California Events
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival Oct.14-15, 2023
Thursday, October 15, 2026
AVALON: Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival Opening Weekend October 8-11, 2026; Closing Weekend October 15-18, 2026. Peter White, David Benoit Trio, Chase Huna and Blake Aaron are some of the performers. Location: Avalon Casino Ballroom and other venues. Avalon CA Tickets: jazztrax.com
BAKERSFIELD: Boo at the Zoo October 14-18, 2026, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at CALM Zoo. Halloween-themed games with candy and prizes. Location: 10500 Alfred Harrell Hwy. Bakersfield, CA $, calmzoo.org
BUENA PARK: The 17th Door, a Halloween scream returns with new thrills, September 18-November 1, 2026, 7-11 p.m. at Buena Park Downtown Mall. Location: 8420 On the Mall Buena Park, CA 90620 $39-up, the17thdoor.com
EL CAJON: The Scare Trail at Haunted Amusement Park September 25-November 1, 2026. Mile-long trail includes a Haunted Manor, Mausoleum, Graveyard, Witch's Cottage and Spider Cave - just for starters. Location: 14039 Ridge Hill Road, El Cajon, CA. $25-40, scaretrail.com
EXETER: Witches Night Out October 15, 2026, 5-9 p.m. Sip, shop, and explore participating local businesses throughout the evening with your passport. Host location: BellCraft Brew Co., 130 N. E St., Exeter, CA. $, exeterchamber.com
FAIRFIELD: Los Cochinos band Latin rock and soul music, 6-8 p.m. at Paradise Valley Golf Course Summer Concert Series. Location: 3950 Paradise Valley Drive, Fairfield, CA. Free RSVP, facebook.com/fairfieldgolfcourses
FRESNO: Big Fresno Fair October 7-18, 2026 at The Big Fresno Fair, 1121 S. Chance Ave., Fresno, CA fresnofair.com | fairs
HANFORD: Travis Brooks Trio, Americana, covers, 5:30-9 p.m., Hanford Market Place Concerts Downtown Hanford Between Doughty & Irwin St. Hanford, CA. Free, mainstreethanford.com
LAKEWOOD: The Hollow Awakens September 12-October 31, 2026 (Wednesday-Sunday evenings) at Lakewood Center Mall. Check out Imaginarium's new Halloween themed attraction with nine haunt zones, circus entertainment and trick or treats. Location: 326 Lakewood Center Mall, Lakewood, CA. $22-24, thehollowawakens.com
LONG BEACH: Dark Harbor at Queen Mary September 18-November 1, 2026. Scary Mary, The Ringmaster, terrifying mazes, carnival rides and ghostly experiences. There's drinking, dining, dancing, swinging (axes) and lots of screaming! $, queenmary.com
MONTEREY PARK: Monterey Park Monster Mash, 4-7 p.m. at Barnes Park. Location: 350 S. McPherrin Ave. Monterey Park, CA Free, montereypark.ca.gov
OAKLAND: Autumn Lights Festival October 15-17, 2026, 6-11 p.m. at Gardens at Lake Merritt. One-of-a-kind interactive art experience features 60+ locally-produced illuminated art displays sparkling and beaming throughout Oakland's beloved eight-acre municipal gardens. Location: 666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. $28.52 approx., GardensatLakeMerritt.org
PALM SPRINGS: Modernism Week Mini Series October 15-18, 2026 at Palm Springs Convention Center & other venues in Palm Springs, CA. $varies, modernismweek.com
SAN DIEGO: SeaWorld San Diego Howl-O-Scream September 11-November 1, 2026 is a special ticket, nighttime scare attraction with 6 haunted houses, 3 scare zones, vile vignettes, band/music, and themed bars with drinks for sale age 21+. $41.50-55 tickets, seaworld.com
SAN FRANCISCO: Richard Howell's John Coltrane Tribute 12:30-1:30 p.m. at Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets, San Francisco, CA. Free, ybgfestival.org
TAFT: Witches Night Out on Center Street 5:30-7:30 p.m. Magical evening of shopping, vendors, prizes, and community fun in Downtown Taft! Location: Center Street between 4th & 7th Streets. Costumes and witchy attire encouraged! Vendors, Prizes, Shopping and Fun. Free, facebook.com/taft.chamber
UNIVERSAL CITY: Halloween Horror Nights September 3-November 1, 2026, at Universal Studios Hollywood is back. New this year is Ozzy Osbourne: The Prince of Darkness at Southern California's scariest Halloween event with terrifying haunted houses, the Terror Tram, sinister scare zones, live entertainment and attractions. halloweenhorrornights.com
ANAHEIM: Halloween Time August 21-October 31, 2026 at Disneyland. Main Street Pumpkins, Halloween Screams show, Nightmare Haunted Mansion, Halloween confections, and photo ops galore. Location: 1313 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, CA.
