Halloween and Día de los Muertos are just around the corner and grand events are in store for the community. This year’s spooky season in Orange County features more in-person events that weren’t safe enough to carry out last Halloween. This Halloween, families can enjoy haunted mazes or trick-or-treating activities and for older folks, expansive beer tasting at the OC Fair & Event Center to mark the return of a long-awaited spooky season.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated every year on Nov. 1 and 2, the annual two-day holiday is central to Mexican and Latin American culture and serves as an opportunity for family members to celebrate the lives of the dead through dances, food, costumes and parades. Across the county, families can celebrate the holiday at festivals, community altars and other lively festivities.
Halloween Celebrations in OC
The 17th Door
When: Through Oct. 31
Where: 1851 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton
Tickets: $32 and up
Starting in late September of every year, The 17th Door tells the story of Paula who murdered her son after being forced to give birth to her rapist’s child. Paula’s story doesn’t start from the beginning every year; instead a new chapter to Paula’s storyline is added and explored during the given year’s setup.
The 17th Door is an immersive scare experience targeted more toward thrillseekers than the faint of heart. It’s a horror walkthrough where guests are taken through a series of rooms, each room building onto the protagonist’s storyline, complete with scares, unique rooms, pop-ups and shocks (literally).
This year’s chapter focuses on Paula’s journey to redemption at Perpetuum Penitentiary, as she wants to atone for her sins. But in the process, she’s being used as a guinea pig in experimental treatments by the warden and engineers of a lab on the penitentiary’s premises.
Be aware that participants are required to sign a waiver before entering the haunt.
Haunt of Halloween
When: Thursdays through Sundays until Oct. 31
Where: Kaleidoscope, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo
Tickets: $15 and up
Haunt of Halloween is a haunted maze attraction at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo that features scares and thrills for the entire family.
For those looking for a real scream, “Outpost 13: The Fear is Real” is a haunted maze where guests will journey through as actors scare at every dark corner. The maze uses strobe lights, fog, intense audio, low visibility and special effects to achieve a hair-raising and immersive fright experience.
But for a not-so-scary experience, visit the Haunt of Halloween on a Saturday or Sunday where kids can enjoy the trick-or-treat event from 2 to 5 p.m. The event has its own haunted maze, “The Not-So-Scary Haunted Maze,” where kids ages 6 through 12 can experience a less frightening version of the maze. The special effects and low visibility are replaced with theatrical lights, and kids can enjoy activities and trick or treating throughout the maze.
Aside from the haunted maze and kid-friendly maze, Haunt of Halloween will also have other side attractions to attend.
OC Boo Ha Ha: A Haunted Oktoberfest
When: 6 p.m. to midnight, Oct. 29 and Oct. 30
Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
Tickets: $47.50 and up
Boo Ha Ha is a 21+ event in collaboration with Brew Ha Ha Productions and the OC Fair, where guests can enjoy three hours of unlimited beer tastings while sporting their costumes for this Halloween season.
While beer tasting is from 6-9 p.m., concessions will be available afterward. Guests can look forward to live performances from Lit, Mest and Handsome Devil on Friday then come back Saturday for more beer tasting and performances by A Flock of Seagulls and The M80’s.
Some breweries that will be participating in the Boo Ha Ha include Wild Barrel Brewing Company, Ten Mile Brewing Company, Rad Beer Company, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Baja Brewing Co. and others.
Headless Horseman’s Hallows’ Eve
When: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center, 241 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim
Tickets: $10 and up, children under age 5 are free
The Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center will be hosting “Headless Horseman’s Hallows’ Eve” where guests can enjoy learning about “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” as they create their own miniature version of this American ghost story.
Guests will be able to visit an in-house tarot card reader who will read the past, present and future of those who seek her out. Other activities such as potion making, a costume contest and spell casting will be included during the event.
For a more Halloween events, jump to: More Live Events for Halloween
Día de los Muertos events in O.C.
A nearly 3,000-year-old tradition with Aztec roots, Día de los Muertos marks a special day where family members can reunite with the spirits of loved ones who have passed. On Nov. 1 and 2, the border separating the spirit and the real world dissolves, welcoming back the souls of the dead to join in joyous celebrations.
The most common symbols for the holiday include calacas and calaveras, skulls and skeletons, and they are seen everywhere on costumes, dolls, masks and more on Día de los Muertos. A symbol of the dead, the calacas and calaveras are not represented in a lifeless way; instead they are shown to be enjoying life with their vibrant and intricate clothes.
