The Best Family-Friendly Halloween Events in LA

The LA tradition is back. Bob Baker Marionette Theatre’s spooky and charming Hallowe’en Spooktacular opens its 2026 run on September 5. Expect a return of classic characters, like a tap-dancing Frankenstein, aliens and the Purple People Eater. This year’s show also includes a Dia de los Muertos number. Hallowe’en Spooktacular runs at the company’s Highland Park theater through November 8, with costume parades taking place at every show in October. 
 

Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns returns to South Coast Botanic Garden on September 18 with more than 10,000 carved pumpkins that will light up a mile-long walking trail for this family-friendly event. Look out for s’mores stations, a bounce pad and slides, plus food and beverages on site. Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns runs through November 1.

Academy Museum's Family Matinees series keeps it spooky beyond Halloween this year, with a line up of films that includes Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (September 26), Hocus Pocus (October 3), The Little Vampire (October 10), The Witches (October 31), The Haunted Mansion (November 7), Frankenweenie (November 14), Wendell & Wild (November 21) and Gremlins (November 28). 

Tina’s Pumpkin Patch returns to Westfield Fashion Square for the month of October with a free straw maze, as well as a la carte activities that include a train ride, obstacle course, petting zoo and pony rides. 
 

Descanso Gardens’ popular fall festival, Carved, is back on October 2 for a month of spooky and whimsical evenings in the garden. Look out for hand-carved pumpkins, wood spirits and more. On Halloween, activities include a mushroom forage trick-or-treat, craft station, dance party and more holiday fun. 
 

Mount Wilson’s Matinees on the Mountain series is back on Saturday, October 10, with the 1956 sci-fi horror flick Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Plan to arrive early for a picnic lunch before the 3 p.m. screening. 
 

Take the family to see Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in 4D at El Capitan this Halloween season. The spooky favorite opens on October 16 and runs through November 1 with multiple screenings per day. There will be a themed photo op at the theater and screenings will be preceded by the Disney short “The Skeleton Dance.” 
 

The Autry celebrates Halloween on Saturday, October 17, with the family-friendly Night at the Autry Museum. Kids can trick-or-treat in the museum’s garden and backlot, enjoy crafts and games and enjoy a performance from Bob Baker Marionette Theatre.  There will also be a maze and bounce house on site. 
 

Costumes are encouraged at LA Zoo on October 24 -25, as well as Halloween weekend, for Boo at the Zoo. Activities include trick-or-treat stations, pumpkin painting, puppet shows and conservation sessions. 
 

Get the family together to explore at the Haunted Little Tokyo Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, October 24. The event, which begins at 11 a.m., is free and costumes are encouraged. 
 

The Academy Museum celebrates Halloween on Saturday, October 24 with Monster Mash. Activities include special effects makeup tutorials, monster meet-and-greets, tours of new exhibition The Horror Show and film screenings. Younger children will want to catch Hotel Transylvania at 11 a.m., while older kids and teens may want to stick around for Blade at 2:30 p.m. or Horror of Dracula at 7:30 p.m. 
 

Smorgasburg becomes Spookysburg on the Sunday before Halloween when the weekly food fest teams up with KCRW for a day of UFO-themed, family-friendly activities, a costume contest and DJs Tyler “Boogie” Boudreaux and Luxxury. 
 

Absolutely Halloween, the seasonal, family-friendly show that has become a tradition at Santa Monica Playhouse, returns on October 3 for a run that will go through October 31. 
 

Kidspace is celebrating Halloween now through October 31 with daily costume parades at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., plus activities like the Witch’s Kitchen and Pumpkin Bowling Alley. Plan to go on October 3 or 4 for the Lego Monster Build and calendar the daytime Halloween party on October 30.