Most of California’s 2026 Halloween events have ended, but Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain runs November 5 to 7, Delusion: Den of the Mosquito plays through November 8, and Dead by Daylight: The Immersive Experience runs in Moreno Valley through January 3. Disneyland lists Oogie Boogie Bash and Halloween Time as scheduled to return in 2027, but no California event had posted 2027 Halloween dates on November 5.
This page keeps the 2026 record of California’s multi-day, ticketed Halloween events in commercial spaces, from Oogie Boogie Bash, which opened August 18, to the last nights in November, and most events link to my full guide for that event. Single-day events and home haunts are not listed, and the home haunts are in my Southern California home haunts guide. Family and community Halloween events have their own section near the end.
California Halloween 2027 Dates
- Oogie Boogie Bash (Disney California Adventure): scheduled to return on select nights in 2027, Disneyland says, with ticket information at a later date.
- Halloween Time at Disneyland: scheduled to return in 2027, with no dates posted. Haunted Mansion Holiday is still running into the resort’s holiday season, November 13, 2026, through January 6, 2027.
- Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood: Universal had not announced 2027 dates or houses on November 5.
- Six Flags Fright Fest (Magic Mountain): its last 2026 nights are November 5, 6 and 7, and Six Flags had posted no 2027 dates.
- Knott’s Scary Farm, Howl-O-Scream San Diego, The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns and Festival Fright Nights: no 2027 dates posted on November 4.
The 2027 dates announced so far, from every state, are in my guide to when haunted houses open.
City guides: Los Angeles | San Diego | Bay Area
Southern California 2026 at a Glance
| Event | Location | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Oogie Boogie Bash | Disney California Adventure, Anaheim | Aug 18 – Oct 31 |
| Halloween Time at Disneyland | Disneyland Resort, Anaheim | Aug 21 – Oct 31 |
| Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood | Universal Studios Hollywood | Sept 3 – Nov 1 |
| Howl-O-Scream San Diego | SeaWorld San Diego | Sept 11 – Oct 31 |
| The Hollow Awakens | Lakewood Center, Lakewood | Sept 12 – Nov 1 |
| Knott’s Scary Farm | Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park | Sept 17 – Oct 31 |
| Delusion: Den of the Mosquito | Beckett Mansion, Los Angeles | Sept 17 – Nov 8 |
| Six Flags Fright Fest | Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia | Sept 18 – Nov 7 |
| The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor | The Queen Mary, Long Beach | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Los Angeles Haunted Hayride | Griffith Park, Los Angeles | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns | South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Eulogy Collective: Shades of Hell | Eulogy Collective, Anaheim | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat | LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad | Sept 19 – Nov 1 |
| Through the Veil | Heritage Square Museum, LA + Broken Spirits, Anaheim | Sept 19, 26, 30 |
| The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park | Balboa Park, San Diego | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Reign of Terror Haunted House | Thousand Oaks, Conejo Valley | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| The 17th Door | Buena Park | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Castle Dark | Castle Park, Riverside | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Nights of the Jack | King Gillette Ranch, Calabasas | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Carved at Descanso Gardens | Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Black Casket | Yucaipa | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| The Haunted Car Wash | Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, San Diego | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| The Hollow at Live Oak Canyon | Redlands, Inland Empire | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| Beetle House LA pop-up | The Compound, Commerce | Oct 8 – Nov 7 |
| Heritage Square Museum Halloween | Heritage Square Museum, Los Angeles | Oct 9 – Oct 31 |
| Urban Death Tour of Terror “Ultra” | Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre, North Hollywood | Oct 9 – Nov 1 |
| Haunted Soiree | Nocturne Theatre, Glendale | Oct 10 – Oct 31 |
| Mary and Margo’s Halloween Sideshow of Madness | Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre, North Hollywood | Oct 14 – Oct 29 |
