-year course studying classical theater.) In this staging of the comedy, two friends travel to modern-day Italy, where they fall in love with the same woman. See website for showtimes and tickets. 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, 619.234.5623. theoldglobe.org

North Coast Rep: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Through Nov. 12. Exploring the timeless conflict between good and evil, Robert Louis Stevenson’s famed novella has been reimagined at North Coast Rep—which presents Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, the psychological thriller centers on a London legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and a murderous criminal named Edward Hyde. (Pictured L-R: Bruce Turk as Dr. Jekyll and Conner Marx as Mr. Hyde.) See website for showtimes and tickets. 987 Lomas Santa Fe, Solana Beach, 858.481.1055. northcoastrep.org

Painting Restoration at Timken Museum

Ongoing. For the first time in its 58-year history, the Timken Museum of Art is giving the public a chance to see an iconic artwork undergo an extensive conservation treatment. Francois Boucher’s 1758 “Lovers in a Park” oil-on-canvas painting—at close to 8 feet tall—has rarely left the museum due to its large size, and thus is being treated right onsite in the gallery space. The project encompasses the painstaking restoration of Boucher’s masterpiece, whose protective varnish layer had naturally yellowed over time. And visitors get to watch! See website for museum hours. 1500 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.239.5548. timkenmuseum.org

Photo credits: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Aaron Rumley. All other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.