On the prowl to scare up some devilishly delightful fun this Halloween? There are plenty of local places to haunt that will get you into the spirit! Spooky celebrations range from the thrilling to the downright scary, but all are filled with a few scattered tricks and lots of treats. We stitched together a few of our favorites taking place throughout the month – read on if you dare!
Live Music and More at The River
Saturdays in October
Head to The River in Rancho Mirage each Saturday for live music and more monstrously awesome stuff. The Harvest Moon Concert Series runs from 7-9pm Saturday nights in October and features an excellent blend of live music ranging from rock and blues and ending with a monster mashup of tunes. Acts include SK Jive, Lisa Lynn and the Broken Hallelujahs, and DJ Tommy’s Halloween Dance Party.
On Saturday, October 29th, take a bite out of your Halloween weekend plans with the Zombie Walk at The River, crawling from 2-6pm. Drag your body around The River zombie-style while savoring other activities, including a costume contest, prizes, live music, and more. Stay after the Zombie Walk for the Halloween Dance Party!
Visit the events page on The River’s website for more details.
Villagefest Halloween Spook-Tacular
October 27th, 6-10pm
Enjoy a haunted edition of VillageFest in honor of Halloween! Slip into your costume and enjoy live entertainment, a pumpkin patch, a costume contest for kids, and trick-or-treating, in addition to the usual shopping options and characters who haunt this weekly affaire. The fun begins at sundown, taking place along North Palm Canyon Drive in the heart of the Downtown Palm Springs village.
Gather at the Gardens
October 29th from 2-6pm
Gather at the Gardens takes over The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert for an afternoon of family-friendly fall favorites, including trick-or-treating, selfie stations, costume contests, a jump zone, lawn games, delicious food, live entertainment, and more. Tickets benefit the Family YMCA of the Desert, doubling the fun of this lively event. More details can be found on the Family YMCA of the Desert website.
Halloween Themed Chili Cook-Off and Car Show
October 29th from 11am-2pm
Cars, planes, and chili all rolled into one event? Sign us up! Zip over to the Palm Springs Air Museum for this Halloween-themed chili cook-off and car show. Sample savory and spicy chili offerings from volunteers whipping up their secret recipes while you explore an awe-inspiring display of classic and contemporary show cars. The car show is included with museum admission, with chili tastings available for $1 per taste or $5 for a six pack of tasters. Get more info on the Palm Springs Air Museum’s website.
Howl-O-Ween at The Living Desert
October 29th and 30th from 9am-3pm each day
Looking for a wild Halloween celebration? Check out Howl-O-Ween at The Living Desert! Free to zoo members or with paid park admission, this annual Halloween celebration delivers a herd of fun, including trick-or-treat stations, limited edition animal trading cards, photo-ops, Halloween-themed games and treats, a comedy magic show, food trucks, and more. Have the kids dress in their Halloween costumes to really up the excitement. Get the full slate of activities and purchase tickets on The Living Desert’s website.
Indio Halloween Carnival
October 29th from 1-6pm
Pack up your ghouls and goblins and head to Indio Community Park for the Indio Halloween Carnival. Enjoy a bounty of awesome attractions, carnival games, contests with prizes, inflatables, plenty of candy, and more. Visit the Desert Recreation District website for more info.
Cathedral City’s Halloween Spooktacular
October 30th
This free fright fest features fun for the family! Gather with friends, family, and neighbors for a spooktacular afternoon at Cathedral City Civic Center Plaza. Planned activities include music, family games, police and fire exhibitions, costume contests, and more. Oh, and there will be over 40,000 pieces of candy given away, so bring your trick-or-treat bag! More information can be found on the Cathedral City website.
Madam Hazel’s Haunted House
Through October 31st
Looking for a truly frightening experience this Halloween season? Plan a visit to Madam Hazel’s Haunted House at The Shops at Palm Desert for an eerie experience featuring ghastly rooms and creepy characters waiting to say hello. Tickets are $17, and the haunted house is open Thursday through Sunday. More info and tickets available here.
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