| Haunted Little Tokyo | Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles | Oct 24 – Oct 31 |
| Wicked Lit | Chance Theater, Anaheim | Oct 29 – Nov 2 |
| The Dark Wedding | The Sanctuary at Clifton’s, Downtown Los Angeles | Oct 30 – Nov 1 |
| Dead by Daylight: The Immersive Experience | Moreno Valley Museum & ArtSpace, Inland Empire | Oct 30 – Jan 3 |
Northern California 2026 at a Glance
| Event | Location | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Festival Fright Nights | Winchester Mystery House, San Jose | Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| The Great Big BOO at Gilroy Gardens (family, not scary) | Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy | Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Terror Vault | The San Francisco Mint, San Francisco | Oct 1 – Nov 1 |
| Heartstoppers Haunted House | Rancho Cordova, Sacramento area | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Pirates of Emerson | Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton | Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Hobb’s Grove | Sanger, Fresno area | Oct 2 – 31 |
| Goblin Jamboree at the Bay Area Discovery Museum (family, for young kids) | Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito | Weekends, Oct 3 – 31 |
| The Black Cat Hotel | The Palace Theater, San Francisco | Oct 8 – 31 |
Southern California Haunted Houses
Oogie Boogie Bash
Oogie Boogie Bash returned to Disney California Adventure on a record 33 nights from August 18 through October 31, 2026, and Disneyland lists it as scheduled to return on select nights in 2027.
| Dates | 33 select nights, Aug 18 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Disney California Adventure, Anaheim |
| Tickets | $139 to $199, separate ticket (details) |
| New for 2026 | Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake street party, Yzma’s first US face-character appearance, record 33 nights |
Halloween Time at Disneyland
Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort ran August 21 through October 31, 2026, across both parks, and Disneyland lists it as scheduled to return in 2027.
| Dates | Aug 21 – Oct 31 (Plaza de la Familia through Nov 2) |
| Location | Disneyland Resort, Anaheim |
| Tickets | Included with park admission (details) |
| New for 2026 | Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake street party replaced the Frightfully Fun Parade |
Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood ran its 2026 Halloween Horror Nights over 42 select nights from September 3 through November 1, and on November 5 it had not announced 2027 dates.
| Dates | 42 select nights, Sept 3 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Houses | 8, including Sinners, Stranger Things 5, Hellraiser, and Evil Dead Burn |
| Tickets | My HHN tickets guide has the 2026 ticket types |
| New for 2026 | The event’s first-ever Hellraiser house, plus Evil Dead Burn tied to the sixth Evil Dead film, and a new Fortnitemares scare zone (Freaky Fields) shared with Orlando |
Howl-O-Scream San Diego
SeaWorld San Diego’s Howl-O-Scream ran on select nights from September 11 through October 31, 2026. It was one of five Howl-O-Scream parks in 2026, with the dates, hours, and tickets for all of them in my Howl-O-Scream 2026 all-locations guide.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 11 – Oct 31 |
| Location | SeaWorld San Diego |
| Lineup | 6 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, 3 vile vignettes, 1 show, 11 bars and speakeasies |
| Tickets | From $41.99 single night (details) |
| New for 2026 | Area 64: MOTHERSHIP house with an 80-foot facade, three all-new scare zones |
Knott’s Scary Farm
Knott’s Scary Farm, running since 1973, was open on 26 select nights through Halloween 2026. Watch my full 2026 walkthrough, and find the event map, hours, and every maze in my Knott’s Scary Farm guide.
| Dates | 26 select nights, Sept 17 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park |
| Lineup | 10 mazes, 5 scare zones, 3 shows |
| Tickets | $75 to $89 online from October 11 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Inked and Unearthed mazes, the shows Occultum and Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge, and a reimagined CarnEVIL scare zone |
Six Flags Fright Fest
Fright Fest presented by SNICKERS ran at Six Flags Magic Mountain for its 33rd year on Fridays through Sundays through November 1, plus Thursdays from October 8, and it is back November 5 to 7, with seven mazes and seven scare zones. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, which ran Fright Fest in prior years, did not list it on its 2026 events calendar (see my update on the 2026 changes).
