Best Things to Do in the South Bay (LA) in October

It’s officially fall and along with it comes some incredible festivals, pumpkin patches, Halloween events, and spooky good fun! Check out our list of all the best things to do in the South Bay and beyond in October.

About this guide: Local Anchor is a South Bay community media platform covering local events, restaurants, and things to do since 2017. We update this list regularly based on firsthand experience and community input.

This post is sponsored by South Bay Credit Union. South Bay Credit Union is for all who live, work, or worship in the South Bay. 

Upcoming Featured Events & Program Highlights: 

Sunday, October 4: Trick or Treat at the Western Museum of Flight
Sunday, October 18: 36th Annual Pumpkin Race
Friday, October 30: Redondo Beach Pier 9th Annual Halloween

For more family-friendly events and things to do with kids, sign up for our newsletter and get it all delivered straight to your inbox.

Our Favorite Family-Friendly Things to Do in October

Fall is officially here and Halloween is just around the corner! Ready your costumes and get ready to make some incredible memories this month.

Events & Activities in the South Bay This Month

Trick or Treat at the Western Museum of Flight hosted by Local Anchor

October 4

Bring the kids in costume for a jam packed morning of Halloween fun set against the backdrop of real vintage aircraft. Explore the museum’s one of a kind exhibits, then enjoy a full lineup of family activities including a Game Zone by Battle Party LA, arts and crafts, photo booth, and more!

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair

October 3-4

The Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair is back, bringing more excitement and community spirit than ever before! Join in the festivities October 3-4, 2026, for the 54th Annual Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, a beloved South Bay tradition that has been celebrating local culture, art, and fun for over five decades.

Dogtoberfest at South Coast Botanic Gardens 

Weekends in October

Experience the perfect blend of a beer festival and a dog parade at Dogtoberfest, hosted by the South Coast Botanic Garden! Both humans and their furry companions are invited to enjoy the festivities every Saturday and Sunday in October. Stroll through the beautiful Garden with your pup while savoring a variety of beers, exploring a doggy marketplace, and watching your pet show off their skills on an obstacle course.

Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns

Select nights through October

The Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns is headed to the South Bay for 2026. Now set inside the winding trails of the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, this immersive event features over 10,000 carved jack o’ lanterns. With a mile-long walking trail, the experience is expansive, offering radiant light displays, whimsical scenes, and glowing pathways that come to life under the night sky. You can also enjoy playzones, photo-ops, and plenty of tasty treats, like s’mores stations.

49th Annual Manhattan Beach 10K

October 3

The Manhattan Beach 10K returns for its 49th year, sending runners along the Manhattan Beach coastline for one of the South Bay’s longest running road races. The course starts and finishes near the Manhattan Beach Pier and draws local families, seasoned runners and first time racers alike.

Scaredown in Downtown Torrance

October 3

The Downtown Torrance Association (DTA)’s 10th annual Scaredown in Downtown Torrance is ready to rise from the dead and bring the community another year of howling good fun! This event bring in thousands of attendees from LA & Orange County to the heart of the South Bay: historic Downtown Torrance. Join us for our Haunted Boo-tique, live performances, trunk or treating, crafts, hearses, photo ops, and more!

Pumpkins in the Park – Hermosa Beach

October 10

Join the family-friendly fun at Edith Roadway Friendship Park. Come in costume and participate in the exciting costume parade. Enjoy selecting and decorating your own pumpkin to take home. There will be games, crafts, face painting, delicious hot dogs, popcorn, and an amazing puppet show by Franklin Haynes Marionettes.

Shoreline Village’s Annual Long Beach Zombie Walk + Halloween Party

October 17

Shoreline Village’s Long Beach Zombie Walk and Halloween Party is back! This family-friendly festival is a free event with no tickets required. Join in the fun, but be aware that it may feature scary costumes and surprises. RSVP for updates and save the date!

Trick or Treat Festival at The Point

October 21

This fun family-friendly event features trick-or-treating around the shops at The Point, live entertainment, and fun activities​.

36th Annual Pumpkin Race

October 18

Get your pumpkin racers to the 36th Annual Pumpkin Race! Race a pumpkin down Manhattan Beach Boulevard and take part in the spectacle of the Manhattan Beach Pier area transformed into Pumpkin Race Land, where creativity runs wild. Enjoy fun activities for all ages, make your own pumpkin racer, and don’t forget to come in costume!

Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk

October 18

The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk is one of the South Bay’s most beloved annual events, bringing together thousands of families, students, and community members for a meaningful walk along the beach. Every October, participants gather at the Manhattan Beach Pier and walk to the Hermosa Beach Pier and back, covering 3.4 miles of beautiful coastal views all in support of children with special needs, public education, and college scholarships.

Pumpkin Poolooza

October 24

Take a plunge in the floating pumpkin patch! This year’s annual Pumpkin Pool-ooza will be on Saturday, October 24 from 1:00pm-3:00pm at The Plunge. Come for the pumpkin pickin’, stay for the pumpkin decorating, games raffles, and frightening good time!

Halloween Movie in the Park 

October 24

Wilson Park in Torrance will host a family-friendly Halloween movie night. The evening includes DJ music, food trucks, train rides, a cheer performance, a costume parade, and a screening of Toy Story 5 (PG) under the stars. Admission is free, and costumes are encouraged. The event will be canceled in the event of rain.

