Party Themes & MotifsNo. 4707 · The 2026 edition
Get your scare on with this roundup of Halloween thrills and chills
Embrace the spooky season with our curated list of the best Halloween frights and delights.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at web.archive.org.
A roundup of Halloween events and attractions guaranteed to deliver thrills and chills, from haunted houses to scary movies and ghost tours.
About this
A North County Times (San Diego area) seasonal roundup, published October 22, 2010, that lists dozens of Halloween events across North San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties. Organized as a dated calendar from Oct. 3 through Oct. 31 and beyond, it covers haunted houses, ghost tours, cemetery walks, pumpkin festivals, costume contests, seances, movie nights, museum exhibits and theme-park celebrations. Each entry packs in times, prices, addresses, phone numbers and contact websites. It reads as a complete local Halloween planning guide for both kids and adults.
The list
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01
Living history cemetery tour 2010
Oct. 3; Escondido History Center docent-led Oak Hill Memorial Park tour; $10 adults, free kids 10 and under.
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02
Old Town ghost tours 2010
Oct. 3; Michael Brown's walking tours, 9 p.m. Tue-Sun through Oct. 31; $19 adults, $10 kids.
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03
Pumpkin Festival & Craft Fair 2010
Oct. 3; Bates Nut Farm, Valley Center; 80 vendors, hay rides, straw maze, pony rides, live music.
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04
Pumpkin-carving party 2010
Oct. 6; San Marcos Community Center, 7 p.m.; $3 or $12 per family.
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05
Whaley House hosts late-night Old Town tours 2010
Oct. 7; Past & Present Ghost Tours, 10-11:30 p.m.; $25, ages 12 and up.
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06
Monster Manor 2010
Oct. 8; Mira Mesa Theatre Guild's 10th annual haunted house plus Scooby-Doo themed Lite Frite.
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07
Pumpkin Plunge 2010
Oct. 9; Carlsbad all-ages pool party at Monroe Street Pool; $8 presale, $12 gate.
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08
Scarecrow-making contest 2010
Oct. 9; Bates Nut Farm's 18th annual scarecrow contest with prizes.
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09
Alta Vista Gardens Fall Festival 2010
Oct. 9; Vista garden event with games, relays, crafts, scarecrow contest and live music.
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10
Haunted Tales of the Ship 2010
Oct. 9; Star of India lantern-led tours, 6-10 p.m. Saturdays; $8-$14.
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11
Field of Screams: The Haunted Stadium 2010
Oct. 14; Diamond ballpark, Lake Elsinore; haunted attractions; $13 general.
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12
Seances in Old Town 2010
Oct. 15; Old Town State Historic Park theatrical seances; $10 adults, $5 children 12-18.
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13
Halloween Desert Ghost Tour 2010
Oct. 16; California Overland backcountry ghost tours with historian Charles Spratley; $95-$150.
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14
Quoth the Raven 2010
Oct. 16; Write Out Loud reader's theater; Poe, Bradbury, Lovecraft readings; $15 adults.
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15
Roar & Snore Pumpkin Festival 2010
Oct. 16; San Diego Zoo Safari Park family tent-camping sleepover; $29-$219.
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16
Lizards & Snakes: Alive! 2010
Oct. 16; San Diego Natural History Museum exhibit of 60+ live lizards; $11-$17.
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17
Haunted Aquarium at Scripps 2010
Oct. 22; Birch Aquarium's 10th annual; costume and pumpkin contests; $15 advance.
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18
Whaley House tours 2010
Oct. 22; late-night Ghost Hunting ($50) and Oil Lamp ($25) tours; daytime $4-$6.
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19
Boulevard Boo Parade & Carnival 2010
Oct. 23; El Cajon Boulevard costume parade and carnival; free.
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20
Family Halloween party in San Marcos 2010
Oct. 23; crafts, treats, bingo and carnival games; $5.
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21
Alice in Wonderland movie night 2010
Oct. 23; Encinitas Stars in the Park screening of Tim Burton film; free.
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22
Creepy Crawly Festival 2010
Oct. 23; San Diego Zoo Safari Park bug-themed festival; free with admission.