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1, plus Nov 5, 6 and 7 |
| Location | Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia |
| Tickets | The seven mazes need a Haunted Attractions Pass, from $25 for one night or $69 for the season, before taxes and fees (details) |
| New for 2026 | Two new mazes, Final Destination: Death’s Playground and Wolves’ Blood, and a new show, Nytewalkerz |
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor was open on select nights through November 1, 2026, aboard the retired ocean liner in Long Beach, with six haunted mazes, carnival rides, and stage shows.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | The Queen Mary, Long Beach |
| Tickets | General admission from $47.99 with fees, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Six mazes, including the new Shipwrecked: Brace for Impact, plus two new rides and four new speakeasies |
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride was open in Griffith Park on select nights through November 1, 2026, with the hayride, three haunted houses, and a stage show.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Griffith Park’s Old Zoo, Los Angeles |
| Tickets | From $34.99 for the hayride alone, or $49.99 with the haunted houses, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Fallen Angel 1980s rock maze, Elvira’s Trick or Treat Mayhem returns, first-ever alcohol in Midnight Falls |
LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat
LEGOLAND California’s Brick-or-Treat returned for the 2026 Halloween season on 12 select dates from September 19 through November 1.
| Dates | 12 select dates, Sept 19 – Nov 1 |
| Location | LEGOLAND California, Carlsbad |
| Tickets | Included with park admission on event dates (details) |
| New for 2026 | Brick or Treat Street, a walkthrough of six LEGO monster homes with a new Halloween light trail |
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park returned to Marston Point for its 27th year on select nights from September 25 through November 1.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 25 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Marston Point, Balboa Park, San Diego |
| Lineup | Mile-long trail plus the 3,500-square-foot eXperiment Maze and the free Dark Carnival scare zone |
| Tickets | From $34.99 timed GA, $49.99 Fast Pass (details) |
| New for 2026 | The free-entry Dark Carnival returns for its second year, expanded |
Carved at Descanso Gardens
Carved, the nighttime jack-o’-lantern and light installation at Descanso Gardens, ran through November 1, 2026, nightly from 6 to 10 p.m.
| Dates | Nightly, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Descanso Gardens, La Cañada Flintridge |
| Tickets | Non-member adults from $29 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Alexander Reichstein sculptures in his US debut, new Anytime Tickets, Halloween-night trick-or-treating |
Black Casket
Black Casket Productions, the Inland Empire haunted attraction known for changing its theme every year, ran its fourth season, Cannibal Creek, in 2026.
| Dates | Oct 2 – Nov 1, Thursdays through Sundays after opening weekend |
| Location | Yucaipa |
| Tickets | $28 to $33 general admission, $48 to $53 VIP, rising toward Halloween (details) |
| New for 2026 | All-new Cannibal Creek theme, plus Lights Out sessions on Halloween (7 to 9 p.m.) and Nov. 1 (9 to 10 p.m.) |
The Haunted Car Wash
The Haunted Car Wash ran its sixth season in October 2026, in four Southern California regions.
| Dates | Oct 2 – Oct 31 |
| Location | Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, San Diego |
| Tickets | From $28.52 per vehicle with fees (details) |
| New for 2026 | Largest footprint in its six-year history, new lower price |
The Hollow at Live Oak Canyon
Live Oak Canyon in Redlands ran its first-ever haunted maze in 45 years in 2026, open weekends through October 31. Haunt supervisor Philip-Blaine Adsit brought credentials from Knott’s Scary Farm, Sinister Pointe, and 17th Door.
| Dates | Fridays through Sundays, Oct 2 – Oct 31, plus Oct 27, 28 and 29 (Tuesday to Thursday) |
| Location | Live Oak Canyon, Redlands, CA |
| Hours | 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays and weeknights |
| Tickets | Farm admission plus a separate maze ticket, which was $20 on Oct 2 to 11. The farm’s admission page showed no maze price for later dates on October 14. Gate sales only, cash or card. Parking is free on Fridays and $20 per car on weekends (details) |
| New for 2026 | First-ever haunted maze at Live Oak Canyon, recommended 16+ |
Wicked Lit
Wicked Lit returned for its first season since 2017 with 10 performances, October 29 through November 2, 2026.
