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Halloween and Harvest Events
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 | Preliminary costume contest is at Woody's
on October 28th
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| Halloween night is NOT for the kiddies... nor for anyone easily offended. Leave your inhabitations at home and party! It's a no-holds-bared Mardi Gras fun night for adults. Kids have their own West Hollywood carnival on Saturday, October 27. (Check the website below for more info.) | ||||||
| Info: 323-860-0701or http://www.weho.org/cf/calendar/. Halloween night 6PM to midnight (or until the bars close). West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd - from La Cienga Blvd. to Doheny Drive. Check your local papers for street closure and parking arrangements. | ||||||
| Come in Costume if you can. Costumes may be wild, but please remember, it is on a city street... |
OK, it's not quite true that the West Hollywood Street Fair is too big to contain all the costumes. However, if you are looking for something much more kid-friendly but still a free spirited street fair, check out what Hollywood does. There's a caravel atmosphere and many of the shops are set up for trick-or-treaters. Some stores are open late and it's a great time to visit the bizarre midnight museums that dot the area.
| Kids OK and encouraged in some shop... but use discretion in some of the museums. |
| Info: Halloween night after dark to about 10. Some spots, midnight. The center of Hollywood -- Hollywood Blvd, around Highland - Cahuenga - Vine. Check your local papers for actual street closure. Parking is on lots just off Hollywood Blvd. |
| Come in Costume if you can. |
"Trick or Treat at a bizarre bazaar." Monsters will be out and about in Long Beach the Saturday before Halloween. There will be magicians and story tellers mixing with the costumed throngs. See African drumming and the dance group Dembrabah, an entourage of giant puppets and phantom hearses. Works of Valerie Bechtol will be on display. Dance the night away at the Howlin' Swing with the music of the Blue Pacific Band.
| $1000 in costume prizes. Pre-register at the web site by 5pm on site. |
| Kids welcome |
| Info: http://www.mythmagikmacabre.com/ or 562-436-4259. Saturday October 27 only. 5pm until midnight. East village Arts District, First Street between elm and Linden Avenues, Long Beach. |
| Come in Costume if you can. |
The Day of the Dead celebrations date back to the time of the Aztecs. It is a time of remembrance and socialization. Olvera Street will have two parades, lots of things for kids and their families, celebrities and wonderful food.
Check out their web site for a detailed explanation of the history and culture behind this celebration.
| Kids welcome |
| Info: http://www.olvera-street.com/ or 213-628-1274. Saturday November 2. 10am until 9pm. Olvera Street and Broadway, Peublo de Los Angeles, downtown LA. |
Well, I'm not going to try and catch these. Check your local paper.
Most of these are kid oriented. If the pattern from the last couple of year holds on, a number will be on the Saturday afternoon before Halloween. Others will start at 4PM on Halloween for the kiddies.
Wana have a fun time down on the farm??? Or just hung a pumpkin? This is the place. All October they are set up with a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hay rides, pony rides, sunflower forest, old fashion food and more. On the weekends the Country Farm Store has all kinds of home made crafts and goodies and musicians performing. There are farm demonstrations though the month and they are set up for schools
| Info: http://www.faulknerfarm.com/. Free parking and admission, though rides and petting zoo have a small separate fee. 10am - 5:30 daily, October 1 - 31. Take I-5 or 101 to Highway 126, Briggs Roads off ramp, north 1/4 mile. |
Dates open vary. See the sites for the actual days. It's often Friday night through Sunday in October as well as Halloween. The big ones are open most of October. However, check an individual attraction's own web site. Because of intensity of the haunting, there are child age recommendations for most of these events. Some events have separate children's events.
Here's the most elaborate scare event with over 1,000 monsters. Knott's Berry Farm turns into the "Scariest Place on Earth" after dark. Many mazes and shows including Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. This year they're expanding even further with dinner packages and VIP tours. They're also having a hearse night.
| Now running most nights though November 3rd. Not recommended for children under 13. For the little ones, check out Camp Spooky that runs on the weekend days as part as normal admission to the park. |
| Info: http://www.halloweenhaunt.com or call 877-858-7234 for more information. Open almost daily all October though November 3rd. Prices : $40, preview $27, day-of-event $30, coupons at Burger King. They do sell out some nights, so plan ahead. (Admission separate from day passes.) Ticketmaster also. |
| Sorry, no costumes on attendees. |
Wana party on a real haunted ship??? The Queen Mary changes into a horrifying party boat just to celebrate Halloween. It has 7 mazes this year, live bands and DJs. Open weekends all October.
| Not recommended for children under 13. |
| Info: http://www.queenmaryshipwreck.com or call 562-435-3511. Open Friday/Saturday/Sunday in October as well as Halloween week. $25 regular, preview $13. They do sell out some nights. Ticketmaster also. |
| Sorry, no costumes on attendees. |
Magic Mountain remakes the mountain for the month of October. They have 4 mazes of horror and the bizarre. By popular demand, they've reversed the Colossus roller coaster for a real fright.
