California

Halloween events in Southern California

Published

1 year ago

October 8, 2024

Press Room

Here’s a list of Halloween events around Southern California. Share your Halloween haunts with #abc7eyewitness!

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Halloween Horror Nights
September 5 – November 3 on select dates
The amusement park guarantees a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of horror with terrifying experiences from TV and movies.
Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City
universalstudioshollywood.com

Fright Fest
September 7 – November 3 on select dates
Fright Fest is back at Six Flags Magic Mountain. You can expect haunted mazes, scare zones, and scream-worthy rides.
Six Flags
26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia
sixflags.com

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride
September 21 – November 2 on select dates
The 30-acre attraction consists of a nighttime tractor ride where you see tons of scary creatures and characters along the way, a haunted village, scary trick or treating, and a spooky corn maze. But beware! It’s not recommended for children under 12.
Griffith Park Old Zoo
4730 Crystal Springs Avenue, Los Angeles
losangeleshauntedhayride.com

Nights Of The Jack
September 27 – November 2 on select dates
Enjoy the enchanting King Gillette Ranch grounds in this 2/3 mile walking trail. This Halloween wonderland features a live pumpkin carver, gift shop, top LA food trucks, and tons of other “Instagrammable” moments for all to enjoy! Advanced ticket purchase is required.
King Gillette Ranch, Calabasas
nightsofthejack.com

Boo at the Los Angeles Zoo
October 19 – 27 on select dates
October 19, 20, 26, or 27, you’ll find trick-or-treat stations throughout the zoo.
The annual spook spectacular allows ghouls and goblins of all ages to get up close to all sorts of creepy critters…so close, you can touch them.
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles
lazoo.org

Mr. Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch
October 4 – 31 on select dates
Enjoy games, activities, bounce houses, pumpkin carving, mazes, and more!
West LA, Torrance, Hollywood
mrjackolanternspumpkins.com

Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
October 5 – 31 on select dates
Founded in 1987, Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch is a family-owned and operated business that focuses on bringing the farm to the city and celebrating the magic of Halloween.
10100 Jefferson Blvd, Culver City
mrbonespumpkinpatch.com

Carved
October 4 – 30 on select dates
For three weeks, Descanso Gardens will be transformed, featuring a mile-long trail lined with thousands of professionally carved jack-o-lanterns made from real pumpkins.
Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge
descansogardens.org

Scream-Tacula Season
October 11 – 31 on select dates
Celebrate the spooky season by watching your favorite Halloween Movie with props.
The El Capitan Theatre
1755 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood
elcapitantheatre.com

Haunted Little Tokyo
October 26 on select dates
Get ready for a night of DJs, drinks, food, a costume contest, ghost tours, and a spooky scavenger hunt.
Little Tokyo
249 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles
littletokyola.org

Scarium Family Night
October 18
Aquarium of the Pacific
Dive into fun and spooky Halloween activities for the whole family!
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
aquariumofpacific.org

Halloween Carnaval
October 31
Historic Route 66
Celebrate Halloween on Santa Monica Boulevard and at West Hollywood’s One-of-a-Kind Bars, Restaurants, and More.
Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard
halloweencarnaval.com

ORANGE COUNTY

Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort
August 23 – October 31 on select dates
You can catch spooktacular thrills at the Haunted Mansion Holiday, Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween, Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark.
1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim
disneyland.com

The 17th Door Haunt Experience
September 27 – November 3 on select dates
The 17th Door converts a Fullerton strip mall into a prison from hell. You’ll get a spook out of this extreme haunted house. The attraction is not suitable for children.
West Fullerton Shopping Center
1851 W Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton
the17thdoor.com

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch
September 14 – October 31 on select dates
The popular pumpkin patch will be open for the best photo opportunities, best selection of pumpkins in the field, and the “least-crowded patch experience,” according to its website.
5380 University Dr, Irvine
tanakafarms.com

