50+ Free Halloween Events Near Long Beach & Orange County – 2024
Updated: October 2024
Don’t lose an arm and leg trying to have Halloween fun! There’s plenty of free (or almost free!) events waiting for you. Check out festive parades, fun trunk-or-treats, even special events happening at museums, animal centers, and local attractions—all without the scary price tag!
Editor’s Note: We’ve only included events that specifically mention being free, but there are likely more out there—like those hosted by your city or other events that are usually free but don’t always advertise it. Be sure to check out our full HalloweenGuide for even more options.
As always, be sure to double-check all the details with the event organizer before heading out—things can change! You can visit their website, check their social media, or give them a call directly to confirm.
Día de los Muertos Festival: Journey of Our Ancestors
Museum of Latin American Art | Long Beach
Sunday, October 27, 2024
🟣 FREE!
Join the Museum of Latin American Art for their annual Día de los Muertos Family Festival! This year’s theme, Journey of Our Ancestors, honors the beautiful belief that Monarch butterflies represent the returning souls of our loved ones.
Enjoy live folklorico performances, DJ entertainment, face painting, a children’s sugar skull workshop, printmaking, and more! Come dressed in your best Day of the Dead attire and enter their Catrina/Catrine costume contest for a chance to win prizes.
The event is free, and parking is $15. Don’t miss out on this fun and meaningful celebration!
🟣 FREE!
Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill Historical Park
Lake Forest | October 11-13 & 18-20, 2024
Tour the decorated historical grounds during special park hours and take your picture at a variety of all and Halloween-themed photo ops. Enjoy a hay maze and complete a scavenger hunt for ghoulish goodies. Costumes encouraged and pets welcome.
🟣 FREE!
Pumpkin Patch at Fairhaven Memorial Park
Santa Ana | October 18, 2024
Visit Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary for free pumpkins (one per family while supplies last), hayride, and more. Costumes encouraged.
🟣 FREE!
Rocktober-Fest: A Halloween Concert in the Park
Fountain Valley | October 18, 2024
This spooky concert features activities for the whole family including food, games, costume contest, and scare zone.
🟣 FREE!
Peanuts Spooktacular at Laguna Lake
Fullerton | October 18, 2024
Join the City of Fullerton for a whimsical evening of Peanuts-themed Halloween fun. Enjoy treats, crafts, camp stories, songs, bobbing for doughnuts, eyeball spoon race, mummy wrapping, and more. Pre-registration required.
🟣 FREE!
Trunk or Treat at Santiago Canyon College
Orange | October 18, 2024
Trick-or-treat through the campus and enjoy music, games, and festive activities.
🟣 FREE!
Boo at the Oaks at Santiago Oaks Regional Park
Orange | October 18, 2024
Visit Santiago Oaks Regional Park after dark to discover which critters call this canyon home. The night will include fun activities like nature stations, creative crafts, a scavenger hunt for prizes and guided night hikes throughout the evening. Registration required.
🟣 FREE!
Trunk or Treat at YMCA Orange County
Orange County | October 18, 19, 25, 26, 2024
Visit your local YMCA for a family-friendly truck-or-treat plus games, prizes, and activities. October 18: Newport-Mesa • October 19: Fullerton • October 25: Mission Viejo • October 25: Huntington Beach • October 26: Laguna Niguel
🟣 FREE!
Halloween Spooktacular at Long Beach Towne Center
Long Beach | October 19, 2024
Family-friendly entertainment including trick-or-treat stations, character meet and greets, balloon twisters, crafts, and live DJ.
🟣 FREE!
Zombie Walk & Halloween Party at Shoreline Village
Long Beach | October 19, 2024
Join fellow flesh-eaters for an all-day, family-friendly festival. Kids Area features DJ entertainment, yard games, free jumper, free face painting, and free balloon twisting.
🟣 FREEish!
Howl-o-ween Festival at El Dorado Nature Center
Long Beach | October 19, 2024
Join the boo-tiful El Dorado Nature Center for a hare-raising good time and trick-or-treat along the trails. Visit the animal education village or the Ooh-possum Patch. Plus, enjoy storytelling, face painting, food trucks, and crafts. Parking is free, suggested donation of $5 per person at the gate.
