Halloween Festivals and Community Haunts
Local Events, Block Parties, Costume Carnivals & Spooky Street Scenes
Find More: Halloween Haunts Master List - Theme Park Halloween Attractions – Halloween Haunted Houses – Halloween Yard Haunts - Halloween Haunts for Children -Halloween Parties & More - Halloween Horror Shows & Excursions – Halloween News – Halloween Photographs - Halloween Video
There are many ways to enjoy Halloween in Los Angeles, ranging from elaborate Theme Park Halloween Attractions and Professional Haunted Houses to wild Halloween Parties and Street Fairs to humble Amateur Yard Haunts and safely spooky Halloween Events for children. Somewhere in between are the Community Yard Haunts. These tend to be semi-professional Halloween events and attractions; some are yard haunts that outgrew their yard.
Community Halloween Haunts are often staged in schools, churches, or community centers, in order to provide a safe and fun way for local trick-or-treaters to enjoy the holiday. Unlike yard haunts, Community Halloween Haunts are usually not free, but they tend to charge only a small fee to off-set expenses, or they request a donation to benefit some local cause.
Note: We list some of the more notable Halloween Festivals and Community Haunts on this page, judging them to be worthy of seeking out even if you do not live nearby. However, most of these events fly under our radar because they are intended to serve the local community. If you are looking for something in your area, check out this 2012 list from the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which offers haunts at numerous community centers and parks around the city.
BEACON HOUSE HAUNT
1003 S. Beacon Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone: (310) 514-4940
E-Mail: info@beaconhouseassociation.com
Web Page: www.beaconhouseassociation.com
2012 DATES & HOURS: None. Apparently, Beacon House no longer offers this event.
2011 INFORMATION: This year, Beacon Street House offered another Halloween party at the Barlett Center.
BACKGROUND: Located near the southern end of Los Angeles, the Beacon House Association of San Pedro produced a Halloween block party for over twenty years, providing a safe way for the community to celebrate the season. The Beacon House’s annual Halloween event typically offered a ”Nightmare on Beacon Street,” including a haunted maze, a street fair, dancing, contests, food, and other entertainment suitable for the whole family. The 2006 haunt featured an “alien invasion” theme, including a walk-through maze. Since 2010, Beacon house has offered a scaled down “Halloween Party,” with dancing, contests, face-painting, and Kareoke.
Year round, the Beacon House helps men recover from alcoholism, providing food, shelter, and counseling.
NOTE: The old website specifically devoted to the haunt is no longer operative, but the Beacon House Associations’s Calendar of Events continues to list the annual Halloween party.
BOOO-TIFUL DOWNTOWN BURBANK & HAPPY HOWL-OWEEN
Webpage: click here
2012 Date: Halloween night
Hours: approximately 4-7pm
Location: Downtown Burbank
Description: Downtown Burbank offers its annual Halloween event for families with children and/or canines. Parents are invited to bring their goblins and ghouls for an early evening of trick-or-treating. Local merchants provide free treats from store-to-store. And pet owners are encouraged to bring along their favorite K-9 dressed in the Halloween spirit for the Annual Downtown Dog Parade on the AMC Walkway.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood
Website: www.laydayofthedead.com
2012 Date: October 27, noon-midnight
Tickets: General Admission $10 per person (please bring exact change); children 8 years and under free until 4pm; seniors 65 and over free until 4pm
Description: The 13th annual Dia de Los Muertos returns to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, with featured musical artist OZOMATLI. Guests are invited to join in festivities that honor and celebrate the memories of all the beloved souls on the grounds of the historic Hollywood Forever cemetery. Though not strictly speaking a Halloween event, Dia De Los Muertos features costumes and decorations that dovetail nicely with the season while offering an alternative to traditional Halloween events in Los Angeles.
Please remember: no food, alcohol, glass containers, bikes, chairs, coolers, skateboards, or pets.
FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL
Forneris Farms
15200 Rinaldi Street
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Website: www.fornerisfarms.com
2012 Dates: October 6 through November 4
2012 Hours:
- Weekends: 9am – 5pm
- Weekends: 2pm – 5pm
- Last Ride/Ticket at 5pm
- Pumpkin Patch and Farm Market: 9am – 6pm daily
2012 Prices:
- Corn Maze: $8.00 per person (Children 3 & under FREE with paid adult)
- Tractor Pulled Train Ride: $4.00 per person (1yr & under FREE with parent)
- Farm Frolic Area for Kids: $5.00 (parent FREE with child paid ticket)
- Pony Ride: $5
- Petting Zoo: $5
Description: This harvest festival is not as Halloween-oriented as the Halloween Harvest Festival at Pierce College, but it does include “scare people” driving the farm equipment. On weekends, there is a refreshment stand serving fresh roasted corn on the cob and more. Plus, there is a Farm Market with fall decorations and farm-grown produce daily.
Other Activities:
- Pumpkin Patch – Farm grown and the most beautiful, with every shape and size
- Corn Maze Adventure – Get lost!
- Tractor-pulled Train Ride – Take a narrated ride around the Farm
- Farm Frolic Area for Kids – Mini maze, Giant Hay Pyramid, the Great Pumpkin jumper
- Antique Tractor Row – Magestic machines showcased
- Guess the Pumpkin Weight Contest – win “Big Max” and $100
- Live Entertainment – Weekends
NOTE: Attractions subject to closing without notice – due to weather
For more info, call (818) 361-0714 or (818) 730-7709. Otherwise, send email to: fornerisfarms@socal.rr.com or admin@fornerisfarms.com
Forneris Farms Harvest Festival Archive
HALLOWEEN HARVEST FESTIVAL
Pierce College parking lot
20800 Victory Boulevard a Mason Avenue
Woodland Hills, California
Website: www.halloweenharvestfestival.com
Click here to visit our page devoted to this Halloween event
HALLOWEEN PARTY FOR DOWNTOWN L.A. KIDS
2012 Date: Halloween Night, 5-8pm
Location: Grand Hope Park at FIDM, South Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (323) 644-6661
Tickets: $5 admission for adults and children over 2. Children under 2 free
Website: Click here
Information: The Downtown Center Business Improvement District of Los Angeles invites families living in the area to bring their children out for a night of fun and games. This Community Halloween Event features: trick-or-treat doors; inflatable bounce house; video game truck; fun face painting and crafts; balloon animals and jugglers; marionettes; and hot dogs, cotton candy & popcorn. Costumes are required for children and suggested for adults. Remember to bring a candy bucket or bag!
Please note: The Halloween Party for Downtown L.A. Kids is intended for children who live in the following Los Angeles ZIP Codes: 90012, 90013, 90014, 90015, 90017, 90021, and 90071.
Sorry, no pets are allowed in the park.
HAUNTED ADVENTURE TOUR
FRIGHT NIGHT AT STARLIGHT BOWL
Location: Starlight Bowl, 1249 Lockheed View Drive, Burbank, CA 91504
Website: www.burbankusa.com
Dates: October 19 & 20
Hours: Tickets sold 7-9pm
Tickets: $5. Proceeds benefit the Burbank Park, Recreation & Community Services Department’s Nature Program.
Description: The Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Department presents this this annual Halloween event, featuring a frightening tour designed for families with older. An adult must accompany children under 12 years old, and children under 6 years old are not allowed. Face painting and other activities will help participants start the fright night off right.
Note: Until 2011, the Haunted Adventure Tour formerly took place in the nearby Stough Canyon Nature Center.
Contact: Call (818) 238-5440 or visit www.burbankusa.com for more information.
MONTANA AVENUE HALLOWEEN HOP
Webpage: www.montanaavenue.com
2012 Date: Wednesday, October 31
Hours: 3-6pm
Location: Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA
Description: Montana Avenue hosts its Annual Halloween Hop from 3-6pm on Halloween night. Kids of all ages will enjoy trick-or-treating all along Montana Avenue, plus all kinds of fun, spooky activities!
Read a brief account of the 2011 Halloween Hop.
NATIVITY CHURCH HAUNTED HOUSE – No Longer in Operation?
Nativity Church – 3743 Tyler Avenue in El Monte, CA 91732
The venerable old church,which we attended decades ago, has stopped sending us annual updates, and our old contact is no longer there. Has this haunt given up the ghost?