| Dates | 10 performances, Oct 29 – Nov 2 |
| Location | Chance Theater, Anaheim |
| Tickets | Went on sale Aug 1 (details) |
| New for 2026 | First season in eight years, two plays: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Las Lloronas |
Delusion: Den of the Mosquito
Delusion returns to the Beckett Mansion in West Adams, Los Angeles, the building where the series staged its first show in 2011 and the Neil Patrick Harris co-production in 2012. The 2026 play, Den of the Mosquito, is set in a 1920s New Orleans brothel; guests play agents of a secret organization investigating supernatural threats. Delusion is billing it as its longest and most interactive show to date at a full 50 minutes, with split paths, extremely limited availability, and the return of the Play Your Part VIP option, now named The Leech.
The last show is November 8. Every 2026 show is 18 and over only, running select nights from September 17 through November 8 at a flat $143 (including $13 fees). Several Saturdays, including October 10 and 17, sold out. Full details in my Delusion 2026 coverage.
Through the Veil
Through the Veil is an immersive theatrical séance from Stage Fright Theater Co. that seats about eight guests at a candlelit table for a 30-to-45-minute sitting led by the host character Ambrose T. Attaway. The audience’s choices steer a story built on historic true crimes, so no two séances play out the same way. It ran at Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles on September 19 and 26, and at Broken Spirits in Anaheim on September 30, with sittings at 7, 8, and 9 p.m. Tickets were sold through Stage Fright Theater Co. See my full Through the Veil coverage.
Heritage Square Museum’s Halloween Events
Heritage Square Museum had four Halloween events in October 2026. For adults, Street Food Cinema’s 21-and-over Boo-ze, Bites & Frights ran October 16, 17, 23 and 24 with haunted pathways, adult trick-or-treating, three bars, and horror double features, from $45. Magic Market’s Bewitched witch market ran October 10 and 11 for $15. The October 9 After Dark paranormal investigation and the October 31 Hallowe’en Faire were already sold out on September 28. My Heritage Square Halloween guide has every film, time, and ticket detail.
Haunted Soiree
Haunted Soiree was a two-hour Halloween party with drinks and immersive theatre from Meyer2Meyer Entertainment at the Nocturne Theatre in Glendale. The 2026 story was built on Pennsylvania’s 1928 Hex Hollow Murder: a secretive society’s Oktoberfest-style festival turns out to be a ritual, and each room reveals another chapter. It ran select nights October 10 through 31. Tickets started at $59 with fees on the cheapest night, most nights ran $69 or $77, and most performances were 21+. See my full Haunted Soiree coverage.
Nights of the Jack
Nights of the Jack was a one-mile, self-guided walking trail of carved and illuminated jack-o’-lanterns at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, with food trucks, a kids’ carnival, and a bar called the Spookeasy. It was not a scary event and all ages were welcome, per the operator. It ran select nights from September 25 through November 1, 2026, with timed entry from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets were priced by date and time slot, from $24.99 to $74.99 before fees, and were sold in advance only, through the event’s site.
Not a haunted house: Davis also threw the free, all-ages Zombie Bike Parade Halloweekend Festival on Halloween, October 31, at Community Park, just west of Sacramento. It was a community Halloween festival with a costumed bike parade, a BMX stunt show, and a skydiving-zombie finale, and it benefited NorCal Trykers.