To welcome back the dead into the living world, family members traditionally decorate ofrendas, or altars, with candles, marigolds and calaveras. Food, photos and other memorabilia are placed on ofrendas in order to invite visits from the dead on this festive day. Ofrendas are traditionally built inside the home; however, there are also many community ofrendas built in churches and other public spaces.
After many of last year’s Día de los Muertos celebrations were either canceled or shifted toward a virtual setting, the populous Latin American community in Orange County is able to gather once again for grand festivities throughout the county. There are an array of events occurring this year including community ofrenda, musical performances, art installations and special memorial services.
Bowers Museum: Día de los Muertos Festival
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24
Where: 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana
Tickets: Free
A free festival will be held in honor of Día de los Muertos at the Bowers Museum on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., taking place throughout various sections of the museum. To help celebrate the lives of the ones lost, live music will be performed by Joel Aceves and Los Cuates. Along with live music, you can watch dance performances by Relampago del Cielo in the museum’s key courtyard, or enjoy art and special foods as well.
The museum has also opened a free and open to the public community ofrenda where visitors can swing by and place their own offerings to their loved ones. Located in the Bowers Museum Historic Courtyard Annex, the ofrenda is open through Nov. 2 during museum hours, Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
7th Annual Viva La Vida Día de los Muertos Festival
When: Nov. 6 from noon to 10 p.m.
Where: 4th and Birch Streets, Santa Ana
Tickets: Free
Viva La Vida will be hosting its seventh annual Día de los Muertos event in Santa Ana where the community is invited to bask in the beauty of the candle lighting ceremony and other live entertainment that will fill the evening.
Founded in 2015, Viva La Vida Santa Ana is a nonprofit based in Santa Ana. The nonprofit’s mission is to expose the beauties and liveliness of Latino culture by producing a free, family-friendly event every year for Día de los Muertos.
For this year’s celebration, the streets of 4th and Birch will be lined with community altars where residents can pay tribute to their loved ones as they celebrate their lives with photos, flowers, special foods and candles. As the sun starts to set and the evening crawls in, La Catrina, a prevalent, skeletal symbol for Dia de los Muertos, will visit each altar and light the first candle of the night.
Grand Park’s Ninth Annual Downtown Día de los Muertos, Los Angeles
Art Installations
When: 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (normal park hours of operation). Oct. 22 to Nov. 2
Where: Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
Noche de Ofrenda
When: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Grand Park Performance Lawn
Curated by Self Help Graphics, there will be a 12-day public art installation available for guests to experience and learn about the history of Día de los Muertos in downtown Los Angeles. Although not technically in O.C., it is still a great option for those who may live in north Orange County and are looking for a unique event to attend.
The 20-altar installations on display will come together to highlight community issues, vital leaders and more. There will be a tribute to recently deceased Chicana community leader and feminist Betita Martinez. Other altars will honor the LGBTQ community as well as the large loss of community members during the pandemic. There will also be a community altar created by artist and educator Ofelia Esparza and her family that will allow visitors to contribute their own keepsakes and mementos to honor their passed loved ones.
“By partnering with local organizations and artists, we bring together the diverse voices, perspectives, experiences and neighborhoods from among the many who make up one Los Angeles. This creates a vibrant tapestry of ofrendas that showcase what has been meaningful and in many cases hard for Los Angeles this year,” said Julia Diamond, director of Grand Park.
