Most Spooktacular 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.

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: 

Saturday, October 5: Scaredown in Downtown Torrance
Sunday, October 20: 34th Annual Pumpkin Race
Friday, October 25: Redondo Beach Pier 7th Annual Halloween
Saturday, October 26: Pumpkins in the Park

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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

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.

Scaredown in Downtown Torrance

October 5

The Downtown Torrance Association (DTA)’s 7th 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!

Harvest Festival

October 5

The Annual Harvest Festival will take place at the Gardena City Hall Complex. The fall festivities will include live entertainment, a cornhole tournament, tamale contest, food, activities for kids, and much more.

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

October 11 – 12

Manhattan Beach Food & Wine is a two-night strolling festival. The event will bring together the top tastemakers and culinary and beverage connoisseurs to celebrate an all-star lineup of 50 top chefs and restaurants.

Green Hills Harvest Festival

October 13

Join for a delightful, family-friendly event featuring a sprawling pumpkin patch, an exciting maze, food trucks, arts and crafts, hayrides, live music, and so much more!

Halloween Spooktacular

October 19

Enjoy trick-or-treating stations, character meet and greets, balloon twisters, kids’ crafts, and a live DJ spinning all your favorite Halloween jams at the Long Beach Towne Center.

Pumpkins in the Park – Hermosa Beach

October 19

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 19

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!

34th Annual Pumpkin Race

October 20

Get your pumpkin racers to the 34th 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!

Redondo Beach Pier 7th Annual Halloween

October 25

The 7th 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.

Pumpkins in the Park – Redondo Beach

October 26

Enjoy an afternoon of family fun with games, prizes, treats, light refreshments, a costume parade, and a photobooth at Perry Park hosted by the City of Redondo Beach. This free event is perfect for the whole family—come dressed in your favorite costume and celebrate the season with us!

Monster Dash 5k and 10k Race

October 26

Celebrate Lomita’s 60th anniversary with the Monster Dash! Gear up to race and/or walk around Lomita, starting and finishing at Lomita City Hall. 10k race: starts at 7:30 a.m. and 5k race: starts at 8:30 a.m.

Trick or Treat Festival at The Point

October 26

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

Fiesta Movie Night featuring Coco

October 26

Enjoy an exciting fiesta on the Gardena City Hall Lawn, where they will feature a screening of the beloved Disney movie celebrating Dia de los Muertos, Coco.

34th Annual Pumpkin Race at Manhattan Beach Pier

October 27

Get ready for the most creative and fun pumpkin race in the South Bay! Design and race your own pumpkin on wheels down the pier in this friendly competition. With prizes for the fastest, most creative, and funniest pumpkins, it’s a fun day out for kids and adults alike.

Halloween Train Rides at Wilson Park

October 27 – 28

Hop on a family-friendly Halloween-themed train ride. Enjoy spooky displays, costumes, and fun sound effects as you ride through the park. Costumes are encouraged!

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!

Too Cute to Spook

October 31

The Too Cute to Spook event is set to take place at Rowley Park for 2024. Enjoy a fun-filled day featuring trick or treating, a costume contest with fantastic prizes for the most creative outfits, and many more activities tailored for kids 0-12.

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

Carved at Descanso Gardens

October 4 – 30

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

September 29 – November 2

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.

Boney Island at The Natural History Museum

October 3 – 31

After it’s inaugural year this instant hit for Halloween fun is back again! NHM visitors can explore the reimagined Nature Gardens transformed into a unique interactive experience for all ages. 

Boo at the L.A. Zoo

October 19, 20, 26 & 27

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! 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife Experience

Now through November 3

Step into Tim Burton’s eerie and imaginative world with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife Experience” in Los Angeles, an official interactive attraction inspired by the upcoming movie. Now open, the experience invites guests to explore the Afterlife, meet Beetlejuice and a cast of ghostly characters, and enjoy immersive activities. 

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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