Reign of Terror Haunted House
Reign of Terror in Thousand Oaks opened its 2026 season on September 25, adding two new sections, Backwoods and The Blue Bayou Hotel, plus a reimagined Funhouse. The indoor walk-through covered 145 rooms across 35,000 square feet and ran 18 nights.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 25 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Location | 285 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (Janss Marketplace) |
| Tickets | General admission from $39.99; Immediate Access (skip the line) $64.99 to $74.99 |
| New for 2026 | Two new sections, Backwoods and The Blue Bayou Hotel, plus a rebuilt Funhouse |
| Ages | Recommended for ages 13 and up |
The 17th Door
The 17th Door in Buena Park ran its 12th season in 2026, and my 17th Door guide has every night’s price and hours. Every guest signed a waiver, and guests could shout the safe word, “Mercy,” to make an actor back off, skip a room, or leave the haunt entirely. Three rooms couldn’t be skipped once entered. The 2026 story was Perpetuum Penitentiary, a prison with a Prison Barber, a death row, a Butcher’s meat locker, and a Warden who decides your fate. Groups of six to eight went through in about 35 minutes. The Barber’s haircut was optional: guests could say “Mercy” in his room and skip his chair.
| Dates | 25 nights, Sept 25 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Location | 8420 On the Mall, Buena Park |
| Tickets | $38 to $47 depending on the night, fees included. VIP line passes cost more, and VIP entry with a backstage tour runs $78 to $88. No refunds, but tickets could be exchanged for a future date. |
| Ages | Recommended for ages 16 and up. Minors needed a parent or guardian to sign their waiver on site. |
| Buy | the17thdoor.com |
Eulogy Collective: Shades of Hell
Eulogy Collective in Anaheim bills itself as “SoCal’s ONLY Year-Round Haunted House,” with live actors, practical effects, and a theme that changes with the seasons. Its 2026 fall show was Shades of Hell, a walk-through built on the idea that “Hell isn’t the same for everyone.” It ran Fridays through Sundays through November 1. Eulogy Collective also runs a horror and Halloween shop at the same address.
| Dates | Fridays to Sundays, Sept 18 to Nov 1, 2026 |
| Hours | 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 6 to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays |
| Location | 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 168, Anaheim |
| Tickets | $27 general admission, $38 Front of the Line, or $51 for a two-pack, plus a $5 to $6 fee. Tickets worked on any open night. A $150 behind-the-scenes tour included six admissions and parking validation, by appointment. |
| Ages | Listed as all ages |
| Buy | eulogycollective.com |
Zombie Joe’s: Urban Death and Mary and Margo’s Sideshow
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group in North Hollywood had two Halloween shows in 2026. Urban Death Tour of Terror “Ultra” took the weekends: a maze, a live show of wordless horror vignettes, and a second maze, in about 45 minutes, for ages 17 and up. It ran select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from October 9 through November 1, for $24 in advance or $28 at the door. Mary and Margo’s Halloween Sideshow of Madness took the weeknights, Wednesdays and Thursdays from October 14 through 29, with shows at 7:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets were $22.50 with fees. In the story, two performers who died in a theater accident return from the Void to put on what they believe will be their greatest show. See my full Urban Death coverage.
The Dark Wedding at Clifton’s
The Dark Wedding was an immersive theater show inside the Clifton’s building at 648 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, running three nights from Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 1. Guests played the wedding guests and chose how much to take part, from watching with a cocktail to a multi-course dinner inside the story, and a vendor market and an afterparty ran alongside the show. It was 21 and over, doors opened at 7 p.m., and tickets were $65.87 to $193.92 with fees. See my Dark Wedding article for the tiers and ticket types.
Dead by Daylight: The Immersive Experience
Dead by Daylight: The Immersive Experience is a 45-minute walk-through based on the horror video game, at the Moreno Valley Museum & ArtSpace in Moreno Valley from October 30 through January 3, mostly Thursdays through Sundays. Guests start in a museum of up to 12 of the game’s killers and finish by repairing generators to help the survivors escape, inside 5,000 square feet of projections. Standard tickets are $36.99, and guests under 18 must be with an adult. See my Dead by Daylight article for the open dates and entry times.
