What to Know
- Halloween Boutique at Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar
- The well-imagined experience always features a festive and frightful theme; "The Nightmare Before Christmas" was the 2022 inspiration
- The 2023 theme hasn't yet been revealed but the boutique will debut on Sept. 1
We're but a day into the spring season, which means it is obviously time to start thinking about Halloween.
Well, not really, but sort of? At least a little bit?
Remaining enchanted by the flowering season is at the top of our list, of course, but so is staying aware of eerie events to come, the sort of goosepimply happenings that may feature pumpkins or ghosts or both.
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A few such gatherings are already gracing the spring and summer calendars — a Spooky Swap Meet will haunt Heritage Square Museum at the end of April and Midsummer Scream returns to Long Beach Convention Center over July's final weekend — but what might be the first flicker of the actual fall season is now aglow.
And this gem, a longtime favorite of fright fans for over 30 years?
It's free, no reservations required, making it quite dear to the hearts of Halloweenies around Southern California.
We are, of course, talking about the oh-so-imaginative Halloween Boutique at Roger's Gardens, a multi-room walk-through shop themed to a specific film, era, or idea.
The Corona del Mar pop-up, which is traditionally on view for a few weeks during September and October, is a place to buy all sorts of haunt-ready home goods, yes, but it isn't simply a place to browse well-made merchandise; the talented Roger's Gardens team, led by Creative Director Eric Cortina, builds elaborate props, centerpieces, and atmospheric elements in order to add a few stylish shivers.
Those shivers will return on Friday, Sept. 1 when the boutique's staff again welcomes guests eager for an early dose of fall feelings and autumnal charms.
The large-scale garden-and-home center shared the opening date on its social pages just days on the first day of spring.
As for the 2023 theme?
No hints have been provided yet, but the team has taken on the oh-so-dramatic Universal Monsters before, and in 2022 the boutique featured Jack Skellington, Sally, Zero, and the heartwarming world of "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
What magical realm will the popular pop-up celebrate next?
For now, we must wait. But if you do plan to call upon this tried-and-true charmer, arriving closer to the start of its run is recommended, as is carving a little time to wait in line, if necessary.
Short queues can form, which is no surprise, given the fact that it is one of the first Halloween-themed pop-ups to appear in our region, a sweet 'n spooky stop that is totally admission-free.