AZUSA: Azusa Golden Days October 10-18, 2026 includes a parade, carnival, foods, arts & crafts vendors, a fun run and concerts. Free admission, azusaca.gov
CALABASAS: Night Of The Jack September 25-November 1, 2026, 6-10:30 p.m. at King Gillette Ranch. Jack o' lanterns along a 3/4th mile trail, activities, and spooky fun. Location: 26800 Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas, CA. $, pre-purchase required, nightofthejack.com
COSTA MESA: Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch October 1-31, 2026 at Orange County Fairgrounds. Inflatable slides, kiddie rides, a petting zoo and a train. Location: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA. Free admission; Free parking Mon-Thur; $12 parking Fri-Sun, ocfair.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH: Oktoberfest September 12-November 8, 2026 at Old World Village. German Beers & Bands, Brats & Kraut, Shot Girls, and the Chicken Dance at every event! Hosting SoCal's biggest party since 1978, the indoor/outdoor Bavarian Biergarten features free admission nights Wed & Thu; adult nights Fri-Sat; and daytime family Sundays. oldworldhb.com
LATHROP: Dell'Osso Family Farm Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch October 2-31, 2026. One of the largest, most popular Halloween pumpkin patch & maze attractions in the nation gets over 250,000 visitors annually. Location: 501 Manthey Road, Lathrop, CA. $24-33, pumpkinmaze.com
MENDOCINO: Haunted Mendocino Walking Tour 5-6:30 p.m. at Kelley House Museum. Hear about a stallion and rider who rode into the sea, a tragic shipwreck, a sickly child, and many more of the stories collected from nearly ten years of local research. Location: 45007 Albion St., Mendocino, CA. $25, kelleyhousemuseum.org
NEWARK: Fear Overload Scream Park September 25-November 7, 2026 at NewPark Mall. Though Ravenwood Sanitarium is supposed to be closed, something still operates inside. You can't prepare for this nightmare...it's sick! Location: 2086 Newpark Mall, Newark CA. $23.99-up, fearoverload.com
ORANGE: Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch September 12-October 31, 2026. Annual attraction and popular place to take children for pumpkin pictures, crafts, kiddie rides, food and wholesome fun! Location: 1 Irvine Park Rd., Orange, CA. Free admission on weekdays; $, weekends - reservations required, IrvineParkRailroad.com
PASADENA: Kidspace Halloween September 18-October 31, 2026, includes a Halloween Parade every day, costumes encouraged, plus Pumpkin bowling, Adopt-a-Monster workshop and Witch's Kitchen. Location: 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA. $17, kidspacemuseum.org
SAN JOSE: Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House select nights September 18-November 1, 2026. Eerie Halloween adventure through a haunted mansion designed by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Rifles fortune. Inspired by her communication with spirits, the 160-room estate and grounds are filled with mysteries, oddities and resident ghosts. Location: 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose, CA. $ tickets, festivalfrightnights.com
SACRAMENTO: Sacramento Ultimate Terror Scream Park September 12-November 7, 2026, select days. Four radically different nightmares in one all-access ticket. Location: 4909 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento CA. $, screamparkcalifornia.com
SAN DIEGO COUNTY: BONITA, DEL MAR, ESCONDIDO & NATIONAL CITY: Pumpkin Station September 25-October 31, 2026. Five locations include 2 farms: Rancho Bernardo Farm in Escondido or Bonita Pumpkin Farm in Bonita with corn mazes, hayrides, petting zoos and Sunflower Fields. Pumpkin Stations at National City's Plaza Bonita, and Del Mar Fairgrounds include kiddie rides, giant slides and petting zoos. Free admission, $5/ea. ticketed attractions, pumpkinstation.com
SAN DIEGO: Haunted Trail in Balboa Park September 25-November 1, 2026 includes two walk-through scares - The Experiment Maze plus Haunted Trail - with zombies, ghouls, loud noises and flashing lights. $34.99-up, hauntedtrail.net
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY: Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Fest October 1-31, 2026. Spooky, whimsical, creative and cool scarecrows are on view in Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and Solvang on California's Central Coast! See map / locations: syvscarecrows.com
SOLVANG: Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch September 25-October 31, 2026, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Back for another season with 50 varieties of pumpkins and a 14-acre corn maze! Location: 1035 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, CA. Free pumpkin patch admission
FREMONT: The Candlelighters Ghost House October 10-30, 2026. The Chadbourne Carriage House. Location: 39169 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA. $5, candlelighters.com
HOLLYWOOD: Screamfest October 6-15, 2026 at TLC Chinese Theatre. The Sundance of Horror is the longest running horror film festival in the United States. Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA $, screamfestla.com | film
HOLLISTER: Swank Farms Fall Festival Pumpkin Patch, Trail of Lights October 2-31, 2026. Corn Maze + Trail of Lights + Terror in the Corn attractions, food, music and more. Location: 4751 Pacheco Pass Hollister, CA $15-up, swankfarms.com
LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE: Carved October 2-November 1, 2026, 6-10 p.m. at Descanso Gardens. Wander paths at night with your steps illuminated by the glowing, carved pumpkins that shine through the dark. $25-45 general admission, descansogardens.org
WHEATLAND: Bishop's Pumpkin Farm open daily September 4-November 15, 2026. It's a fair of fun foods and drinks, barnyard animals, carnival rides, hayrides, firepits, entertainment and free admission! Location: 1415 Pumpkin Lane, Wheatland, CA. Free, parking fees select days, bishopspumpkinfarm.com
WOODSIDE: Spooky Nightfall September 26-October 31, 2026 at Filoli is a Gothic dream. The fantasy 16-acre estate & 54,000 sq. ft. mansion in Santa Cruz mountains has surprises - Shadow Creatures, Blacklight Mushroom Forest, Witches Apothecary, Pumpkin Meadow, Hay Maze and more. $, filoli.org
Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.