Photo: iStockphoto
The Central Coast is creeping into Halloween season with a spooktacular lineup of events to stir up some festive fright! Get into the spooky spirit by rocking your best costume or eerie ensemble and prepare for some fang-tastic fun all across the region. Whether you're looking for family-friendly festivals, haunted happenings, or late-night costume contests, there's something for everyone in Monterey County this October.
Events in October 2025
🎟️ Trunk or Treat at Northridge Mall
📅 Oct 17, 4–7 PM | 📍 Salinas
Treats, music, games, and a costume contest hosted by Sun Street Centers.
🎟️ Special Kids Connect Halloween Carnival
📅 Oct 18, 11 AM–1 PM | 📍 Monterey County Fairgrounds
Inclusive carnival with games, crafts, face painting, and giveaways for special needs families.
🎟️ Pumpkin Plunge
📅 Oct 18, 1–3 PM | 📍 Patullo Swim Center, Seaside
Plunge for a pumpkin in the pool and decorate it with provided supplies.
🎟️ Heritage Harvest Festival
📅 Oct 18, 11 AM–4 PM | 📍 Wilder Ranch, Santa Cruz
Living history demos, crafts, music, cider press, and pumpkin ice cream.
🎟️ City of Marina 50th Anniversary Festival
📅 Oct 18, 12–4 PM | 📍 Vista Del Camino Circle, Marina
Live music, food trucks, vendors, and family fun.
🎟️ Haunted House & Mask Making Festival
📅 Oct 18, 12–4:30 PM | 📍 London Nelson Center, Santa Cruz
Free event with mask making, carnival games, Thriller dance, and performances.
🎟️ Floating Pumpkin Patch
📅 Oct 18, 1–4 PM | 📍 Simpkins Swim Center, Santa Cruz
Swim for pumpkins, decorate them, and enjoy games and prizes.
🎟️ Trunk or Treat & Movie on the Lawn
📅 Oct 18, 5–6:30 PM | 📍 Colton Hall Lawn, Monterey
Trick-or-treat with nonprofits followed by an outdoor movie.
🎟️ Pumpkin Painting with AFRP
📅 Oct 18, 5:30–7:30 PM | 📍 Sanctuary Vacation Rentals, Carmel
Paint pumpkins with wine and snacks, hosted by Animal Friends Rescue.
🎟️ Greenfield Harvest Festival
📅 Oct 19, 12–6:30 PM | 📍 Downtown Greenfield
Live music, food, car show, and community celebration.
🎟️ 13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf
📅 Oct 19–31 | 📍 Santa Cruz Wharf
Pumpkin bingo, Thriller dance, photo booths, and merchant specials.
🎟️ Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Trunk or Treat
📅 Oct 24, 5–8 PM | 📍 Shuttle from Capitola Mall
Decorated trunks, candy, games, and food vendors.
🎟️ Party at the Monterey Boo Ascaryum
📅 Oct 24–25, 7–10 PM | 📍 Monterey Bay Aquarium
Costumes, music, desserts, and spooky aquarium fun (special ticket required).
🎟️ Pebble Beach Zombie Run & Emergency Fair
📅 Oct 25, 9 AM–12 PM | 📍 Pebble Beach
Choose between a 5K Zombie Crawl or 2K Survivor Stroll with tacos and fire engine tours.
🎟️ Spooky Science Saturday
📅 Oct 25, 10 AM–3 PM | 📍 Pacific Grove Museum
Meet live animals, do crafts, and explore spooky science.
🎟️ Downtown Pacific Grove Trick-or-Treat
📅 Oct 25, 10 AM–2 PM | 📍 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove
Candy, music, giveaways, and safety zone activities.
🎟️ Carmel Pumpkin Roll
📅 Oct 25, 11 AM–1 PM | 📍 Ocean Avenue, Carmel
Pumpkins roll downhill in this quirky community tradition.
🎟️ Downtown Salinas Trick-or-Treat
📅 Oct 25, 11 AM–2 PM | 📍 Downtown Salinas
Costume contests, pumpkin decorating, scavenger hunt, and more.
🎟️ Halloween Family Festival at Del Monte Center
📅 Oct 25, 1–3 PM | 📍 Monterey
Costumes, treats, entertainment, arts, crafts, and characters.
🎟️ Halloween on Lighthouse
📅 Oct 25, 2–5 PM | 📍 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey
Trick-or-treating with local businesses in New Monterey.
🎟️ Shoreline Fall Family Festival
📅 Oct 25, 2–4 PM | 📍 Shoreline Church, Monterey
Games, trunk-or-treat, crafts, and inflatables.
🎟️ Point Sur Lightstation Halloween Tour
📅 Oct 25, 5–9 PM | 📍 Big Sur
Ghost tours, storytelling, lighthouse views, and a light buffet.