| Mazes not recommended for the young kids. Some mazes have actual age restrictions. However, they also have Bugs Bunny World: "Twick or Tweat". |
| Info: www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain or 661-255-4100. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October as well as Halloween night. Included with regular admission. |
| Sorry, no costumes on attendees. |
Also billed as When Holidays Collide. Disneyland has remade over their famous Haunted Mansion in the style of "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas". The somber New Orleans styled house has been redecorated as Jack Skellington and the other residents of his world descending for some delightful twists on the mix of Christmas and Halloween.
| Info: www.Disneyland.com. Runs from October 5th though January 6th only. Included with regular admission. |
| Sorry, no costumes on attendees. |
Universal Studio's is not doing a separate Halloween event this year, but they're still remaking their rides and adding lots of twists and scares to the experience of their studio tour.
| No separate admission. OK for the entire family. |
Every single amusement park in Southern California seems to have some kind of Halloween or Autumn celebration going. Many have children's costume contests. There are addition events from "the Scarium of the Pacific" to Universal's CityWalk Halloween Carnival to Legoland's "Brick-or-Treat Celebration."
Check out <Other Sources for Boo News> for search engines.
Join ghosts and spooks in a 25 room haunted Victorian Mansion and the Devil's Gulch Ghost Town. Newly added is "Nightmares in 3-D". Large undertaking setup for Halloween each year in the San Fernando Valley..
| Regular attraction recommended for 10 and over. Young children are accommodated at the matinee, Spooky House Adventure, on Saturday and Sunday noon to 4. |
| Info: http://spookyhouse.com or call 818-888-8570. Admission is $8.50 to $18.50. Open dark until midnight. Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Victory Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (This is in the San Fernando Valley. (Actually, on Topanga across the street from Tower Records, in Woodland Hills, CA..) |
3-D fright in Alhambra (and a coupon for a free game of laser tag).
| This 2 level haunted house has multiple fright levels so it's OK for the kids at well. |
| Info: www.HauntedZone.com or
call 877-haunt-me. $8 or $2 for children under 5. Friday ,
October 26, Saturday October 27 and Halloween. 231 E. Main
Street, Alhambra. |
This is a wonderful home based haunting based on mystery not shock. The Studio City house transforms into a grave yard with Hollywood magic effects. Quite a number of eerie special effects. OK for all ages.
Check out their detailed web site for a tour of their grounds. Lots of links.
| Info: http://www.hauntinggrounds.org/hhg.htm. Monday October 29 - Halloween, 7PM to Midnight. FREE. 7 until at least 10. 4343 Babcock Avenue, Studio City in the San Fernando Valley. (One block west of Whitsett Avenue, just south of Moorpark Street) |
14 years of haunting the San Fernando Valley.
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Info: http://members.aol.com/gargoylguy/Grimmstone.html. Sunday October 28th, sundown to 11PM, Tuesday October 30, sundown to 10PM, Halloween night, sundown to 11:30PM. Free. 6706 Blewett Ave in Van Nuys. (South of Vanowen St., just west of the 405.) |
Haunt World has a very detailed list <here>
| Note: some viewer may have trouble with this page, just say <no> to
debug.
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Go to Haunted House search engines...
And just to not leave out the east coast entirely... I had to mention Castle Blood. So, they're on the other side of the country... don't let that stop you. People come from all over to see them. If you want to see fantastically haunted costumes, check out the web site at www.CastleBlood.com.
They have won national awards for their costuming... or and you can order costumes for them... for next year.
Consider joining the citizens of Sleepy Hollow for their Harvest. Be transported back in time to the 16th century for an evening of period dance and heart-stopping story telling.
| This is a costume only event for adults. There will be prizes for the best dressed lady and gentleman and for the best Jack-o-lantern. |
| Info: 805-527-8711(Sharon or Hank). On Saturday, October 20th. 5PM-11PM. $35. Includes dinner and dancing. Recommend tickets in advance. San Gabriel Valley, Alter Mount Sierra Masonic Lodge, 33 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. |
| Costumes are required and must be from 1700 to 1799. |
Consider in evening in the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby" -- the wild and decedent world of the idle rich in the Roaring '20s. Live music of the period for your dancing pleasure. Pay-as-you-go bar for alcohol and soft drinks. Snacks provided.
| This is a costume preferred, black-tie event for adults. Check out their web site for information about learning the dances, what to wear and the entertainment schedule. |
| Info: www.lahacal.org/gatsby/ or 818-342-3482. On Saturday, October 27th. Ball: 7:30 - 11:30; dance class: 3-5PM. $30-$35. Recommend tickets in advance. San Gabriel Valley. Scottish Rite Temple, 150 N. Madison, Pasadena. (Hall is half a block south of the corner of Walnut & Madison.) |
| Costume of the 1920's is encouraged. Black tie, if possible. While you do not have to have a costume, check out their web information for the dress code. |
There are more costume dance events scheduled. Check www.lahacal.org for many more ideas.
