Halloween is just around the corner. Time to work on those costumes, and plan your Halloween activities. We can’t offer much help with the costumes, but we’ve got you covered for all the best Halloween events in Santa Cruz. Here is a day by day listing of all the Halloween events this month:
Friday, Oct. 24 & Saturday, Oct. 25
Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party
For the first time at Roaring Camp, Thomas the Tank Engine’s buddy Percy will join him on the rails to give an instructional and festive Halloween ride. Activities include: Temporary Tattoos, Face Painting, Story Telling, Videos, Train Play Tables, Pick a Pumpkin (small pumpkins for little ones), Cookie decorating, photos with Sir Topham Hatt, Thomas store and entertainment.
Roaring Camp Railroads
10/18, 10/19, 10/25, 10/26, 1/1, 1/2
Cost: $24
Roaring Camp Halloween Ghost Train
Celebrate Halloween Roaring Camp style by boarding the Ghost Train for a ride through the haunted forest, as scenes from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are reenacted. Once off the train your youngsters will be able to enjoy games, Trick or Treating, and a haunted house.
Roaring Camp Railroads
Friday, October 24 & Saturday, October 25
Cost: $28
Saturday, October 25
Louden Nelson’s Halloween Festival, Mask-Making Workshop & Haunted House
This Louden Nelson Halloween Festival is a free annual event full of Halloween fun. Kids can create decorative masks, walk through the haunted house, and take home a pic from the phantom photo booth. There’s also a spooky nighttime sneak peek of the haunted house on Friday night.
Louden Nelson Community Center
Saturday, October 25
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Cost: Free
Bonus: Haunted House Sneak Peek: Friday, October 24 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gault Elementary School’s 66th Annual Community Halloween Parade and Carnival
The Gault Elementary Halloween Parade & Carnival has been a favorite community event since 1948. All of Santa Cruz is invited to this fun family friendly event. The day begins with a costume parade on Soquel Ave. followed by the carnival at Gault Elementary.
Gault Elementary School
Saturday, October 25 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cost: Free
Haunted Harbor
Come down to the harbor for an afternoon of trick or treating in one of the most picturesque settings in the county.
Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor
Saturday, October 25
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Cost: Free
Sunday, October 26
Capitola Village Children’s Halloween Parade
The Capitola Village Halloween parade begins near the Capitola Police Department, and works its way down Capitola Ave., to the Esplanade. Enjoy trick or treating at the Capitola Village merchants after the parade.
Capitola Village
Sunday, October 26, 2013
Line-up begins at 1:30. Parade starts at 2:00 pm
Parade begins at Pacific Cove parking lot, behind the Capitola City Hall & Police Dept.
Photo Credit: Soultravelers3.com
Thursday, October 30
Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-a-long
Sing along to a Halloween classic with the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-a-long at the Rio Theatre. Come in full costume as there will be prizes for the scariest and most original Halloween costumes.
Rio Theatre
Thursday, October 30, at 7:00 pm
Tickets: $10
Halloween – Friday, October 31
Marine Masquerade at the Seymour Center
Head over to everyone’s favorite marine center Friday evening for a costume contest, scavenger hunts, creature crafts, and a flashlight tour to the whale skeleton.
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Friday, October 31, 2014 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Public: $8 adults, $6 kids
Members: Free
Children 2 and under: FREE
Trick-or-Treat Downtown
Head to Downtown Santa Cruz between 2:30 – 5:00 with your little ghosts and goblins for trick or treating at local businesses on Pacific Ave.
Even if you don’t go for the candy, the people/costume watching is well worth a mid-afternoon trip to downtown.
Downtown Santa Cruz
Friday, October 31st, 2014
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Trick-or-Treat on the Wharf
Businesses on the wharf will be handing out candy between 4:00 – 6:00 pm on Halloween.
Santa Cruz Wharf
Friday, October 31, 2014
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Return of the Great Morgani to Downtown Santa Cruz
After an 8 month hiatus, the Great Morgani will return to downtown Santa Cruz on Halloween. The popular performer was a mainstay on Pacific Ave. before he stopped performing downtown due to a city ordinance which requires performers to stay 14 feet away from buildings. Get more info over at the Sentinel.
Downtown Santa Cruz: In front of the Rittenhouse building
Friday, October 31, 2014
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Costume Portrait Contest
Local photographer Rebecca Stark will be hosting her annual costume contest at her downtown photography studio. Stop by the studio between 3:00 – 9:00 pm to have your photo taken.
Photos will be posted on the Rebecca Stark Photography Facebook page, and a $100 prize will be awarded to the photo with the most likes.
Get more info here.