🎟️ 831 Sundown Social (Halloween Edition)
📅 Oct 25, 3–8 PM | 📍 Breakwater Cove Marina, Monterey
A free, all-ages sunset dance party with DJs, costumes, food, and community vibes.
🎟️ Community Halloween Party
📅 Oct 25, 10 AM–12 PM | 📍 Children’s Therapy Center, Carmel
Small-group friendly event with games, crafts, and costumes for kids with sensory needs.
🎟️ Makerspace Fair: It’s Spooky!
📅 Oct 25, 11 AM–3 PM | 📍 Carmel Valley Library
Make-and-take stations, trick-or-treating, and costumes welcome.
🎟️ Santa Cruz Día de los Muertos Celebration
📅 Oct 25, 1–3 PM | 📍 The MAH, Santa Cruz
Traditional music, dance, art, and community altars honoring loved ones.
🎟️ North County Recreation Halloween Fun Day
📅 Oct 25, 1–5 PM | 📍 Castroville
Trunk-or-treat, haunted house, games, and costume contest.
🎟️ Crafts for Halloween
📅 Oct 25, 1–3 PM | 📍 Seaside Library
Family-friendly Halloween-themed craft stations.
🎟️ Santa Cruz Día de los Muertos (MAH)
📅 Oct 26, 1 PM | 📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Live music, dance, and art to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
🎟️ Watsonville Downtown Candy Crawl
📅 Oct 26, 2–6 PM | 📍 City Plaza, Watsonville
Costume parade and trick-or-treating for kids 13 and under.
🎟️ Halloween-Themed Teen Escape Challenge
📅 Oct 28, 3:30–5:15 PM | 📍 Jewell Park, Pacific Grove
Escape room challenge for grades 6–12 with snacks and prizes.
🎟️ Historic & Haunted Walking Tour
📅 Oct 29, 6 PM | 📍 Colton Hall, Monterey
Explore Colton Hall and the Old Jail at night with a guided tour.
🎟️ Haunted Library in Pacific Grove
📅 Oct 30, 3:30–5:30 PM | 📍 Pacific Grove Public Library
Costume-friendly Halloween event in the Children’s Room.
🎟️ Pilates After Dark: BOOty & Beats Halloween Edition
📅 Oct 30, 6:30 PM | 📍 Coastal Movement, Monterey
Glow-in-the-dark Pilates class with spooky beats and costumes encouraged.
🎟️ Halloween Storytime & Parade
📅 Oct 31, 10:15 AM | 📍 Colton Hall Lawn, Monterey
Spooky stories followed by a costume parade for little ones.
🎟️ Aptos Halloween Parade
📅 Oct 31, 3–4:30 PM | 📍 Aptos Village Green
Face painting, crafts, and family fun in a festive outdoor setting.
🎟️ Halloween Dog Costume Contest
📅 Oct 31, 5–6 PM | 📍 Abbott Square Market, Santa Cruz
Dress up your pup and compete for prizes in this adorable contest.
🎟️ Downtown Boulder Creek Trick-or-Treat
📅 Oct 31, 5–7 PM | 📍 Downtown Boulder Creek
Local businesses hand out candy in a safe, festive environment.
🎟️ Halloween Spooktacular BunnyFest
📅 Oct 31, 6–9 PM | 📍 Lighthouse Cinema, Pacific Grove
Family movies (Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice), trick-or-treating, and costume contest.
Get Your Ghoul On
The Central Coast transforms into a haunted haven during Halloween season, bringing spooky fun and eerie excitement to all! From glowing jack-o’-lantern displays to frightfully fun festivals and community trick-or-treat events, there are countless ways to embrace the magic of this haunted holiday. Mark your calendars, rally your ghoul gang, and dive into the thrills and chills of the season. It’s the perfect time to make hauntingly good memories and share in the spooky spirit!
And since it’s officially October, that means the Halloween jams are on! Tune into your favorite spooky soundtracks anytime, anywhere with the iHeartRadio App. Whether you're craving creepy classics, haunted hits, or eerie ambiance for your Halloween bash, iHeartRadio has the perfect mix to keep the vibe alive all season long.
Sources & Event Info
https://www.montereybayparent.com/halloween-fall-events-in-monterey-santa-cruz-counties/
https://specialkidsconnect.org
https://ci.seaside.ca.us
https://www.parks.ca.gov
https://www.cityofmarina.org
https://www.cityofsantacruz.com
https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov
https://www.monterey.org/rec
https://www.animalfriendsrescue.org
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org
https://www.pbcsd.org
https://www.pgmuseum.org
https://business.pacificgrove.org
https://www.carmelcalifornia.com
https://www.downtownsalinas.org
https://www.delmontecenter.com
https://www.lighthousedistrict.net
https://www.shoreline.church
https://www.pointsur.org