Fall is here along with a plethora of community events and activities that are aimed at families ready to celebrate the season and Halloween.
Please find below a list of events and activities taking place in the Westchester, Playa and Marina communities:
• Take a trip to the pumpkin patch. For the littlest pumpkin hunters, The Marina del Rey Garden Center’s quaint pumpkin patch has a great selection of unique pumpkins, including the specialty Trickster, Wee Be Little, Mini, White, Jarrahdale, Tiger and Jackpot variety. Whether you want a traditional looking pumpkin or something more exotic, you’re sure to find the perfect porch decoration. The center has also set up a picture-perfect seating area so you can pose for photos. On October 18, 19, 25 and 26, the garden center will have a bounce house,
The Marina del Rey Garden Center is located at 13198 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey.
• LMU Family Fall Festival. The LMU Children Center’s is celebrating the season with its Fall Festival on Friday, October 10 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the door. Admission includes dinner, drinks and dessert. Children are free with an accompanied paid adult and will receive five complimentary game/ride tickets. Activities at the event include a bounce house, a petting zoo, rides and more.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call (310) 258-8900 or visit facebook.com/lmucc.
The LMU Children’s Center is located at 1 LMU Drive, Suite 1000 in Westchester.
• Visitation Carnival. The biennial Visitation Carnival will take place Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26. This neighborhood institution is celebrating this year with rides and games from a brand new carnival company. Attendees can also enjoy a live band, bake sale, prize room and a variety of food and drinks for purchase. Entrance is free, but tickets for rides, food and games can be purchased at the event.
Visitation is located at 8740 Emerson Ave. in Westchester.
For more information, please visit visitationschool.org or contact Ed Stokx at (310) 480-6116.
• School Rocks! event. St. Anastasia Catholic School, WISH and Goethe International volunteers have organized a concert featuring the Imagination Movers to help raise money for the schools’ arts and music programs. The band, which plays “kids’ alt-rock” music, stars in a successful television series on the Disney Junior channel.
The concert will take place on Friday, October 24 at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, located at 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Redondo Beach.
Tickets are currently on sale at brownpapertickets.com/event/850571. General admission tickets are $25 each and VIP tickets, which include a meet-and-greet with the band, preferred seating and drink tickets are also available for purchase.
• Open Magnet Fall Festival. The community is invited to attend Open Magnet Charter School’s annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The school’s signature event will provide fun for the entire family with carnival games, a haunted house and fairyland, food, face painting, photos, a raffle, DJ and live entertainment, a bake sale, arts and crafts and much more!
For more information, please visit opencharter.org.
• 2014 Boo Fest. Playa Vista Elementary School will host its Third Annual Boo Fest on Saturday, October 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a chili cook-off, pumpkin painting contest, game booths, face painting, a bounce house, bake sale and live music.
Playa Vista Elementary School is located at 13150 W. Bluff Creek Dr. in Playa Vista.
For more information, visit playavistaschool.com.
• Haunted Maze at Westchester Park. Westchester Park will hold its annual Haunted Maze in its recreation center on October 24, 25 and 31. Attendees must be 8 years and older and the cost is $5. The park will also hold a Halloween Kids’ Zone on Friday, October 31 from 3 to 6 p.m. for children ages 8 and younger. The event will include crafts, games, costume contest, scary stories, candy and face painting.
The Westchester Recreation Center is located at 7000 Manchester Ave. in Westchester. Please call (310) 670-7473 for more information.
• Halloween Spooktacular at the YMCA. Tuesday, October 28 visit the Westchester Family YMCA for its annual “Halloween Spooktacular.” The event is free and open to the community.
Attendees can enjoy an evening of haunted games, ghostly crafts, trick or treating and spooky fun for the whole family. Costumes are encouraged. The event runs 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Westchester YMCA Welcome Center, located at 8015 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester.
• Haunting of Hannon Library. Stop by Loyola Marymount University on Saturday, October 25 for a unique thrill as LMU Theatre Arts students haunt the stacks at Hannon Library! A tour guide will lead attendees through the library and students will act out scenes from classic horror novels. Tours will depart from the library’s Special Collections Department (third floor) every ten minutes.
This event is free and open to the public and is suitable for ages 10 and up. The event runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served.
LMU is located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester and parking is free on the weekends on campus.
Is your organization holding a fall or Halloween-themed event? Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com to be added to our event calendar!
Pictured: The Marina del Rey Garden Center has a wide variety of pumpkins and decor for fall and Halloween.
