Fall Into the Season: Los Angeles’ Best Events and Activities This October 2025
As the golden hues of fall settle over Los Angeles, the city embraces the season with a mix of art, culture, food, and festivity. From pumpkin patches and immersive Halloween spectacles to culinary celebrations and serene garden strolls, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this October. Whether you’re looking to wander through illuminated trails, admire changing foliage, or explore the city’s creative pulse, these fall events capture the warmth and wonder of LA’s most colorful season.
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
Location: 10100 Jefferson Blvd, Culver City, 90232
Dates: Runs through October 31, 2025
A longtime Los Angeles favorite, Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch brings the spirit of the farm to the city with its charming mix of harvest fun and family-friendly Halloween magic. Founded in 1987, this family-run patch offers an immersive experience complete with a petting zoo, a straw maze, pumpkin decorating, face painting, a super slide, and plenty of photo ops among rows of vibrant pumpkins. Originally a West Hollywood staple, Mr. Bones has since become a beloved Culver City tradition, drawing families and visitors from across the Southland for a taste of classic autumn charm.
Image by Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
Mr. Jack O’ lanterns Pumpkin Patch
Location: 11404 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Dates: Runs through November 2, 2025
Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkin Patch is more than just a pumpkin sale—it’s a full fall experience. Wander through aisles of jack-o’-lanterns, ghost pumpkins, and specialty gourds while families enjoy festive games and seasonal attractions. What began as a Christmas tree venture evolved into one of the most beloved national pumpkin destinations, now bringing that same spirit to Halloween.
Image by Mr. Jack O' Lanterns Pumpkins
Go in Search of Fall Foliage: LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Location: 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
Dates: All fall season (October–November 2025)
The Arboretum in Arcadia is a hidden gem for foliage lovers. Its expansive grounds host waterfalls, tropical groves, forests, and quiet pathways. As the air cools and the light changes, strolling through its mix of native and exotic flora is a refreshing seasonal escape from the Halloween bustle.
Image by CC/Flickr/mark6mauno via TimeOut LA
Made in L.A. (Hammer Museum)
Location: Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dates: Oct 5, 2025 – Mar 1, 2026
While not Halloween-specific, Made in L.A. is a major contemporary arts exhibition launching in October. The biennial showcase gathers works from 28 emerging and under-recognized Los Angeles artists across media—film, sculpture, photography, video, theater, and installation. It’s a fresh layer of cultural immersion during the fall season.
L.A. Times Food Bowl Night Market
Location: City Market Social House, 1145 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA
Dates: Oct 10–11, 2025
A feast for the senses, this limited weekend night market offers unlimited bites and drinks from dozens of Los Angeles’s top restaurants, distilleries, and wineries. Previous highlights include chefs from Jitlada, AttaGirl, Rossoblu, and Baroo. It’s a great pairing with Halloween festivities—good food, lively ambiance, and community energy.
Tenderfest
Location: Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90210
Dates: October 12, 2025
Calling all fried-chicken lovers: bring your appetite. Tenderfest is a daylong food festival celebrating chicken tenders with all-you-can-eat from local favorites like Happies Hand Made, Box Chicken, and others, plus sauce stations, desserts, and drinks. Celebrity chefs also compete in a “conTENDER” challenge judged by industry VIPs. It’s fun, messy, and fitting for October.
Image by Tenderfest via TimeOut LA
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Location: Griffith Park, near Old Zoo, Los Angeles
Dates: Runs through November 2, 2025
Ride through a haunted forest of Midnight Falls, filled with original and IP-based scare mazes. The nighttime hayride delivers thrills, thrills, thrills—if you dare!
Image by Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
Location: RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach
Dates: Runs through November 2, 2025
Transforming the iconic ship into a realm of horror, this haunted maze extravaganza includes live performers, spooky street theater, virtual reality experiences, and secret bars onboard.
Image by Queen Mary's Dark Harbor
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns (Family-Friendly)
Location: South Coast Botanic Garden, Los Angeles, CA
Dates: Runs through November 2, 2025
A dazzling, ground-level pumpkin display—perfect for families. Explore hand-carved pumpkin creations under twinkling lights in a whimsical and safe environment.
Image by Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
Marina Spooktacular: Halloween by the Harbor
Location: Burton Chace Park, Marina del Rey
Dates: October 25–26, 2025, 4:00–10:00 PM
A charming and accessible family event featuring face-painting, a spooky treasure hunt, carnival games, live magic, a scare maze, and even a free screening of Hocus Pocus. Admission is free with RSVP.
Image by County of Los Angeles
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval
Location: Santa Monica Boulevard (Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard), West Hollywood
Dates: Friday, October 31, 6–11 PM
One of the world’s largest street parties, the free Halloween Carnaval transforms Santa Monica Boulevard into a one-mile stretch of living art and costume spectacles. Expect DJs, food trucks, and thousands of elaborately dressed revelers. It’s a bold, worldwide-famous tradition.
Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
Location: Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Watch spooky films in a cemetery setting. Screenings include The Rocky Horror Picture Show (50th anniversary), The Craft, ParaNorman, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. On Halloween night, enjoy a Scream screening—costumes required.
Image by Kelly Lee Barrett via TimeOut
Carved
Location: Descanso Gardens, La Cañada
Dates: October 3–30, 6–10:00 PM
Walk a mile-long pumpkin trail featuring thousands of professionally carved jack-o’-lanterns, ghostly characters, model trains, and illuminated light installations. Family-friendly fall fun with new vignettes and Harvest Acres treats.
Image by Michael Julian via TimeOut
Fall Festival
Location: The Original Farmers Market, 6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles
Dates: Saturday & Sunday, October 18-19
Family-friendly fall event with carnival games, crafts, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, live music, and seasonal treats. Costumes encouraged.
Image by TonelsonProductions, Shutterstock.com via TimeOut
Pumpkins in the Pines
Location: SkyPark at Santa’s Village, Lake Arrowhead
Dates: Weekends, October 11-26
Family-friendly pumpkin picking and Halloween activities, including painting, cookie decorating, puppet shows, magic, light displays, and trick-or-treating.
Image by SkyPark at Santa’s Village
Off the Hook Seafood Festival
Location: Santa Monica Pier
Dates: Sunday, October 19
Enjoy unlimited seafood, beer and wine tastings, live music, and carnival games. The festival eliminates single-use plastics, and a portion of proceeds benefits Heal the Bay.
Image by Off The Hook Seafood Festival via Secret Los Angeles
From cozy nights surrounded by glowing jack-o’-lanterns to crisp mornings spent exploring art exhibits and autumn gardens, Los Angeles offers countless ways to celebrate the fall season. This fall brings together everything the city does best, creativity, community, and culture, all wrapped in the magic of autumn. Whether you’re carving pumpkins, sampling culinary creations, or simply soaking in the golden light, there’s no better time to rediscover LA’s charm.
