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Tricks and treats and Dia de Los Muertos and… maybe… a spot of rain. Let’s see what this weekend is all about.
From October 30 to November 1 in Los Angeles, you’ll find LA Opera’s Hercules vs. Vampires, the seventh annual Boonion Station, the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval, Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party, the Downey Día de Los Muertos Art Festival, the 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Bash, and more.
Things To Do This Weekend
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Fall Fun Festival – FA > This Friday, the City of San Gabriel hosts its annual Fall Fun Festival at Mission Playhouse Plaza in the Historic Mission District. Families and costumed kids can explore a haunted zone, join trunk-or-treating, play games, enter a costume contest, grab bites from local food trucks, and capture free family photos. Admission is free. Runs 5 to 9 p.m. More info here.
Bachata Nights at Corteza -> Corteza brings the dancing spirit of Latin culture to Friday nights with an evening of bachata. The experience opens with a welcome cocktail before experienced instructors lead guests through an engaging lesson. Elegant Halloween and Día de los Muertos-inspired costumes are encouraged. Stick around for dinner after the dancing. Tickets are $30, welcome cocktail included. Kicks off at 7 p.m.
Horror Nights at The Ford – > Street Food Cinema and The Ford partner for Horror Nights at The Ford, featuring a 30th-anniversary screening of From Dusk Till Dawn on Friday hosted by Jenna Nickerson followed by an interactive screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Saturday with a live shadowcast performance by Sins O’ The Flesh. Both events begin at 8 p.m. More info here.
Carved at Descanso Gardens -> Descanso Gardens’ family-friendly Carved is open daily now through November 1. Expect a pumpkin wonderland featuring a new route, an illuminated railroad, whimsical wood spirits, hundreds of carved pumpkins and kid-friendly activities. Adult tickets run $29-$52 for non-members. Get more info here.
Urban Death: Tour of Terror at Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre -> Zombie Joe’s annual tradition of Urban Death is back for 2026 with a brand new series of terrifying vignettes, bookended by walks through a creepy maze. The series wraps this weekend with performances Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Advance tickets are $24 online, or it’s $28 at door. Get more info here.
Fright Dive at AoP -> On Friday, the Aquarium of the Pacific hosts Fright Dive, an adults-only (18+) Halloween night filled with live music, art, and gallery DJs. Guests can rock out to Tom Kenny & the Hi-Seas and Salton City Surf Club, enjoy themed cocktails, and grab eerie bites at Café Scuba. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $54.95 for general admission and $49.95 for members. Runs 7:30 to 11 p.m. More info here.
LA Opera: Hercules vs. Vampires – > This Friday and Saturday, LA Opera and The United Theater on Broadway team up for Hercules vs. Vampires, a campy cinematic opera pairing Mario Bava’s 1961 cult classic with a live orchestral score by Patrick Morganelli. The Halloween night performance features an afterparty and a costume contest with a $10,000 grand prize. Tickets start at $56. More info here.
Boonion Station – M FA > Los Angeles Union Station hosts the seventh annual Boonion Station on Saturday, a family-friendly Halloween celebration on its South Patio. The afternoon festival features trick-or-treating, face painting, balloon artists, stilt walkers, live DJ sets, and an LAPD-judged costume contest. Kids can also craft custom creatures at a monster-making station and receive a personalized tale from LA Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. Admission is free. Runs 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info here.
19th Annual DTLA Halloween Festival for Kids – > The 19h Annual DTLA Halloween Festival for Kids returns to Grand Hope Park this Saturday, offering a family-friendly environment with trick-or-treating, live puppet and magic shows, crafts, and food. GA tickets cost $15, kids under 3 are free.
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval – FA > On Saturday, the city of West Hollywood’s massive block-party style Halloween spectacle comes to a one-mile stretch of Santa Monica Blvd between Doheny Dr and La Cienega Blvd. Expect DJ sets, food trucks and thousands of attendees dressed in their costumed best. Free to attend. Runs 6 to 11 p.m. More info here.
Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party – M FA TP > On Saturday, one of Los Angeles’ most historic neighborhoods is throwing a 21+ block party for spooky season. The party will feature live music, a full bar, costume contest, special food vendors. The location is still listed as “secret” but you can RVSP to get more details. A donation of $5 per attendee is requested but not required. More info here.