🟣 FREEish!
Halloween Carnival at Los Alamitos Race Course
Los Alamitos | October 19, 2024
Families can enjoy a costume contest, carnival games, pony rides, live horse racing, and more. Game tickets are available for 50¢ per ticket. Admission is only $3 and kids 17 and under are free.
Photo: Columbia Memorial Space Center
🟠 $5 PER PERSON
Spooky Science Night at Columbia Memorial Space Center
Downey | October 19, 2024
Celebrate a spooky-themed night of science with a robotics lab, costume parade, super slime, and even more fun stations with variety of hands-on science activities.
🟣 FREE!
Wings & Treats at March Field Air Museum
Riverside | October 19, 2024
The air museum transforms into a Halloween wonderland. Historic aircraft come alive with festive lights, kids can trick-or-treat weaving between planes and helicopters. Grown-ups can enjoy the beer garden. Admission is completely free.
🟣 FREEish!
Fairbrook Manor Home Haunt
Long Beach | October 19-20 & 25-27, 2024
Visit Fairbrook Manor for spooky photo ops, laughs, and screams. This home haunt in Long Beach has welcomed thousands of guests over the years. Entry is a suggested $5 donation per person, plus donations for community food drive is appreciated. No scare hours on October 27 from 12-3pm and display only on October 31.
🟣 FREE!
Family Science Sunday at Marine Mammal Care Center
San Pedro | October 20, 2024
Enjoy a special Halloween edition of Family Science Sunday. Get your hands slimy with ocean-inspired experiments, and learn about the eerie “ghosts” that haunt the ocean deep. Costumes encouraged.
🟣 FREE!
Treats in the Streets Autumn Festival
Orange | October 24, 2024
Costume contest, petting zoo, Ghostbusters OC, Lightsaber Guild, a 50ft Star Wars obstacle course, free mini bundt cakes, free ice cream, games, and over 10 pallets of candy.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos at Fullerton College
Fullerton | October 24,2024
An evening of music, food, activities, ofrendas, vendors, and performances.
Photo: Lakewood Sheriff’s Station
🟣 FREEish!
Haunted Jail & Safety Expo
Lakewood | October 25, 2024
A spooky family event featuring food, pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, face painting, kids spooky maze, haunted jail, games, attractions, and a display of first responder vehicles. Entrance to the Haunted Jail and kids maze is free, tickets required for other games and attractions.
🟣 FREE!
Halloween & Día de los Muertos at Redondo Pier
Redondo Beach | October 25, 2024
Enjoy prizes for the best costumes, a Halloween selfie station, sponsor giveaways, and trick-or-treating on the pier and boardwalk!
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Festival on Olvera Street
Los Angeles | October 25 – November 2, 2024
The historic Olvera Street hosts the annual Día de los Muertos Festival featuring outdoor altar displays, nightly novenario procession, traditional Mayan blessing/soul cleansing, live entertainment, face painting (separate fee), and Carrera de los Muertos 5K. Don’t miss La Danza de la Muerte, a theatrical performance about the indigenous roots of Día de los Muertos.
🟣 FREE!
Howl-O-Ween Festival
Long Beach | October 26, 2024
Join Cal Heights Music for their annual Howl-O-Ween Festival featuring live music from their Indie Band, The Howlers, the CHM Kid’s Choir, plus a campfire family jam, Little Coyotes album release party, plus free face painting, and free photo booth.
🟣 FREE!
Fall Fest at The Pike Outlets
Long Beach | October 26, 2024
Halloween character meet and greets, balloon and caricature artists, crafts, musical performances, and center-wide trick-or-treating.
🟣 FREE!
Happy Hauntings at Point Fermin Lighthouse
San Pedro | October 26, 2024
Get a Halloween treat bag and enter the trick or treat pathway and craft booth. Free snacks for those in costume.
🟣 FREEish!