DONATION: Usually $3 per person, with proceeds going to benefit the church.
Description: in 2009, Nativity Church presented its third annual haunted house, inspred by horror movies such as SAW. 2008’s theme was “Big Top Circus.”
HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN STREET FAIR
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90068
DATES & HOURS: October 31 – Dusk to 10:00pm (some stores will be open later)
PRICE: Free
INFORMATION: Looking for a way to spend Halloween in Los Angeles that won’t set your wallet back? This Halloween street parade is a milder, more kid-friendly, and somewhat smaller version of the famous West Hollywood Street carnival. Basically, the streets are closed off to automobile traffic, and a sort of amatuer parade of costumed individuals makes their way down the boulevard. Even if you do not want to dress you, you will enjoy the sights on display, and this is a good opportunity to visit the museums and other attractions in the area.
NOTE: For 2006, the city requested that no one bring silly string (presumably because it makes a mess). We assume the rule remains in effect.
OLD PASADENA HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION
Old Town Pasadena, CA
Contact: 626-356-9725
Webpage: Click here
Updates: click here
2012 Dates: Saturday, October 27, 10:30am to 12:30pm; Wednesday, October 31, dusk to 8:00pm
Description: Old Town invites families to come on down and enjoy some frightfully fun activities at their annual Halloween celebration. The free events takes place on two separate days. On Day, there will be pumpkin decorating for kids; free pumpkins will be provided. Families are encouraged to visit the kid-friendly “lights on” matinee at the Old Town Haunt Halloween Attraction, which is worth the trip all by itself. On Halloween evening – October 31 – over 100 stores and restaurants will open their doors for free trick-or-treating; there will be popular Halloween costumed characters roaming the streets. The event lasts until 8:00pm. The scary night-time version of Old Town Haunt runs till midnight.
The Old Pasadena Halloween Celebration is presented by Old Pasadena Management and One Colorado with partnership from the Old Town Haunt. All activities are free except the Old Town Haunt which is $15 general admission. For more information on the Old Town Haunt the public can visit www.oldtownhaunt.com, for more information regarding all other Halloween activities the public is invited to, call 626-356-9725.
REVENGE OF THE NINJA HAUNT
The Way of the Shadow Martial Arts Academy
18727 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance CA 90504
Email: info@revengeoftheninjamaze.com
Phone: 310-327-1837
Website: www.revengeoftheninjamaze.com
Find more information, plus photographs, on our page devoted to this haunt.
7000 W. Manchester, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Recreation Center website: click here
Haunt page: click here
2012 Dates: October 26-18 & 31
Hours: 6-11pm
Admission: $5.00
Description: For over two decades, during the final days of October, Westchester Recreation Park transforms into a terrifying Halloween event. For 2011, the maze moves outdoors, leaving the indoor facilities behind and hopefully expanded to include even more horror.
Halloween Kids Zone: The Westchester Recreation Center also offers a kid-safe Halloween event on October 31, from 5pm to 8pm, with face-painting, arts and crafts, a trick-or-treat village, and more.
WEST HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN COSTUME CARNAVAL
Santa Monica Boulevard, between Doheny & La Cienaga West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 289-2525
Websites: www.visitwesthollywood.com
DATES & HOURS: October 31 - 6:00PM till midnight (and beyond…?)
PRICE: Free
PARKING: Difficult (unless you come way early). With Santa Monica blocked off to automobiles, the traffic clogs the other major street arteries, making it difficult to get close to the event. Best bet is to part a few blocks away and walk.
INFORMATION: This street parade of costumed adults began years ago as a primarily gay event, featuring the local residents, but it’s gradually grown into a major attraction that draws outsiders eager to see what the fuss is all about. The result is a sort of carnival-freakshow that diverges somewhat from more traditional Halloween events — i.e., you will see far more drag queens than skeletons and monsters. (Some of the more clever costumes combine both concepts, such as “Bobbi” the homicidal transvestite alter ego of Michael Caine in DRESSED TO KILL.) The elaborate nature of many of the home-made costumes goes far beyond impressive into the realm of the totally fabulous. Whether or not you’re gay, it’s a great way to spend Halloween in Los Angeles.
