60 Awesome Things To Do This Pre-Halloween Weekend in L.A. [10-26-2018 to 10-28-2018]

Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend, from Friday, October 26 to Sunday, October 28, features Triforium Fridays, Danny Elfman at The Bowl, Day of the Dead at Hollywood Forever, the KCRW Halloween Masquerade, National Cat Day, a Filipino Food Block Party and MUCH more.

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Remember you can always go to our L.A. events calendar page to get an updated rundown of what’s happening around the city. Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your weekend!

Image via Criteria Entertainment / Hollywood Forever Cemetery

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Friday October 26th, 2018

1. Enjoy a screening of cult classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on October 26-28 at The Hollywood Bowl. The one and only Danny Elfman will perform songs as Jack Skellington alongside a full orchestra and Catherine O’Hara and Ken Page reprising their roles of Sally and Oogie Boogie.

2. The Barker Hangar will transform into an art wonderland on Oct. 25-28 when The Other Art Fair returns to Los Angeles. The event, which is put on by online art gallery Saatchi Art will allow guests to peruse through the works of over 100 handpicked emerging artists that are part of the Los Angeles landscape. On top of the art, a bar and restaurant area, live music, theatrical performances, art installations and more are all on the bill.

3. The Unknown is a haunt put on by ABC Interactive that explores the horror in what we can not see, predict or understand. Written and directed by Annie Lesser, the event primarily takes place in darkness and the viewer (you) makes the decisions advancing into the storyline. The Unknown takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Oct. 26-28 as well as Nov. 2-4 at a private residence that will be revealed to ticket holder the day before it occurs.

4. Enjoy a celebration of handmade crafts and the artisans behind them at the Contemporary Crafts Market, a three day event (Oct 26-28) happening at the Pasadena Convention Center.

5. Stan Lee’s Comic Con (Oct. 26-28) is filled with panels, exhibitors, screenings and much more for geeks of all varieties. Happening at the LA Convention Center.

6. The Triforium is a huge public art piece with colorful glass panels located in Fletcher-Bowron Square. It was meant to perform light and music shows but due to a plethora of issues, it was never executed, and it has stood silent for decades… until now. Experience The Triforium restored and modernized to react to real time live performances on Fridays through November 2. FREE

7. Lethal Amounts presents Devil’s Playground Pt. 2: Art of the Vintage Horror Poster exhibit. Featuring hand-drawn vintage Horror, Giallo and B-movie genres posters, the exhibit will feature hundreds of pieces, including rare posters from around the world. Taking place right next door in conjunction to the exhibit is The Cramps Halloween Party at Monty Bar.

8. Disco Dining Club returns to Los Angeles for a horror themed botanical dinner party on October 26-28. Chef Laurent Quenioux will prepare a five course dinner, Timothy Baxter of Baxter Speakeasy will shake up thematic cocktails, Bugible will prepare bug pairings and musical performances and immersive theatrical moments will play out throughout the evening.

9. DEEP Los Angeles and BENDER present “City Lights” a Halloween edition of their night time party mixing yoga with a dance party from 1000 feet above DTLA at OUE Skyspace LA.

10. Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre in North Hollywood presents their annual Halloween iteration of Urban Death. Guests will wind through a short maze before entering a darkened theater where series of disturbing vignettes will be presented one after another. Happening Friday and Saturday. Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

11. Merchants on Olvera Street will celebrate Dia de los Muertos for nine days starting this Thursday. The festival will include altars on display, children’s workshops, face painting, and live entertainment. FREE

12. The Haunted Hayride returns September 29-October 31 at The Old Zoo in Griffith Park featuring four different Scare Zones, including trick or treating in a blood-curdling neighborhood and riding on the Scary-Go-Round and taking a ride on the main attraction the Haunted Hayride. Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

13. Movie Under The Guns is a movie night aboard the Battleship Iowa in San Pedro. Free to the public they’ll screen Hocus Pocus. FREE

14. New Wave For The Masses: Halloween Edition takes over The Resident for a night of dancing to your favorite wave bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, The Smiths and more.