Haunted Jail
Cerritos | October 26, 2024
Visit Cerritos Sheriff’s Station for the haunted jail, car show, safety expo, boo-tique, inflatables, kids costume contest, music, food and drinks. $5 donation for entrance to haunted jail.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Festival
San Pedro | October 26, 2024
Authentic altar displays, live entertainment, food trucks, beer garden, artisan craft vendors, catrina costume contest, face painting for children, free trolley rides, and more.
🟣 FREE!
Trunk or Treat
Los Alamitos | October 26, 2024
This spooktacular event features trunk-or-treating, free pumpkin (one per household until supplies last), costume contest, free moon bounces, free spooky train ride, free carnival games, free calming sensory activity area, food and artisan vendors, pie eating contest (for grown-ups), and a beverage garden.
Photo: Visit Anaheim
🟣 FREE!
The Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade
Anaheim | October 26, 2024
This beloved event celebrates its centennial year! The festival features food vendors, artist booths, entertainers, photo ops, costume contests, and a parade float scavenger hunt. The festival culminates with the parade featuring hand-built floats, marching bands, dance groups, and the community.
🟠 $2 PER PERSON / $5 PARKING
Halloween Zoo-tacular at OC Zoo
Orange | October 26, 2024
See zoo animals receive treat-filled pumpkins and kids (ages 12 and under) can participate in a scavenger hunt, trick-or-treating, and spooky crafts. Prizes available while supplies last.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Celebration at MainPlace Mall
Santa Ana | October 26, 2024
Celebrate with interactive activities, live art demonstrations, cultural games, live music, plus an immersive altar installation that honors Day of the Dead and Aztec culture.
🟣 FREE!
Boo at the Bay: Family Halloween Party at Upper Newport Bay
Newport Beach | October 26, 2024
Visit the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center for a fun family Halloween party featuring spooky stories, crafts, science experiments, animals, and games. See booths and exhibits from the OC Bird of Prey Center, Environmental Nature Center, and the OC Parks Paleontology department. Costumes encouraged.
🟣 FREE!
Halloween Spooktacular
Newport Beach | October 26, 2024
Visit Mariners Park for trunk-or-treat, music, haunted walkthrough, carnival games, bounce houses, costume contests, food trucks, and more.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos
Mission Viejo | October 26, 2024
Experience the cultural richness and traditions of Day of the Dead with mariachi entertainment, folklorico dance performances, face painting, crafts, artisan market, and authentic food. Located at the Norman P. Murray Community Center.
🟣 FREE!
Halloween Spooktacular & Trunk or Treat
Dana Point | October 26, 2024
Join the City of Dana Point and Dana Point Police Services for a special trunk or treat, games, crafts, and entertainment. Meet the Bloodhounds, Bomb Squad, K-9 Unit, Mounted Patrol, and enjoy a kids costume parade with prizes.
🟣 FREE FOR KIDS IN COSTUME!
Hangar Halloween at Yanks Air Museum
Chino | October 26, 2024
Family-friendly Halloween trick or treating and fun-filled activities throughout the museum. Kids in costume receive free admission.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos at Third Street Promenade
Santa Monica | October 26, 2024
See a public art exhibit featuring 14-foot tall catrinas, enjoy cultural performances, Latinx pop-up market, community altars, arts and crafts, face painting, and games.
🟠 $5 FOR KIDS (AGES 4-12)
Halloween Fun Fishy Fest at Heal the Bay Aquarium
Santa Monica Pier | October 26-27, 2024
Pick up a trick-or-treat treasure map and follow the trail to collect treats along the pier and dress up for the costume contest. Tickets required to visit the Haunted Aquarium for fishy fun, animal feeding demos, spooky story time, and more.
🟣 FREE!
Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade
Long Beach | October 27, 2024
See 400+ costumed dogs as they parade in front of a few thousand gawkers and panel of judges. Plus, pet adoptions, vendor fair, and food trucks too.
🟣 FREE!
Halloween Spooktacular at Cerritos Towne Center
Cerritos | October 27, 2024
Celebrate with trick-or-treat stations, character meet and greets, balloon twisters, crafts, and live DJ.
