What to Know
- Hollywood Forever presents Día de los Muertos on Saturday, Oct. 28
- Día de los Muertos festivities will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an advance ticket is $35; Noche de los Muertos begins at 5 p.m. and concludes at midnight and advance admission is $60
- Folklorico performances, Azteca dance, kids mariachi (daytime), and several other activities fill the schedule
Hollywood Forever presents Día de los Muertos: The calacas will be at joyful play on Saturday, Oct. 28 when this venerable celebration returns, bringing ballet folklorico, centuries-old Azteca dances, a chance for children to make seasonal crafts, DJ music, exquisite altars, and a memory-filled meet-up, one that elegantly moves just beyond the veil and back again. The daytime and nighttime events are separately ticketed and different activities are offered; check the full roster in advance. These treasured festivities will mark their 25th anniversary in 2024.
ArroyoFest: Seven miles of the Arroyo Seco Parkway will close to vehicles on Sunday morning, Oct. 29. Everyone is invited to enjoy the open-streets spectacular for free; "people-powered transportation" is the theme (so bikes, skateboards, and so forth are a-ok). There are Metro stations nearby, and hubs offering art-focused fun, tunes, and, just maybe, sightings of Gabe the Sasquatch, the 626 Golden Streets mascot. This is happening from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., so arrive early (Mission Street in South Pasadena will stay closed to cars from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party: Costumes so creative you feel instant inspiration, a spirited scene, great restaurants all around, and the beauty of Little Tokyo? This outdoor affair has become a must-do for people who love a festive outdoor scene just ahead of the holiday. Be there (and be 21+) on the evening of Oct. 28 (do RSVP, if you please). If you've got kids and are looking for an earlier event, perhaps before visiting nearby Boonion Station, there's a scavenger hunt, sweet.
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Fishy Fest: There are so many terrific places to trick-or-treat in town, from your neighborhood to local malls and business districts to, oh yes, the Santa Monica Pier. This charming celebration will put the focus on ocean-focused learning and Halloween fun and sweet: Heal the Bay is helming the splashy happening at Heal the Bay Aquarium. The trick-or-treat event is only on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 29, keep in mind, but there are aquarium activities all weekend.
Boonion Station: More kid-cool outings are afoot, with Union Station in the train-tastic, Halloween-loving swing. This free festival — it is a one-day-only kind of thing, on Saturday, Oct. 28 — has trick-or-treating, photo opportunities, craft-making fun, and more ghoulish good times. But here's something important: You'll need to RSVP in advance. Where to do that? Why on the Boonion Station page, of course.
Two tail-wagging Howl'oweens: So many spots around Southern California will invite your furry one along for the not-too-frightful fun, but there are two bigger barker bashes coming up. The Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista is the rollicking spot to celebrate Howl'oween, a daytime to-do on Oct. 28, complete with a hay maze for pups, while the famous Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade struts down the red carpet in Long Beach on Oct. 29.