38th Annual Halloween Carnival 

October 24 

The City of Manhattan Beach will offer an afternoon of games, activities, and Halloween fun for children ages 2–15. The event features a costume contest and parade, carnival games, a Teen Center haunted house, a cupcake walk, snow cones, and more. Carnival bracelets ($10 per child) include unlimited access to game booths, the haunted house, snow cones, and the cupcake walk. Food and refreshments will also be available for purchase. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult, and costumes are encouraged for all participants.

San Pedro’s Dia de los Muertos Festival

October 25

This free Day of the Dead event will feature live entertainment including the Mariachi Divas and local youth dance groups. You can also enjoy delicious foods, crafts for kids, an ofrenda contest exhibition, and more! Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in a Day of the Dead costume and participate in the festivities. The 15th annual event takes place on October 25th in Downtown San Pedro at 6th and Mesa.

Redondo Beach Pier 9th Annual Halloween

October 30

The 9th Annual Redondo Beach Pier Halloween event features a costume contest, DJ, Halloween themed photos, giveaways, prizes for best costumes and Trick-or-Treating on the Pier and Boardwalk.

El Segundo’s Annual Halloween Frolic 

October 31

A South Bay favorite, this long-standing tradition brings Halloween fun for the whole family. The event features a trick-or-treat village, costume contests, games, and live music. It’s a safe and festive environment for kids to show off their costumes and collect candy from local businesses.

Halloween Trick or Treat – Riviera Village

October 31

The Riviera Village Halloween Trick-or-Treat event has become a beloved tradition in South Bay, drawing thousands of children each year to celebrate a family-friendly Halloween in a safe, fun, outdoor setting. Catalina Avenue is closed to traffic from Avenue I to S Elena St, allowing shops to distribute candy and treats in the open air. Visitors can also enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants in the Village. This festive occasion is a fantastic way to embrace the Halloween spirit and experience all that Riviera Village has to offer!

More Exciting Events in the South Bay

From live music to comedy shows, the South Bay is full of venues that host exciting events all month long. Check out some of our favorite spots below:

Project Barley Taps & Grill

If you’re looking for live music, head to the Project Barley Redondo Beach location where you’ll find a new artist every night of the week. Check the full monthly calendar for more info.

Every second Tuesday of the month, Project Barley in Redondo Beach hosts a special edition of Taco Tuesday in collaboration with South Bay Music Connection, showcasing up-and-coming musicians from across the South Bay.

Riviera Mexican Cantina

Every month the Cantina hosts live Mariachi music and live comedy shows with comedians featured on HBO and Netflix. Check out the calendar of events for the month for dates and times.

Common Space Brewery

This beer garden and tap room in Hawthorne hosts public events all month, including weekly trivia nights, comedy shows, line dancing, and more. Check out their full line-up for the month.

Laugh Kitchen

The Laugh Kitchen helps you enjoy local South Bay restaurants with a side of live stand-up comedy. This month’s featured event is located in Torrance at The Mongol King followed by Stand-Up Comedy at The Creative Factory next door.

Worth the Drive: Events & Activities in Los Angeles and Beyond This Month

Carved at Descanso Gardens

October 2 – 31

This family-friendly event is back again at Descanso Gardens with all new exhibits and a new pathway. The gardens take on a whole new look as thousands of carved pumpkins line the walkways after dark. In addition to creative jack-o’ lanterns, the event features unique art installations, fall food offerings, and more.

Nights of the Jack

All month

This immersive experience is one of our favorite fun Halloween events. Showcasing thousands of hand-carved, illuminated pumpkins across the grounds of King Gillette Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, they’ve created a spectacular light display.

Boo at the L.A. Zoo

October 24, 25, 31 & November 1

At the L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park, visitors can take in spooky sights as the Halloween spirit takes over. Enjoy trick-or-treating stations featuring premium Mars candies, plus animal pumpkin feedings, themed photo ops, education stations, an extinct animal graveyard, and more. Costumes are welcome! 

Underwood Family Farms: Fall Harvest on the Farm

Sept. 26 – Oct. 31

Easily one of the best October events Los Angeles has to offer, the Fall Harvest Festival at Underwood is a must-do for families with young kids. The farm will be transformed into a massive “Pumpkin Patch, Pick Your Own & Fall Harvest Experience” with activities such as rides, games, picture ops, live music, themed weekends, food vendors, and more. Be sure to book your weekend tickets in advance. 

About South Bay Credit Union

South Bay Credit Union is for all who live, work, or worship in the South Bay.  

Banking with South Bay Credit Union offers numerous advantages. Their exceptional features include a local presence in the South Bay, personalized attention to detail, tailored banking and lending solutions, access to over 30,000 fee-free ATMs, specialized Youth Accounts, and private insurance coverage of up to $1,000,000 per account.

For small businesses, banking with South Bay Credit Union offers a range of advantages. These include online banking, bill payment services, debit and credit business cards, and low fees. You can enjoy all these benefits while receiving the same level of care and attention as a personal account.

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Best Trick or Treat Events in the South Bay

Dia de los Muertos Events in the South Bay