Rebecca Stark Photography Studio
627 Center Street in downtown Santa Cruz
Friday, October 31, 2014
3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Trick or Treating at the Capitola Mall
Stores in the Capitola Mall will be handing out candy to little ghosts and goblins from 4:00 – 7:00 this afternoon. Participating stores will be identified with signs in their store windows.
Capitola Mall
Friday, October 31, 2014
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
20th Annual FREAKER’S BALL
The 20th Annual Freaker’s Ball at the Cocoanut Grove will feature three rooms of music, a full bar, and a costume contest at midnight.
Costumes required, so dress to impress!
This is a 21 + event, so you’ll need to leave the little ones at home.
Tickets available at Streetlight, and online.
Cocoanut Grove
Friday, October 31, 7:00 pm
Cost: $40
Hotel Paradox Halloween Party
Hotel Paradox offers adults 21 and over a chance to party late into the night with the Hotel Paradox and O’Neill Coldwater Classic Halloween Affair.
Tickets available here.
Hotel Paradox
Friday, October 31, 8:00 pm – 1:00 am
Cost: $15
A Tribute to Woodstock on Halloween Night
Join the Brothers Comatose, the Coffis Brothers, and Brother Grand as they channel the likes of CSN&Y, Jimmie Hendrix, the Who, Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, and other Woodstock legends.
Dust off your Birkenstocks, put a flower in your hair, and travel back to 1969 for an evening of unforgettable music.
Catalyst
Friday, October 31. Doors at 8:00 pm, Show at 9:00 pm
Cost: $15 / $19
Boulder Creek Halloween Party
Trick or Treat at the shops in downtown Boulder Creek from 5:00 – 7:00, followed by a Halloween party and haunted house at the Boulder Creek Recreation Hall. You can get more info here.
Trick or Treating from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm in Downtown Boulder Creek
Halloween Party from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Boulder Creek Recreation Hall
SambaDa Halloween Show at Moe’s Alley
Head over to Moe’s Alley for a Halloween celebration with SambaDa. Bring your dancing shoes and boogie the night away with one of Santa Cruz’s most popular bands.
Moe’s Alley
Friday, October 31. Doors at 9:00 pm, Show at 9:30 pm
Cost: $15 / $20
Drivin’ South Halloween Show Featuring White Chocolate
Rock out this Halloween with a live rock, funk, and soul costume party at the Crepe Place, featuring Drivin’ South with White Chocolate.
Crepe Place
Friday, October 31, 2014
9:00 pm
Cost: $8
Saturday, November 1
Dia de los Muertos Community Festival
Keep the Halloween spirit alive into November with the Dia de los Muertos Community Festival at the MAH and Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, November 1st.
This Day of the Dead festival features traditional Mexican craft-making, facepainting, and dance performances at the MAH, from 3:00 – 4:45 pm. The festivities then continue at Evergreen Cemetery.
MAH / Evergreen Cemetery
Saturday, November 1
3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Cost: Free
Dia de los Muertos at the Rio Theatre
New Music Works, along with The Cabrillo Latin Music Ensemble, presents a live Dia de los Muertos performance Saturday night at the Rio Theatre.
This musical celebration honors the souls of the departed, with traditional songs and rituals from Mexico, Columbia and the United States, and guests are invited to bring their keepsakes and offerings to add to a special Dia de los Muertos altar.
There’s also a costume contest, so don’t put away those Halloween costumes just yet.
Rio Theatre
Saturday, November 1
8:00 pm
Cost: $10 – $23
Hi Ethan,
I’m having my annual Halloween Costume contest again this year. Is there anyway you can add it to your list of events? Here’s a link with more information: http://www.rebeccastarkphotography.com/halloween-in-santa-cruz/
I can email you a flier.
Thank you:)
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
Nice to hear from you. I was wondering if you were going to do the contest again this year. I didn’t see any info on your site so I’m glad you shared the link here. Hope the costume contest is a big hit this year!
Hi Ethan,
My local store Romantic Nights For Two , has all our sexy packaged Halloween costumes for $29.95 each until there sold out. We also have tons of one of a kind costumes and create many costumes since we have a huge selection of corsets, lingerie and rave clubwear. We also keep track of where people are wearing them, so there’s a great chance that no one else will be wearing the same outfit. We are a locally owned boutique, small business boutique and would really appreciate the shout out. (I noticed you mentioned you didn’t know about costumes)
thanks,
Adrienne;)
Romantic Nights For Two
1714 Brommer st
Santa Cruz ca 95062 (831)688-9800
Happy Halloween everybody!
Your local costume shop Closet Capers has quality rentals available. Come by or make an appointment to get fitted!
Thanks!