15. Unbound Productions’ site-specific Wicked Lit returns to the Mountain View Mausoleum, offering the perfect setting for all new tales of horror. This year, guests will enjoy two theatrical adaptations: Charles Dickens’ The Chimes: A Goblin Story, and Ernest Rhys’ Teig O’Kane and the Corpse. Guests will walk through the mausoleum as they follow both chilling tales. Happening Wednesday through Sunday.

16. Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosts free jazz performances on Fridays through November. Concerts take place at the main entrance. FREE

17. Nights of the Jack is a half mile trail filled with thousands of hand-carved and illuminated Jack O’Lanterns. Family friendly and located in Calabasas, the experience is filled with pumpkins carved into notable animated characters, movie stars, sports heroes, and many more. Happening Thursday through Sunday.

18. The Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden presents Moonlight Forest, where crafted lanterns line the garden grounds, some depicting animals, shimmering exotic flowers, and figures from Chinese legends.

19. The 4th Annual Asian World Film Festival will screen Oscar-submitted films from across Asia from October 24 to November 1 at Arclight Cinemas in Culver City.

Saturday October 27th, 2018

20. L.A.’s Grand Park will host a week-long celebration of Día de los Muertos starting on Saturday, Oct. 27 and running until Sunday, Nov. 4. The event will hold a variety of events with 50+ altars and art installations up in the park the entire time. This Saturday, enjoy the ceremony of Noche de Ofrenda, honoring the dead led by the local indigenous community plus live performances. FREE

21. Head to Downtown L.A.’s Union Station this weekend (Oct. 27-28) for Boo-nation Station featuring a wide variety of seasonal activities including a Zombie Zone Hay Maze, Creepy Craft Camper for arts and crafts, as well as a Monster Mash Dance Party. FREE

22. KCRW Halloween Masquerade is back for another year to celebrate the spooky holiday. The event, will take place at the Los Angeles Theatre this year and will include KCRW DJs and featured performers White Denim, Wajatta, Cherry Glazerr, Shannon Shaw, Santigold, Brothers Griiin, DaM-FunK and Lucent Dossier.

23. Head down to Huntington Dog Beach to celebrate all things corgi during the fall edition of Corgi Beach Day. 1200+ corgis will be in attendance enjoying corgi activities and contests. FREE

24. There’s a Filipino Angeleno Food Block Party put on by Eat. Play. Move. Enjoy Filipino-Angeleno dishes along with live music, a beer garden, a kids activity area and more.

25. Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery returns for 2018 with a massive affair including dancing, crafts, music and theatrical performances across four stage.

26. The Cahuenga Block Party returns with a music lineup including Powerman 5000, Knee High Fox and Brass Knuckle Voodoo and a slew of other performers across two music stages. Indulge in food trucks, a beer garden, vendors, DJ’s, indoor and outdoor bars and more.

27. The National Park Service will host the annual Scare-A-Mount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains this Satruday. The family-friendly Halloween event will include kids activities like making fake movie blood, a spider zoo and nocturnal animal-themed crafts. Folks are also welcome to hike the backlot woods and a screening of the 1940 classic Dr. Cyclops will also be included. Organizers recommend bringing a flashlight and to dress warmly. FREE

28. Griffith Park’s famous mountain lion has it’s own festival! P-22 Day Festival will include a VR experience of wildlife crossing and the L.A. river, photo opportunities with a mountain lion, an urban wildlife garden installation, meet and greet with Ranger Rick, live music and food. FREE

29. The 23rd Historical Cemetery Tour of Long Beach’s Sunnyside Cemetery is filled with headstones containing rich and colorful stories contributing to the history of the area. On Saturday you are invited to the graveyard for a special tour with these stories recounted and reenacted by live actors!

30. Take a first look into renowned architect Sou Fujimoto’s work at the Japan House’s new exhibit “Futures of the Future.” The showcase will explore the award winning ideas and themes used throughout Fujimoto’s career. Over 100 live scale replicas will be present. The exhibit will run from Oct. 27 – Dec. 12. FREE

31. Daft Brunch, a Daft Punk themed day party returns with a Halloween remix inviting guests to come dressed in costume, dance and enjoy food and libations throughout the day at DTLA’s Resident. Free entrance to those who RSVP before 2 p.m.