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23
Bates hosts costume contest 2010
Oct. 23; children's costume contest with four age brackets.
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24
Strange Bones: Curiosities of the Human Skeleton 2010
Oct. 23; San Diego Museum of Man new exhibit on skeletal adaptations.
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25
Bates hosts doggie costume parade and contest 2010
Oct. 24; dog costume contest, registration 10 a.m. at Bates Nut Farm.
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26
War of the Worlds Reading 2010
Oct. 25; Write Out Loud staged radio play of Welles' 1938 broadcast; $10.
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27
Whaley House tours 2010
Oct. 25; Ghost Hunting and Oil Lamp late-night guided tours in Old Town.
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28
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow reading 2010
Oct. 28; Fiesta de Reyes live storytelling of headless horseman tale; free.
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29
Bats in the Belfry at lagoon 2010
Oct. 28; Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center kids' Halloween event; $3.
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30
Mansion Madness 2010
Oct. 29; Ivy Nightclub adult bash with Playboy playmates and DJs; tickets from $20.
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31
Halloween at the Inn 2010
Oct. 29; Rancho Bernardo Inn family celebration; $10 admission, $149 stay package.
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32
Spooky movie night in Old Town 2010
Oct. 29; free outdoor movie night with costume contests and merchant fair.
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33
Temecula Halloween Family Carnival 2010
Oct. 29; games, face painting, jump houses, costume contests; $5 wristband.
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34
Haunted hotel in Olivenhain 2010
Oct. 29; Boy Scout Troop 2000 haunted Hotel Germania; $5.
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35
Haunted Town Hall in Ramona 2010
Oct. 29; historically themed haunting with 1890s-era characters; $5 donation.
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36
Balboa Park Halloween Family Day 2010
Oct. 30; free museum admission for kids with paid adult across the park.
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37
Murrieta's Fall Spooktacular 2010
Oct. 30; carnival games, candy, prizes and live entertainment; $3 wristband.
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38
Monster Bash 2010
Oct. 30; Gaslamp Quarter adult block party with bands, DJs and costume contest; $25 general.
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39
Halloween Costume Ball 2010
Oct. 30; Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant in Old Town; contests, food, music; $25.
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40
Hotel del Coronado Hallo-Wine & Spirits Party 2010
Oct. 30; adults-only party with wine tastings; $100, Kidtopia kids' party $50.
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41
Halloween carnival in Grape Day Park 2010
Oct. 30; Escondido carnival with pumpkin decorating and face painting; free.
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42
Heaven and Hell Halloween Music Festival & Costume Party 2010
Oct. 30; Del Mar Fairgrounds electronic music party, ages 21+; $40.
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43
Howl-O-Ween Canine Carnival 2010
Oct. 30; Solana Beach dog-friendly event with costume contests; free admission.
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44
Once Upon a Halowe'en Festival in Poway 2010
Oct. 31; Old Poway Park costume parade, pumpkin contest and train rides; free.
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45
Pumpkin Patch 2010
Ongoing; Bates Nut Farm weekend family festivals through Oct. 31; free.
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46
Scream Zone 2010
Ongoing; Del Mar Fairgrounds haunted attractions through Oct. 31; $14.99-$27.99.
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47
Haunted Hotel 2010
Ongoing; Gaslamp Quarter haunted inn for ages 10+, through Oct. 31; $15-$17.
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48
Haunted Trail 2010
Ongoing; Balboa Park outdoor haunted attraction through Oct. 31; $15-$17.
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49
Disney Halloween Time 2010
Theme park; seasonal celebration through Oct. 13 at Disneyland and California Adventure; $72 general.
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50
Knott's Scary Farm 2010
Theme park; 38th annual Halloween Haunt through Oct. 31; $33-$50.
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51
Legoland Brick-or-Treat 2010
Theme park; Carlsbad child-friendly October weekends with costume parades; free with admission.
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52
SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular 2010
Theme park; San Diego costumed Halloween celebration with shows; $69 adults.
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53
Six Flags Fright Fest 2010
Theme park; Magic Mountain Halloween event with mazes and scare zones; $54.99 general.
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54
Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights 2010
Theme park; five mazes, six scare zones and Terror Tram ride; $69 adults.