Halloween Party at Benny Boys -> This Saturday, Benny Boy Brewing transforms its Lincoln Heights beer garden into a slasher-themed Halloween bash featuring DJ Solarplexsis spinning at 7:00 PM, costume fun, and gourmet burgers from the WAVE food truck. The event marks the return of Hot Mulled Cider and the final night for Blood Orange Cider Slushies, alongside festive drinks like La Catrina hibiscus cider and the vampire-themed cider flight. 21+ only. Free entry. Runs 6 p.m. to midnight. More info here.
Boo At The Zoo – > Continuing this Saturday and Sunday, Boo at the L.A. Zoo is back for 2026 with a family-friendly Halloween celebration spanning two spooky weekends. Festivities feature six trick-or-treating stations, animal pumpkin enrichment sessions, keeper talks, an inflatable corn maze, themed photo-ops, and a spooky conservation expo. Guests can also enjoy pumpkin painting, wandering costume characters, and live Bob Baker Marionette Theater shows. Included free with paid zoo admission or membership. More info here.
Downey Día de Los Muertos Art Festival – FA > This Sunday, the Downey Día de Los Muertos Art Festival brings a full day of family-friendly cultural activities to the Downey Civic Center. Visitors can experience live entertainment, car altars, a community altar, a chalk walk, face painting, sugar skull decorating, art displays, an artisan mercado, and local food trucks. Admission is free. Runs 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. More info here.
Dia de Los Muertos at Forest Lawn -> On Sunday, Forest Lawn hosts its annual Día de los Muertos Celebration across multiple cemetery locations, including Forest Lawn – Glendale, Covina Hills, and Cypress. The family-friendly cultural event features traditional community ofrendas, vibrant marigold displays, and handcrafted Catrina and alebrijes artwork. Admission is free. Runs noon to 3 p.m. More info here.
The 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Bash – FA > If you still need to get rid of your days-old jack-o-lanterns and want to make sure it gets composted correctly, why not make a party? Swing over to Pan Pacific Park on Sunday, November 1 for the 4th Annual Great Pumpkin Bash where you’ll find a host of gardening workshops and demos, a costume parade, giveaways, bites from local faves, and of course a Pumpkin Smash Zone. Runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free to attend. More info here.
24th Annual Encuentro de Jaraneros – M FA > On Sunday, celebrate the rich folk traditions of Veracruz at the 24th Annual Encuentro de Jaraneros at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes on November 1. This annual festival unites Jarocho musicians and dancers from communities across California for a full day of performances, workshops, and shared celebration. Starts at noon. Free to attend. More info here.
Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest & Pawrade -> This Sunday, Runway Playa Vista hosts the 7th Annual Pawestruck! Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest & Pawrade, inviting dogs and their owners for a festive day of pet vendors, spooky photo ops, and a costume contest benefiting Wags & Walks, with cash prizes up to $700. General admission is free. Runs noon to 3 p.m. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
David Lynch Menu at Syndicate Coffee (Through November 1) -> Syndicate Coffee in Sierra Madre has released a David Lynch-inspired trio of drinks: the Laura Palmer, the Mulholland Drive, and the Blue Velvet. From Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1, you can also grab a special slice of cherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee as a nod to Twin Peaks. More info here.
OTOTO’s Midnight Diner (October 31) -> Netflix’s comfort series Midnight Diner is back with a new season, and OTOTO in Echo Park is marking the return the way it has before. For one night only, the izakaya recreates a handful of dishes from the show, mixing old favorites with new creations. Beer and highball specials will be on offer, with plenty of sake flowing. Walk-ins only from 5 p.m. on, and early arrival is always recommended. More info here.
A Coven of Cocktails at The Evangeline Swamp Room (Through October 31) -> This Halloween, The Evangeline Swamp Room, Chinatown’s New Orleans-style booze parlor, is serving up “A Coven of Cocktails,” a trio of witchy drinks available individually for $15 to $16 or as a full coven of three for $35. The lineup includes Witch Please, a pickled pig’s foot Gibson; Basic Witch, a pumpkin-spiced riff on an Espresso Martini; and First of All, Witch, a glowing tropical creation. The cocktails are available now through Halloween where they’ll throw an all vinyl dance party, so gather your coven while there’s still time.
Haley’s Spooky $10 Wine Deals (Through October 31) -> From now until Halloween, Haley’s Wines in North Hollywood is pouring $10 glasses of wine and selling $20 bottles every day. More info here.
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