32. Head to the Los Angeles Zoo for a large assortment of seasonal activities for the whole family. Featuring live, expert pumpkin carvings, Halloween games, a mini pumpkin patch and plenty more, this weekends Boo at the Zoo (Oct. 27-28) will host trick-or-treating, with treat stations lodged all over the premises from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a special overnight admission on Satruday, with entry into the following day’s Boo at the Zoo included.

33. Head to Carnal Carnival Halloween Block Party and get yourself into a dark world of mischief, wild delights and horrifying fears. The carnival will also have an Old Hollywood Insane Asylum and collection of oddities for viewing.

34. Learn about how death and mourning was handled back in 1918, with Heritage Square’s Halloween Mourning Tours (oct 27-28). On Saturday join a “funeral party” as you maneuver Spanish Flu, the charismatic leader of a cult attempting to induct you, and other weird encounters. A kid-friendly version takes place on Sunday with games, crafts, trick-or-treating and several other activities for all ages. Victorian costume in encouraged.

35. There’s a Scary Delicious Bug and Wine Pairing happening at V Wine Room with Bugible. The unique dining experience will pair five boutique wines with specific insects. Guests will also gain some insights on why a certain wine pairs with specific insects.

36. Celebrate Asian-Pacific popular culture when the Pacific Media Expo comes to L.A. (Oct 27-28) The first major trade show in the US dedicated to this topic, the convention will bring the best new horror films from Asia, anime, Pacific Rim bands and much more.

37. The 10th Annual King Tut’s Tomb LA Halloween Party at The Egyptian Theatre features a thematically crafted courtyard, 10 DJs,  three rooms of music, a full bar a smoking dancing floor and other Halloween festivities.

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38. Critically acclaimed, avant-garde haunt Creep returns with ‘Awake.’ The walkthrough thrusts participants through a 75-minute series of horrific situations in a shockingly cinematic fashion. As a result, you are placed face-to-face with your worst fears, presenting an incredibly unique and intimate horror experience. Happening at ROW DTLA Wednesday through Sunday.

39. Minimal Effort returns for the spooky season with a slew of carefully selected artists and performers. The event, which only takes place on New Year’s Eve and Halloween, presents a massively epic party that goes on late into the night. This year’s set of performers include Boys Noize, Tim Engelhardt, Louisahhh, Tim Engelhardt, Kill Frenzy to name a few. Happening at The Belasco Theatre.

40. Heidi Duckler Dance returns with a brand new show titled Loaded taking place at The Ford Theatre this Satruday and Sunday. The world premiere performance will take place at the venue’s loading dock representing society “building walls.” Performers in the show include Raymond Ejiofor, Lenin Fernandez, Micaela Taylor and Himerria Wortham.

41. Visit Claremont Village for the Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire and explore 400 booths selling arts, crafts, and more, the event allows you to walk the streets to enjoy plenty of activities and shopping. FREE

42. Haunted Little Tokyo will host a block party featuring live music, a beer garden, costume contest, food and more. FREE

43. Ever Bar, will host a Clue-themed party from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., in honor of Halloween. Guests will have a chance to play out the popular detective game when the bar is divided into fours to resemble sections of a clue board with a bottle of champagne as the prize. Costumes are encouraged. No admission fee.

44. Theatricum BOO-tanicum will transform the Will Greer Theatricum Botanicum into a Halloween extravaganza hosting a haunted house, along with game booths, ghost stories, and festive food and libations. Guests can also enjoy comedy improv by Off the Grid, Creative Playground, Peter Alsop and more.

45. Spatial Reality: Artists Explore the Future of XR is a new experimental exhibit coming to sp[a]ce gallery at Ayzenberg in Pasadena where some 25 artists will exhibit work in the mediums of augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. The exhibit runs weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) from October 13 to 28. General admission tickets are free, with premium VIP experiences also available for purchase. FREE

46. Enjoy an afternoon of craft work when Las Fotos Project hosts Michis and Succulents a succulent design party with a michelada bar and curated appetizers.

47. The W Hollywood Rooftop will host a special Halloween celebration this Saturday with DJ spun tunes, bottle service and panoramic views.