Photo: Pacific Battleship Center
🟣 FREE!
Halloween STEMebration at Battleship IOWA
San Pedro | October 27, 2024
Join the Battleship IOWA crew for a safe and fun experience aboard the ship. Enjoy candy stations, trunk-or-treat with first responders, game stations, STEM/craft stations, spooky reading corner, and marionette show on the fantail stage.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Festival at Muckenthaler Cultural Center
Fullerton | October 27, 2024
Enjoy festive activities for the whole family, live music, local artisans, and arts and crafts for kids.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos at Rancho Los Cerritos
Long Beach | October 27, 2024
Enjoy a vibrant celebration with live music, traditional arts and crafts, altar displays, live music and performances, crown making, face painting, book reading, and more. Dress up as Catrinas and Catrines.
🟣 FREE!
Trick-or-Treat at the Whittier Museum
Whittier | October 27, 2024
Trick or treat for free at the Whittier Museum where staff and volunteers will pass out candy to all visitors.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos at Forest Lawn
Cypress, Covina Hills, Glendale, Cathedral City | October 27, 2024
Forest Lawn will bring traditional Day of the Dead customs to life with altars, folkloric dance, mariachi music, and Bob Baker marionettes.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Art Festival
Downey | October 27, 2024
Celebrate with live music, traditional Folkorica dances, delicious food trucks, and more. Event features arts & crafts, Calaveras decorating, face painting, bilingual story time, puppet show, and chalk walk.
🟣 FREE!
Ghouls Night Fall Fest at 2ND & PCH
Long Beach | October 31, 2024
Celebrate with eerie entertainment, hauntingly good music, trick-or-treating, costume contests, and spine-tingling surprises.
🟣 FREE!
Halloween Carnivals at Lakewood Parks
Lakewood | October 31, 2024
Special carnival activities will be held at Biscailuz, Bloomfield, Bolivar, Boyar, Del Valle, Mayfair, Palms and San Martin parks. “Haunted houses” for little ghosts and goblins to venture inside will be at Bolivar, Del Valle, Palms, and San Martin. Plus, inflatable attractions at Mayfair park for an additional fee. Each park will have a special theme.
🟣 FREE!
Cops ‘N’ Goblins
Buena Park | October 31, 2024
Bring your little goblins out for a trunk-or-treat experience, pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, costume contest, games, and food trucks.
🟣 FREE!
Pumpkin Patch Halloween Event
Downey | October 31, 2024
Carnival games, photo booth, costume parade, face painting, food trucks, creepy crawl maze (no scare zone from 5-5:30pm), inflatables, and more. Located at the Downey Adult School.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos
San Clemente | November 1, 2024
Join the City of San Clemente at Max Berg Plaza Park for rich cultural celebration. Explore a stunning display of traditional altars, enjoy live performers, Mexican music, folklorico dancing, Mexican cuisine and sweet treats, art contest, and Catrina and Catrin contest.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos at St. Isidore Historical Plaza
Los Alamitos | November 2, 2024
Enjoy food, altar displays and contest, costume contest, and entertainment.
🟣 FREE!
Día de Muertos at Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum
Rancho Dominguez | November 2, 2024
Watch live performances from mariachi to baile folklorico, enjoy traditional food, and shop vendors.
🟣 FREE!
Día de los Muertos Pop-Up at the Wilmington Cemetery
Wilmington | November 2, 2024
Celebrate with live music and a variety of booths and vendors with foods, crafts, gifts, and more.
Still Looking? More Ideas for Free Halloween Events:
- Local Libraries – Check for storytimes, craft activities, and special shows.
- City Recreation Departments – Most cities offer free or low-cost community events.
- Pop-Up Markets – Look for Halloween-themed markets with free entry and activities.
- Churches – Many offer trunk-or-treats or family-friendly Halloween events.
- Shopping Centers/Malls – Most centers host free trick-or-treating from store to store.
- YMCA – Your local YMCA is probably hosting a trunk-or-treat.
Categories: Blog
This post was written by Alina Na
