Día de los Muertos: The 18th annual festival will once again fill Hollywood Forever with exquisite altars, performers aplenty (Cuco, Ximena Sariñana, Very Be Careful), places to purchase classic Mexican dishes, arts, crafts, and an array of guests in their calacas-elegant best, complete with flower headdresses and skeleton make-up. The Legacy of Posada is the memory-rich theme, in honor of Jose Guadalupe Posada, an iconic artist who provided what we think of as the "foundational images" of the occasion. It's $20, on Saturday, Oct. 28, and the calacas shall gather from noon to midnight at the fabled cemetery.
More Día Celebrations: Downey will hold its annual Day of the Dead festivity on Sunday, Oct. 29 at the Downey Día de los Muertos Art Festival. Forest Lawn in Glendale will also pay homage to the soul-emotional holiday on Saturday, Oct. 28, while the Forest Lawns in Cypress and Covina Hill will hold their festivities on Oct. 29. At Grand Park? It's Noche de Ofrenda on Oct. 28, with an altar display to follow for several days. And Self Help Graphics & Art in Boyle Heights continues its popular Saturday Día de los Muertos workshops on Oct. 28.
Heritage Square Mourning Tours: Dressing in your Victorian finery and making for the historical spread of structures near the 110? It's tradition this time of year, as Halloween takes on a vintage feel at the building-filled museum. Reenactors in costume will be out to discuss how people of an earlier era honored those who had passed, so come prepared to gain some fascinating knowledge. It's on Oct. 28 and 29, in the afternoons, and the 29th will have more of a kid-sweet vibe, thanks to activities for the young'uns.
Pups in Costume: If you and your dog want to hang out at Angel City Brewery for a day of canine-themed coolness, go for it, on Saturday, Oct. 28. That's when Howl-o-Ween arrives at the Arts District hangout, and dog-nice vendors'll be in the house, as will a couple of brand-new fancy foams. And in Long Beach on Sunday, Oct. 29? It's the famous Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade, which draws hundreds of hounds in all sorts of amazing costumes. You can cheer on the cuteness or you can stroll with your own costumed lil' guy. It's $10 per dog ahead of the event.
Scare-amount Ranch: If you know your Agoura area, you know Paramount Ranch, the 90-year-old spread where a whole bunch of cinematic treasures, and TV classics, have been filmed over the years. The movie ranch will go full fall on Friday, Oct. 27 for a night of family-themed Halloween-ish to-dos. A self-guided hike, semi-spooky activities, and a screening of an episode of "The Munsters" are all on the schedule. It's free, as is parking, so show early during the 6 to 10 p.m. run.