Northern California Haunted Houses
Festival Fright Nights
Festival Fright Nights returned to the Winchester Mystery House on select nights from September 18 through November 1, 2026, dropping the 2025 linear haunt for an open festival format and adding a new haunted house, The House of Spirits, and a 1926 estate-wide mystery.
| Dates | Select nights, Sept 18 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Winchester Mystery House, San Jose |
| Tickets | From $59.99 with fees on Thursdays, online only (details) |
| New for 2026 | Open festival format, new House of Spirits haunt, 1926 estate-wide mystery |
Terror Vault
Terror Vault returned to The San Francisco Mint in 2026 with a new production, Slashed: Return to Hellville, and its one-hour lights-on tour of the sets starts November 7.
| Dates | Oct 1 – Nov 1 |
| Location | The San Francisco Mint, San Francisco |
| Tickets | GA $64.42–$90.30 (details) |
| New for 2026 | All-new 1980s-slasher theme |
The Black Cat Hotel
The Black Cat Hotel was a walk-through immersive theater show at The Palace Theater in North Beach, back for its second October in 2026 with a vampire story. Guests went through in groups of about 15, and the show ran about an hour.
| Dates | 18 nights, Oct 8 – 31 |
| Location | The Palace Theater, 644 Broadway, San Francisco |
| Tickets | From $39 (details) |
| New for 2026 | A new story, A Host of Vampires, with new rooms |
Heartstoppers Haunted House
Sacramento’s Heartstoppers Haunts ran its 18th season in 2026, with the new Frightfully Fancy Club and a new hourly stage show.
| Dates | 13 select nights, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Rancho Cordova, Sacramento area |
| Lineup | 4 haunted houses plus the new hourly Redemption! stage show |
| Tickets | GA $39, Fancy Pants $55, Frightfully Fancy Club $85 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Frightfully Fancy Club VIP experience, new stage show, new scenes in all four haunts |
Pirates of Emerson
Pirates of Emerson was back at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on select nights through November 1, 2026, for its 36th season.
| Dates | Select nights, Oct 2 – Nov 1 |
| Location | Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton |
| Lineup | 4 walk-through haunted houses on six acres, plus Frightmares & Oddities and live bands |
| Tickets | From $38 (details) |
| New for 2026 | Midway games included with every ticket tier |
Hobb’s Grove
Hobb’s Grove, an HAA-certified Top Haunt in Sanger, ran Thursdays through Sundays from October 2 through October 31, 2026.
| Dates | Thursdays–Sundays, Oct 2 – 31 |
| Location | Sanger, Fresno area |
| Tickets | hobbsgrove.com |
The Great Big BOO at Gilroy Gardens
The Great Big BOO returned to Gilroy Gardens in the South Bay on select nights from September 25 through November 1, 2026. This one was a family event rather than a haunt: BOO Trail trick-or-treating, a sing-and-dance-along musical, rides lit up after dark, and a new interactive Pumpkin Wand puzzle where kids “save Halloween” from Wendella the Witch. Fridays 5 to 10 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 9 p.m. (closed October 10). Gilroy Gardens’ North Pole Nights runs November 21 through December 31.
Family and Community Halloween Events
Beetle House LA Retro Halloween Party
Beetle House LA, the year-round Halloween bar and restaurant that closed its Hollywood Boulevard home in 2025, returns as a pop-up at The Compound in Commerce, Oct 8 to Nov 7. Timed 90-minute sessions run Thursdays through Sundays at 5, 7, and 9 p.m. for $30, sold only in advance on Eventbrite, with street food, cocktails, a DJ, sideshow acts, and trick-or-treating. Eventbrite lists it as all ages. See my Beetle House LA guide for dates and details.
A Nightmare at CARNE, Oxnard
Carne, a Latin live-fire steakhouse at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, was a Nightmare Before Christmas pop-up through Sunday, Nov. 1, with Halloween dishes from $14 to $19 and six Halloween cocktails from $16 to $30. There was no ticket: it was regular dining. See my Carne pop-up story for the menu and hours.