Knott’s Spooky Farm and Knotts Scary Farm
September 19 – November 2 on select dates
Halloween has taken over Knotts Berry Farm! You can catch Knott’s Spooky Farm, a family-friendly Halloween celebration geared for kids ages 3-11, on weekends and October 31. Knott’s Scary Farm is not recommended for kids under 13.
8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
knotts.com

Fall-O-Ween
October 11-13 & 18-20
Fall-O-Ween returns for its fourth year, offering a festive, family-friendly Halloween experience with straw mazes, scavenger hunts, and surprises!
Heritage Hill Historical Park
falloween.com

Bats: Heroes of the Night
October 11
This night offers a unique chance to observe bats in flight and listen to their calls – a perfect Halloween adventure!
Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve
batsheroesofthenight.com

Ghosts and Goblins of the Ocean Beach Cleanup
October 13
Join Dana Point Harbor for a spooky Stand Up To Trash beach cleanup and lunch & learn.
Dana Point Harbor
ghostsandgoblinsbeachcleanup.com

Full Moon Hike on Hicks Haul Road
October 16
Enjoy a peaceful autumn evening hike with Irvine Ranch Conservancy through stunning rock formations and learn about native plants as you listen to the sound of nature.
Irvine Open Space Preserve
fullmoonhike.com

BOO at the Oaks
October 18
Boo at the Oaks offers guided night hikes, nature stations, crafts, and a scavenger hunt for prizes.
Santiago Oaks Regional Park
booattheoaks.com

Honey Tasting at Glen Ivy
October 23
Enjoy the sweetness of fall by switching out the candy for locally sourced honey!
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
honeytastingglenivy.com

Halloween Zoo-Tacular
October 26
It is a perfect way for kids to celebrate Halloween while spending time with wildlife where visitors can watch the animals enjoy treat-filled pumpkins.
OC Zoo at Irvine Regional Park
oczootacular.com

BOO at the Bay
October 26
Family and friends are invited to join this free event filled with spooky stories, creepy crafts, science experiments, and fun games!
Upper Newport Bay Nature Reserve
booatthebay.com

Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade
October 26
Check out the Anaheim Fall Festival in Downtown Anaheim! This month-long festival includes a costume contest, scavenger hunt, parades, and more!
Center Street, Anaheim
anaheimfallfestival.com

Spooky Plants Among Us
October 31
Join Irvine Ranch Conservancy for a spooky hike that will uncover the mysteries of local plants!
Red Rock Wilderness
spookyplantsamongus.com

Little Folk Club
October 31
Little Folk Club returns for a spooktacular Halloween celebration filled with interactive music and festive fun.
Dana Point Harbor
littlefolkclub.com

INLAND EMPIRE

Frosty’s Forest and Pumpkin Patch
October 7, 14, 21st on select dates
You and your family will enjoy the twists and turns of the 4-acre attraction, along with plenty of other daytime activities.
14861 Ramona Ave, Chino
frostysforest.com

Castle Dark
September 20 – October 27 on select dates
Frightful fun is in store with six all-new haunted experiences, including the Cinema of Fear and Night Shift mazes, and more!
Castle Park
3500 Polk Street, Riverside
castlepark.com

Riverside Ghost Walk: CarnEVIL
October 25 & 26
This year’s walk will feature two walking tour options that wrap through Riverside’s oldest park, established in 1883.
White Park
3936 Chestnut Street, Riverside
crballet.net

VENTURA COUNTY

Fall Harvest on the Farm
September 28 – October 31 on select dates
This year’s annual Fall Harvest Festival includes a tractor-drawn wagon ride, corn maze, pig races, a pumpkin house, live music, and a whole lot more. Festival hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Underwood Family Farm
3370 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark
underwoodfamilyfarms.com

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California

Amid angry backlash, serial child molester is rearrested the same day he was set to be paroled

Published

10 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Amid angry backlash, serial child molester is rearrested the same day he was set to be paroled

Following major backlash about the scheduled release of a serial child molester through California’s elderly parole program, the 64-year-old is now facing new charges that could keep him behind bars.