Sunday October 28th, 2018

48. There’s a Día de los Muertos Family Day happening at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes this Sunday. The family-oriented day will feature several workshops, ranging from gardening to arts, live performances paying homage to the dead and a special performance of Aztec opera El Circo Anahuac. FREE

49. This Sunday is National Cat Day. LA’s adorable cat cafe Crumbs & Whiskers will team up with PrettyLitter to celebrate by giving people a free 30 minute expereince from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Experience is first come first served and comes with complementary coffee.

50. Celebrate Day of the Dead at the 7th annual San Pedro Día de los Muertos Festival. Enjoy live music by two-time Grammy- award winning Mariachi Divas, Kotolan, Salt Petal, and more. There’s also a Jose Cuervo Tradicional Tequila Garden, authentic Mexican fare and more.

51. Vegan Sunday is a Weekly Vegan Market taking place every Sunday on Bakman Ave. between Chandler Blvd. and Weddington St. in North Hollywood. Expect a wide variety of vendors and food trucks offering only the best in vegan food and drink.

52. Celebrate Halloween weekend with your pup during Angel City Brewery’s Howl-O-Ween. In partnership with Found Animals, guests can enjoy an afternoon of dog and human costume contests, shopping from pet friendly vendors and more. Admission is free.

53. Face your fears during Universal Studios Hollywood Horror Nights happening Thursday through Saturdays till November 3. This year, the Stranger Things maze is the main attraction. You’ll also get to experience bone chilling attractions by American Horror Story, The Shining, Halloween, KrampusAsh vs. The Evil Dead and Walking Dead. Check for discounted tickets on select days. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

54. The Sivley family is back for their 47th year of hosting the award winning, Beware the Dark Realm a haunted house experience in the city of Santa Clarita. The haunt will run every Friday and Saturday thorough the end of the month. FREE

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55. Climb aboard the 18th Annual Ghost Train in Griffith Park all weekend and ride on their iconic train into a spooky setting of animatronics, projections and pyrotechnic. The ride is family friendly with no blood, gore or actors jumping out to scare you like most Halloween experiences.

56. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor will transform into a seaport of the damned for the Halloween season with terrifying mazes and monsters at every turn. Happening Thursdays and through Sundays through Nov. 2. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

57. Come hang out the last Sunday of every month at Cars and Coffee an automotive and design social gathering showcasing a slew of beautiful cars including rare and classic automobiles. FREE

58. Take a break from your dietary restrictions at Cheat Day Land, Los Angeles’ newest pop-up museum celebrating the snacks and treats that we dream of during our workouts. Featured installations and experiences ranging from a donut gym with pastry dumbbells to a life-size cereal bowl, an art gallery, and much more. Cheat Day Land is here for an entire month, from October 1-31. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

59. Pumpkin Nights feature over 3,000 carved pumpkins across eight pumpkin-themed lands accompanied with special pumpkin fire and magic shows, carvings, and plenty more. Happening October 12 through November 4.

60. L.A.’s pop-up museum catalogue is growing larger this fall with The Pizza Experience – a multi-sensory pizza themed walkthrough. Explore giant installations, an oversized cheese pool, a pizza hall of fame, pizza theme-flavored snacks throughout, actual pizza slices and more. The Pizza Experience runs through January 29. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

Food Pick for the Weekend

sanrio-gudetama-highland-park-bowl
Photo Credit: Wonho Frank Lee

This week’s pick by Christina Champlin, Co-Founder of We Like L.A.

Sanrio’s famous lazy egg, Gudetama, is taking up residency at Highland Park Bowl. Owned and renovated by the 1933 Group, L.A.’s oldest bowling alley has quickly become one of the hottest spots for cocktails, pizzas and aesthetically cool bowling. To celebrate Gudetama you can expect themed bowling packages, craft cocktails and a Gudetama meal set available now till February 2019. Meal sets ($40 per person or $55 to share) include a Gudetama Cocktail, Wood-fired Margherita Pizza topped with Gudetama fried egg with a bacon blanket, a side salad and a Gudetama Tiramisu. If you’re looking to dress the part, there is plenty of lazy egg swag for purchase too including bowling socks, a hat, t-shirt, hoodie, a bowling ball and more. In addition, HPB will host a series of events celebrating the character including a Halloween costume contest this Saturday October 27, a lazy egg brunch in January 2019 and a Valentine’s Day event in February 2019.


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