Haunted Little Tokyo
Haunted Little Tokyo was a Halloween season put on by the Little Tokyo neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles, with ghost tours led by the Little Tokyo Historical Society, a free family scavenger hunt, and a 21+ block party at a secret location shared with guests who RSVP. In 2026 the block party was on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, with a free RSVP that closed at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30.
| Dates | Oct 24 to Oct 31, 2026 (block party Oct 31, 4 p.m. to midnight) |
| Location | Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles (block party at a secret location) |
| Cost | Scavenger hunt free, ghost tours $25, block party free with RSVP |
| Ages | Block party 21+, scavenger hunt all ages |
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns returned to the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes on select nights from September 18 through November 1, 2026, and its site thanks guests for the 2026 season and lists no 2027 dates. This one was family-friendly and not a scare event: a mile-long illuminated trail lined with more than 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins, with larger-than-life displays, s’mores stations, and a kids’ fun zone. New scenes in 2026 included a whimsical circus, a Dia de los Muertos tribute, and an undersea section. Tickets started at $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for kids at magicofthejackolanterns.com. The event is run by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group.
Goblin Jamboree at the Bay Area Discovery Museum
Goblin Jamboree turned the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito into a Halloween festival for young children and their grown-ups on October weekends in 2026. Families dashed beneath a larger-than-life spider at the entrance, met the Beetlelady and her live bugs, dug for bugs in glowing play dirt, mixed fizzing brews in Goblin Village, and made a creepy creature collage at Build a Beast. Harvest Hall was a toddler play space for kids 42 inches and under. Costumes were encouraged, and it ran rain or shine.
| Dates | Saturdays and Sundays, Oct 3 to Oct 31, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Location | Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito (free parking) |
| Cost | $30 per person. Babies free. Members $5. SNAP and WIC $10, in person |
| Also | An after-hours Sunset Spooktacular fundraiser on Friday, Oct 16, 4 to 7 p.m. |
| Tickets | Bay Area Discovery Museum |
The Hollow Awakens
The Hollow Awakens was a new indoor-outdoor Halloween event in 2026 from Imaginarium at Lakewood Center. It covered more than 100,000 square feet with ten themed “haunted worlds,” most of them family-friendly. The operator suggested ages 8 and up for the dark indoor areas, and two optional mazes added jump-scare actors. Guests could walk through or play a mission game to put the monsters back to sleep. Outside were an illuminated pumpkin patch, mirror rooms, a ball pit, trick-or-treating, and a free circus, and a full visit ran 90 minutes to two hours.
| Dates | Wednesdays to Sundays, Sept 12 to Nov 1, 2026 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) |
| Hours | 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays |
| Location | Lakewood Center, 326 Lakewood Center Mall, Lakewood. Free parking. |
| Tickets | Adults $21 on weekdays and $25 on weekends. Children 3 to 12 and seniors 62 and up $17 and $19. Plus a $2 fee. Under 3 free. |
| Buy | thehollowawakens.com |
California Haunted House FAQ
When do haunted houses open in California in 2027?
No California haunt or theme park had posted 2027 Halloween dates on November 5, 2026, and Disneyland lists Oogie Boogie Bash and Halloween Time as scheduled to return in 2027. In 2026, the earliest events started in mid-August: Oogie Boogie Bash on August 18 and Halloween Time at Disneyland on August 21. Most major haunts opened between September 11 and September 25, and nearly everything ran through November 1.
Which California Halloween events were family-friendly in 2026?
Carved at Descanso Gardens had no scare actors at all, Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND was built for young kids, Halloween Time at Disneyland was all-ages during the day, and The Haunted Car Wash scared the whole family from inside the car. In the South Bay, Gilroy Gardens’ The Great Big BOO was a not-scary, all-ages event with trick-or-treating and a sing-along musical. In Sausalito, the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s Goblin Jamboree was built for young children on October weekends.
What was new in California for 2026?
Hellraiser debuted at Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood, Knott’s Scary Farm added the Inked and Unearthed mazes, Wicked Lit returned after eight years, SeaWorld added the Area 64: MOTHERSHIP house, and the Haunted Car Wash grew to its largest footprint in six seasons.
Last updated: November 5, 2026, with each event’s 2027 status. For scare acting, see how to become a scare actor.
