Crafts and pumpkin carving and a scary aquarium round out the pre-Halloween weekend
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Crafts, haunted ships and underwater pumpkin carving are all part of the weekend before Halloween.
Pasadena
Get a head start on holiday gift shopping at the three-day Contemporary Crafts Market at the Pasadena Convention Center. You’ll find hand-crafted ceramic tumblers, whimsical watches, marquetry tables and more — and get to know local artists. After shopping, grab lunch at the market, or walk to nearby Old Pasadena.
When: 10 a.m. Oct. 26-28
Cost, info: $8. Family friendly. Dogs OK.
Los Angeles
Try chicken adobo, guava-filled hopia pastries and sisig (a spicy pork dish) at Eat Play Move LA, a Filipino-Angeleno food festival in Little Tokyo. Wash down your bites at the beer garden, and catch music performances curated by the Lokel Show. Kids can burn off their dessert-induced energy at the obstacle course onsite.
When: 10 a.m. Oct 27
Cost, info: $5. Family friendly. No dogs.
Anaheim
The 95th Anaheim Fall Festival on the Center Street Promenade begins with a children’s Halloween costume contest; the winner gets two Disneyland tickets. Dogs can get in on the friendly costume competition later that afternoon, which also promises a performance by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, carnival games, a pumpkin patch and seasonal crafts. The Halloween parade starts at 6 p.m.
When: 11 a.m. Oct 27
Cost, info: Free. Family friendly. Dogs OK.
Long Beach
The Aquarium of the Pacific’s “Scarium” event embraces the educational side of Halloween. Embark on a scavenger hunt for the aquarium’s eerier creatures, such as snakes and spider crabs, and see divers carve pumpkins underwater. Also on tap are a costume contest, paper crafts, spooky storytelling and show by a magician.
When: 9 a.m. Oct 27 and 28
Cost, info: Free with aquarium admission. Family friendly. No dogs. (562) 590-3100
Topanga
Get spooked at Will Geer’s Theatricum BOO-tanicum, the Topanga Canyon outdoor theater’s annual Halloween fundraiser. Hear ghost stories told by Theatricum actors, watch kid-friendly comedy and theater performances, chow down on festive food, play carnival games and walk through the haunted house — if you dare.
When: 4 p.m. Oct 27
Cost, info: $10-$15. Family friendly. No dogs. (310) 455-3723
Los Angeles
Marina Spooktacular is a two-day Halloween party on the Marina del Rey harbor, where you can tour haunted pirate ships and traverse a spooky maze in the dark. Scare-free activities include Mexican folk dancing workshops, pumpkin carving lessons, costume contests for every age group and face painting. Bring the littlest ones before dark.
When: 11 a.m. Oct 27 and 28
Cost, info: Free. Family friendly. Dogs OK. (424) 526-7900
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