Fun Things To Do This Weekend in Southern California — October 2-4, 2026
Photo: Los Angeles Korean Festival
Got weekend plans? We do! Whether you’re looking for a family adventure, a budget-friendly outing, or just something fun to do, we’ve rounded up the best events happening this weekend. Check out what’s going on!
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🚗 Know Before You Go: Confirm details with the event organizer before making plans. We’re here to help you find the fun, but changes, cancellations, and mistakes can happen!
Happening All Weekend – October 2–4
Oct 1-4: FREE! Los Angeles Korean Festival
Seoul International Park, Los Angeles
Celebrate Korean culture with street food, shopping, live performances, traditional games, crafts, and Hanbok photo opportunities.
Oct 2-4: FREE! California Avocado Festival
Downtown Carpinteria
Celebrate 40 years of the California Avocado Festival with 60+ bands, food, vendors, a Youth Stage, a Strong Arm Contest, and a Guacamole Contest.
Oct 2-4: FREE! Tiller Days Festival
Columbus Tustin Park
Enjoy a parade, carnival rides, entertainment, vendors, a brewfest, and more.
Oct 3-4: FREE! Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair
Manhattan Beach
Enjoy live music, arts and crafts, and a Community Showcase, plus Kid Country with a petting zoo, pony rides, games, and face painting.
Oct 2-4: Greek Festival
Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles
Savor Greek food, dancing, kids’ activities, and cathedral tours at the LA Greek Fest.
Oct 2-4: Pacific Airshow® Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach Pier
Watch aerial performances, skydivers, and live entertainment along the coastline, plus STEM activities and meet-and-greets on the beach.
Oct 2-3: Things That Go Bump in the Night
California Botanic Garden, Claremont
Explore the Garden after dark with live animals, night hikes, creepy-crawly crafts, the World Famous Spider Show, and Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
Oct 3-4: Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire
Long Beach Arena
Watch fan-favorite monster trucks and the live debut of Rhinomite™, plus freestyle motocross stunts, a transforming robot, and pyro effects.
Oct 3-4: Reptile Super Show
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim
Explore the world of reptiles with thousands of snakes, lizards, and amphibians at this two-day expo.
Oct 3-4: Rare Books LA
Union Station, Los Angeles
Browse rare books, first editions, maps, and prints from 50+ exhibitors, plus an Interview with the Vampire 50th anniversary exhibit, author talks, and curator-led tours.
Oct 3-4: Spooktacular Family Sleepover
Battleship USS Iowa, San Pedro
Spend the night aboard the Battleship IOWA with Halloween activities, after-hours exploration, dinner, breakfast, and an overnight stay in real sailor bunks.
Oct 3-4: Mehregan Festival
Great Park Live, Irvine
Celebrate Persian culture with live music, folk dances, traditional arts, Persian cuisine, cultural exhibits, and children’s activities.
Oct 3-4: Great American Train Show
Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar
See huge model railroad displays, ride a Thomas the Tank Engine train, and climb aboard real railcars. Kids 11 and under are free.
Friday – October 2
FREE! Friday Fun
Madrona Marsh Preserve, Torrance
Preschoolers explore nature with story time, crafts, science, and guided activities. Pre-registration is required.
Saturday – October 3
FREE! Scare Down in Downtown
Downtown Torrance
Dress up for Trunk or Treat, live entertainment, games, prizes, spooky vendors, and photo ops at Downtown Torrance’s Halloween celebration.
FREE! Open House
Discovery Isle Preschool, San Diego
Tour the school, meet the teachers, and explore programs for infants (6 weeks) through Pre-Kindergarten, including the Links to Learning curriculum.
FREE! Festival of Butterflies
Los Rios Park & Historic Town Center, San Juan Capistrano
Celebrate pollinators with family activities, environmental education, and native gardening.
FREE! OC Fire Authority Station Open Houses
Orange County
Meet firefighters, explore emergency vehicles, learn about fire and life safety, and enjoy hands-on activities at participating OCFA stations.
FREE! Hot Wheels Legends Tour
Mattel Headquarters, El Segundo
See one-of-a-kind custom cars compete for the chance to become an official Hot Wheels die-cast vehicle.
FREE! Harvest Festival
City Hall Complex, Gardena
Celebrate fall with music, vendors, and kids’ activities.
FREE! Battle of Dominguez Hill Reenactment
Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, Rancho Dominguez
Watch a live reenactment of the Battle of Dominguez Hills, plus military encampments, vendors, activities, and a taco truck.
FREE! Muertos Artwalk
Olvera Street, Los Angeles
Shop artwork and handmade goods from 35+ local artists, plus enjoy live music, performances, and face painting.
FREE! West Covina Moon Festival
West Covina City Hall
Celebrate the Moon Festival with lion dancers, live entertainment, a cosplay contest, a car show, a Family Fun Zone, food, and vendors.
FREE! Pumpkin Dive
Montanoso Recreation and Fitness Center, Mission Viejo
Jump into a floating pumpkin patch, pick and decorate a pumpkin, and play carnival games. Pumpkins are $5–10.
FREE! International Street Fair & Diversity Festival
City of Artesia
Celebrate cultures from around the world with international food, cultural performances, vendors, family activities, and a live performance by The Two Lips.
Roscoe’s Thank You LA Festival
Shoreline Aquatic Park, Long Beach
The festival returns to Long Beach for its second year with a celebration of food, music, culture, and community.
Los Angeles County Dragon Boat Festival
Santa Fe Dam Regional Park, Irwindale
Watch teams race head-to-head, plus community and cultural festivities at Santa Fe Dam.
Japanese Classic Car Show
Marina Green Park, Long Beach
See classic Japanese cars at a show celebrating more than two decades of Japanese automotive heritage and car culture.
Country Night
Lomita Railroad Museum, Lomita
Enjoy live music, dancing, food trucks, local vendors, and museum tours at the Railroad Museum.
Sunday – October 4
FREE! Mehregan Family Festival
Bowers Museum, Santa Ana
Celebrate Mehregan with hands-on art, face painting, live music and dance performances, and a traditional Iranian sweet treat.
FREE! KCRW Family Day
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Enjoy live music, interactive jam sessions, songwriting, artmaking, garden activities, and museum galleries.
Dribble for Victory Over Cancer
UCLA Drake Stadium, Los Angeles
Join the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and UCLA for the 19th annual dribble to support childhood cancer research, and meet college basketball players, coaches, and alumni.
Laguna Beach Classic Car Show & Oktoberfest
Laguna Canyon Road Lot, Laguna Beach
See classic cars, hot rods, and muscle cars, plus enjoy Oktoberfest food and live music from the Bavarian Beergarden Band.
Sensory-Friendly Sunday
The Children’s Museum at La Habra
Explore the museum with reduced noise, dim lighting, and a calm, sensory-friendly environment.
Ongoing Events
October 1–31: FREE! Kids Free San Diego
San Diego
Kids 12 and under receive free admission with a paid adult to more than 70 San Diego County museums, historic sites, aquariums, and gardens all month long.
September 5 – November 8: Hallowe’en Spooktacular
Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Los Angeles
Celebrate Halloween with 100+ puppets, silly songs, a Día de los Muertos sequence, and costume parades in October.
September 22 – October 11: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa
Watch the first North American touring production of the beloved musical in over 25 years, featuring all-new sets, costumes, and the classic Oscar-winning score.
Select nights, October 2–30: Boo-tastic Halloween Party
Adventure City, Anaheim
Trick-or-treat, enjoy 11 rides, hop aboard the Halloween Express Train, explore the Cosmic Vortex, and join a scavenger hunt and dance party.
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