Thursday, October 20, 2022

Get Spooked: LA’s Best Halloween Celebrations

Halloween is always a thrilling time of year, with scary events and creepy outdoor festivities unfolding under the night sky. Relish a ghoulish theatrical cocktail soirée, feed your fears on a haunted hayride, and discover the traditions of Día de los Muertos as you stroll through Grand Park. Start your spirited adventure by getting yourself tricked out for a treat. Party City carries a great selection of Halloween make up kits, and Hollywood Toys & Costumes, the go-to for movie studios, tourists and locals for over 50 years, offers an extensive inventory of costumes, masks, jewelry, make up, and novelties. For residents of Circa, there’s no end to the fiendish fun when you get spooked this Halloween!

Circa Monster Mash Halloween event at Circa residences in Downtown Los Angeles

Circa Monster Mash

Oct 28 Join us for a Monster Mash Bash on the 8th Floor from 7PM – 10PM, featuring music, bites, candy, cocktails, and a costume contest. Categories include Scariest, Best Dressed and Most Creative.

House of Spirits: Vaughan Hall Halloween event near Circa residences in Downtown Los Angeles

House of Spirits: Vaughan Hall  Casa Vertigo 1828 Oak St. Los Angeles, CA 90015

Oct 15 – 31 House of Spirits: Vaughan Hall Is an immersive theatrical cocktail soirée, where adults do Halloween in a haunted venue. Located in the heart of downtown LA, near LA Live and the LA Convention Center, Casa Vertigo is a historic landmark that was originally completed in 1926. Boasting over 88,000 square feet with four floors and three mezzanines, guests will be transported into Lady Medb’s haunting tale through the legend of Vaughan Hall. As you freely roam the house, you’ll find tarot readings, strange roaming specters, secret games, and so much more.

Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos Halloween event near Circa residences in Downtown Los Angeles

Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos 200 N Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012

Oct 22 – Nov 2 Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos honors people, places and ideas that merit reverence and commemoration. Día de los Muertos is a community-oriented space inviting park-goers to contribute to the community altar, ideated by artist and educator Consuelo Flores, and to stroll through the park viewing numerous altars made by professional artists and local organizations. Opening day programs include poetry reading by Women Who Submit and Luis Rodriguez, musical performance by Las Catrinas Mariachi Band, dance performance by Grupo Folklorico Huitzillin with Teatro Aztlan, sugar skull decorating with East Los Sweets, and colorful chalk art with KDaze Art.

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride  Halloween event in Griffith Park in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride Griffith Park 730 Crystal Springs Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90027

Experience the world-famous Los Angeles Haunted Hayride – Los Angeles’ ultimate halloween event. The Hayride leads to a thrilling adventure of horrors afflicting the town of Midnight Falls. The Town Square of Midnight Falls is the epicenter of the festivities. While guests walk around between attractions or hang out to soak in the atmosFEAR, various townsfolk from the Midnight Falls community roam the space interacting with guests and attending to their local business. The Spirit of Halloween comes to life surrounding helpless victims brave enough to board The Hayride.

Carved Descanso Gardens Halloween event in Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge, CA

Carved Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Dr. La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

Descanso Gardens is aglow with festive pumpkins this fall. For three weeks in October, hundreds of carved pumpkins line the Camellia Forest. This year’s event is bigger and better than before, with all kinds of new activities. Along with the pumpkins, the ever-popular pumpkin house, hay maze, and holiday-themed food and beverages return. Guests can also enjoy UV “black light” experiences, artists sculpting pumpkins, and a special Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) installation at the Amphitheater.

LA Opera Frankenstein with Live Orchestra Halloween event near Circa residences in Downtown Los Angeles

Frankenstein with Live Orchestra The Theatre at Ace Hotel 929 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90015

Oct 28 & 29 LA Opera is back for their hugely popular annual Halloween mash-up of film and opera at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. This time you’ll see the Boris Karloff shocker Frankenstein on the big screen, complete with mad scientist, bumbling henchman, and mob of torch-bearing villagers. This 1931 masterpiece of horror was originally released without a musical score, which inspired composer Michael Shapiro to fill in the void by creating an original new soundtrack. As the classic film plays on the big screen, he’ll conduct his gorgeous and atmospheric score, performed live by the LA Opera Orchestra, making this the ultimate audience experience for a truly iconic film.

Nights of the Jack Halloween event in Calabasas, CA

Nights of the Jack King Gillette Ranch 26800 Mulholland Hwy. Calabasas, CA 91302

Thirty miles northwest of Hollywood, tucked in the Santa Monica Mountains, there’s a strange and shadowy wonderland that everyone’s been whispering about. This season, Nights of the Jack is back and brighter than ever. You’ll discover Jack o’ lanterns from every mystical sphere and a spooktacular illuminated light show under the autumn sky. It’s not just an illusion, it’s an experience. Brace yourself with a hot cider or seasonal cocktail from the Spookeasy bar, and fortify yourself with some festive fall treats. Follow the 2/3 mile trail at King Gillette Ranch, glimmering at every turn with blazing gourds around every corner. Be sure to have your cameras ready and enjoy!

Halloween Horror Nights Halloween event at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles

Halloween Horror Nights Universal Studios Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza Universal City, CA 91608

Summon your scream squad to Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights with 8 haunted houses, the Terror Tram, scare zones, a live show, and exhilarating attractions. Enter haunted houses inspired by the biggest names in fear. You’re never quite sure if your spine is tingling with dread or sheer excitement. Whether you’re a superfan, here for the snacks or selfies, scared of everything, or skeptical of everyone, remember, never go alone.

Haunted Little Tokyo Halloween event near Circa residences in Downtown Los Angeles

Haunted Little Tokyo Brunswig Square 360 E 2nd St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

Oct 29 Just in time for spooky season,Haunted Little Tokyo is back. This year, the “Block Party” will be held at their favorite “secret” location in Little Tokyo. The event will include all the favorites from previous block parties including DJs, drinks, food, and a costume contest. The secret location will be shared upon check-in at Brunswig Square. Free admission with advance RSVP.

Boo at the Zoo Halloween event at the Los Angeles Zoo

Boo at the Zoo LA Zoo 5333 Zoo Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90027

The Halloween spirit is in full swing for 31 frightfully fun days at the L.A. Zoo, where guests can enjoy spooktacular sights daily. Weekends are even sweeter, with treats like open-air live shows, animal pumpkin feedings, themed photo ops, education stations, and much more. On the last two weekends of the month (October 22/23 and 29/30), enjoy trick or treating stations featuring candies courtesy of their proud partner, Mars. Costumes are encouraged!

Photo credits:

Photo #1: Los Angeles Haunted Hayride

Photo #2: Circa Monster Mash

Photo #3: House of Spirits: Vaughan Hall

Photo #4: Grand Park

Photo #5: Los Angeles Haunted Hayride

Photo #6: Carved Descanso Gardens

Photo #7: LA Opera 

Photo #8: Nights of the Jack

Photo #9: Halloween Horror Nights

Photo #10: Haunted Little Tokyo

Photo #11: LA Zoo

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