What about the weekend on Catalina Island with dancing? Costume ball featuring swing band & dancing!
| Info: 1-888-330-5252 http://www.visitcatalina.org/calendar2001.htm#oct or www.jazztrax.com. Saturday, October 27th. Catalina Island. Avalon Casino Ballroom. |
| Costume suggested. |
Yup, seriously. Carve a pumpkin under water! Catalina Island has all kinds of Halloween events planned. This one is of special note. Saturday, October 27.
| Check their web site for kid's October events during the day. |
| Info: info@visitcatalina.org or 310-510-7649. All Catalina Island October events: http://www.scico.com/twoharbors/calendar.html |
| Costume... er... scuba wear required |
Grab your walking shoes and be prepared for 'a marble-ous tour of post-mortem stargazing' as tour guilds from the Art Deco Society re-tell Hollywood's history -- movie moguls, stars, early pioneers and entrepreneurs.
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Reservations are required, though tours depart every 15 minutes on Saturday, October 27th, 2001 10-12 noon. |
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Info: http://www.adsla.org/events.htm or 323-659-3326. Cost: $13 for non ADSLA members. 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, between Gower and Van Ness at the fountain inside the main gate. |
Join the great-great-great-grand nephew of the original Edgar Allan Poe for the West Coast premiere for a "uniquely entertaining and eerily interesting evening of theatre with surprises, thrills, and, of course, goose bumps."
| Plays Sunday nights from October 21 though December 9, 2001. 7:30. Special show on Halloween. |
| Info: http://www.fremontcentretheatre.com/ or 626-441-5977. Tickets $15. Fremont Centre Theatre, 1000 Fremont Avenue in South Pasadena. |
Catch the real musical in all it's dark and tacky glory. A vampire plant on Skid Row makes a great Halloween treat... but will the survivor be you or the plant? Remember the thrill of "Suddenly Seymour" or "Be a Dentist"? Great fun in Hollywood.
| Plays Thursday though Saturday, September 21 - November 18, 2001. Th-Sa: 8PM, Sunday 2:30. |
| info: http://www.actorsco-op.org/ or 323-462-8460. Actors Co-op at the Crossley Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St., Hollywood. |
Prowl the stars at the Griffith Park Observatory. They are running a special Fright Light show though the month of October. Extra shows have been added for Halloween week. Check the schedule for times.
| Info: http://www.laserium.com or 323-664-1191. Check web site for days and times the show is running. |
Many theatres have special screens planned for Halloween and the weekend before. Pick up a paper or hit www.MovieFone.com or <Other Sources> and check out the theatres. Tasty treats include...
| "Blood: The Last Vampire" at the Egyptian Theatre on Sunday October 28, 323-466-3456. |
| Tod Browing's "Freaks" at the Silent Movie Theatre on October 25, 27, 28. 323-655-2520. |
| "Night of the Living Dead" at the Warner Grand Theatre on Saturday October 27. 310-548-7372. <-- grunge costuming, before the music scene discovered it! |
| "Nightmare Before Christmas" at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. At least 5 showing a day, but get tickets for the popular times. |
| Hey... enough... dig for your own... or just catch a modern horror movie with costumes: "From Hell". |
Costumes???? Up to you... but it's a great time to wear the 'blacks' and powder your face, at least. Just watch out for those with the naturally sharp teeth.
Check out these haunted search engines for activities around the country. They have haunted houses, chat, costume tips and more...
| Haunt World
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| Haunted America
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Use search engines for events around Los Angeles. Note: no search engines have everything, so dig for info.
| Check out LA Insider.com . Search by Key Word and narrow down you choice by area or category. They've got a good club listing. |
| Check out DigitalCity.com. Search by Key Word and narrow down you choice by area or category. They have a special Halloween section with events broken down by category, including a kid friendly section. They also list some costume shops and supply places. |
| Los Angeles Almanac list a lot of family friendly activities for October including street fairs, harvest festivals and museum days. |
| The Los Angeles Times' CalendarLive.com has a long list of children's happenings and costume contests - most on the Saturday and Sunday before Halloween. Check out the 'Family and Festivals' section. |
Some of da Cat's favorites for Halloween stuff
| Cinema Secrets
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| Wilshire Wigs
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| The Halloween Club
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| AlterYears, for the Costumer
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OK, so sometimes you're not up to running out and around in costume... check out your TV for all kinds of monster festivals. Let them wear the costumes and makeup! You'll have your feet up and a bowl of candy in your arms.
Get started with some web games and schedules: (You're on your own for the rest!)
| AMC's Monster Fest - many movies and many games: www.AMCTV.com including a Halloween version of 'You don't know Jack'. |
| Turner Classic Movies is also all prep for fang night: www.TurnerClassicMovies.com. |
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If a search engine brought you to this page, you may want to prowl the rest of the Alley Cat Scratch site. Most of it is about costumes and resources for them... so if you like dress-up, come play with da Cat. |
Please contact us at daCat@AlleyCatScratch.com with any corrections or if you have an item to be added to this page.
This page last updated 07/27/09