News that David Allen Funston was set to be freed was met by outrage among victims, politicians and others. The former Sacramento County district attorney who prosecuted Funston said she was strongly opposed to his release: “This is one I’m screaming about.”

Funston, granted parole earlier this month, was set to be released on Thursday from state prison — but was rearrested that same day on new charges from a decades-old, untried case. The charges he’s facing are from a 1996 case in which he is accused of sexually assaulting a child in Roseville, according to the Placer County district attorney’s office.

In 1999, he was convicted of 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation and had been serving three consecutive sentences of 25 years to life and one sentence of 20 years and eight months at the California Institution for Men in Chino. The sentences followed a string of cases out of Sacramento County in which prosecutors said Funston lured children under the age of 7 with candy and, in at least one case, a Barbie doll to kidnap and sexually assault them, often under the threat of violence.

He was described by a judge at his sentencing hearing as “the monster parents fear the most.”

Prosecutors in Placer County, at the time, decided not to pursue the case against Funston in Roseville given the severity of the sentences he received in Sacramento County.

But given his scheduled release from state prison, prosecutors decided to file new charges against him. Placer County Dist. Atty. Morgan Gire said “changes in state law and recent parole board failures” led to his improper release.

“This individual was previously sentenced to multiple life terms for extremely heinous crimes,” Gire said in a statement. “When changes in the law put our communities at risk, it is our duty to re-evaluate those cases and act accordingly. David Allen Funston committed very real crimes against a Placer County child, and the statute of limitations allows us to hold him accountable for those crimes.”

He is now being held without bail in the Placer County jail, booked on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts against a child, according to prosecutors. Funston’s attorney, Maya Emig, said she had only recently learned about his arrest and hadn’t yet had time to fully review the matter.

But she noted that she believes “in the justice system and the rule of law.”

Emig called the Board of Parole Hearings’ decision to grant Funston elderly parole “lawful and just.”

California’s elderly parole program generally considers the release of prisoners who are older than 50 and have been incarcerated for at least 20 continuous years, considering whether someone poses an unreasonable risk to public safety.

In Funston’s case, commissioners said they did not believe Funston posed a significant danger because of the extensive self-help, therapy work and sex offender treatment classes he completed, as well as his detailed plan to avoid repeating his crimes, the remorse he expressed and his track record of good behavior in prison, according to a transcript from the Sept. 24 hearing.

At the hearing, Funston called himself a “selfish coward” for victimizing young children, and said he was “disgusted and ashamed of my behavior and have great remorse for the harm I caused my victims, their families in the community of Sacramento.”

“I’m truly sorry,” he said.

But victims of his crimes, as well as prosecutors and elected leaders have questioned the parole decision and called for its reversal.

“He’s one sick individual,” a victim of Funston’s violence told The Times. “What if he gets out and and tries to find his old victims and wants to kill us?”

A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom said the governor also did not agree with Funston’s release and had asked the board to review the case. However, Newsom has no authority to overturn the parole decision.

Some state lawmakers also cited Funston’s case as evidence that California’s elderly parole program needs reform, recently introducing a bill that would exclude people convicted of sexual crimes from being considered by the process.

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California

Video shows skier dangling from chairlift at California ski resort

Published

22 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Video shows skier dangling from chairlift at California ski resort

Thursday, February 26, 2026 7:21PM

Skier dangles from ski lift in Big Bear, video shows

BIG BEAR, Calif. — Stunning video shows a skier in Southern California hanging off a ski lift in Big Bear as two others held her by her arms.

The incident happened Tuesday. Additional details about the incident were not available.

At last check, the video had been viewed more than 13 million times on Instagram.

It appears the skier made it to the unloading area unscathed, thanks to her ski lift buddies.

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California

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

Key findings of the survey include: Five candidates for governor are in a virtual tie heading into the June primary, with affordability emerging as a key issue. Amid concerns about the state budget, solid majorities of likely voters support raising taxes on the wealthiest Californians. Democrats are more enthusiastic than other partisan groups when it comes to voting in congressional elections this year.

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