A dancer at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles during the 2019 Día de los Muertos celebration. Credit: Photo courtesy of Grand Park/Jose Sanchez 
A community altar put up for Día de los Muertos in 2019 at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Photo courtesy of Grand Park/Jose Sanchez 
A community altar put up for Día de los Muertos in 2020 at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Photo courtesy of Grand Park/Beau Ryan
For a more Día de los Muertos events, jump to: More Live Events for Día de los Muertos
More Live Events for Halloween
Listed by city
Fall Fest, hosted by Compass Bible Church
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: 150 Columbia, Aliso Viejo
Tickets: Free
16th Japanese Classic Car Show
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, 2000 E. Gene Autry Way, Anaheim
Tickets: Adults $15; kids under 12 free with an adult
Trick or Treat at Anaheim Plaza
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Anaheim Plaza Food Court, North Euclid Street and the Santa Ana (5) Freeway, Anaheim
Tickets: Free
Brea Downtown Treats in the Street
When: 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: Downtown Brea
Tickets: Adults, $30; kids 6-12, $20; kids under 5, free
When: 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29
Where: 6650 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
Tickets: Free
Knott’s Scary Farm / Knott’s Spooky Farm
When: Through Oct. 31 (Knott’s Spooky Farm on Saturday’s and Sunday’s only)
Where: Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
Tickets: Regular tickets start at $59; see website for full details
Pirate’s Dinner Adventure’s costume contest for Halloween
When: All shows on Oct. 31
Where: 7600 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
Tickets: Adult tickets start at $64.95
When: Evenings on Oct. 29 and 30
Where: The Sherman Library and Gardens, 2647 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar
Tickets: Members $15; non-members $25 non-members; kids under 3 are free
Halloween Halloween Spooktacular & Trunk or Treat
When: 2 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Dana Point Community Center, 34052 Del Obispo St., Dana Point
Tickets: Free
When: 4:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30
Where: Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point
Tickets: Adults, $20; children $15; children under 2 are free
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Fullerton Police Department, 237 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton
Tickets: Free
Seeker’s Chapel Trunk or Treat
When: 3 to 4 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: 1521 E. Orangethorpe Ave., Suite D, Fullerton
Tickets: Free
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Atlantis Play Center, 13630 Atlantis Way, Garden Grove
Tickets: $10 (kids under 2 are free)
King of Kings Lutheran Trunk-or-Treat
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: 13431 Newhope St., Garden Grove
Tickets: Free
When: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Worthy Park, 1831 17th St., Huntington Beach
Tickets: $20 per family
Halloween Trick-or-Treat Kids Party
When: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Bella Terra (at The Green), 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach
Tickets: Free
Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch & Weekend Fall Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 6. p.m. through Oct. 31
Where: 5380 University Drive, Irvine
Tickets: starting at $20 per car; reservations required for weekends
When: Oct. 27 to Oct. 29
Where: 29 Hubble, Irvine
Tickets: $13.95
When: 6:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 22 to Oct. 24
Where: Crown Valley Community Park, 29751 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel (at the entrance to the community park on the emergency road)
Tickets: Free
Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill Historical Park
When: 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 22 to Oct. 24
Where: Heritage Hill Historical Park, 25125 Serrano Road, Lake Forest
Tickets: Free
When: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: City Hall Parking Lot, 7822 Walker St., La Palma
Tickets: Free
When: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Little Cottonwood Park, 4000 Farquhar Ave., Los Alamitos
Tickets: Free
Halloween Party at the Library
When: All day. Oct. 30
Where: Central Library Children’s Room, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach
Tickets: Free
When: 3 p.m. to dusk. Oct. 30
Where: Mariners Park, 1300 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach
Tickets: Free
Orange County Zoo: Halloween Zoo-tacular!
When: All day, Oct. 23
Where: 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange
Tickets: Entrance $2 per person; $5 per vehicle parking
Treats in the Streets Autumn Festival
When: 4 to 7 p.m. to dusk, Oct. 28
Where: Glassell Street & Chapman Avenue, Orange
Tickets: Free
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. select nights through Oct. 31
Where: 2548 E. Garfield Ave., Orange
Tickets: Free
Rancho Santa Margarita Fall Family Festival
When: 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: 30842 La Mirada, Rancho Santa Margarita
Tickets: Free
When: 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente
Tickets: $5
When: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28 to 30
Where: Casa Romantica, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente
Tickets: $18; $12 for 12 and under
City of San Clemente Pumpkin Splash
When: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: San Clemente Aquatics Center, 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente
Tickets: $7
When: Starts at 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30
Where: O’Neill Museum, 31831 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano
Tickets: $15 to $75
Discovery Cube Presents: Spooky Science
When: Through Oct. 31
Where: Discovery Cube, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana
Tickets: Adults $19.95; seniors $16.95; kids 14 and under, $14.95
When: 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, 24, 29 and 30
Where: Santa Ana Zoo, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana
Tickets: Members $14.95; non-members $29.95; kids 14 and under $14.95
Hocus Pocus Halloween Movie Night
When: 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Heritage Museum of Orange County, 3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana
Tickets: $24.99
Halloween Fun with Family and Friends
When: 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Stanton Central Park, 10660 Western Ave., Stanton
Tickets: Free
When: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 29
Where: Columbus Tustin Activity Center, 17522 Beneta Way, Tustin
Tickets: Free
When: Opens at 5 p.m. Oct. 23 and 29
Where: The District at Tustin Legacy, 2437 Park Ave., Tustin
Tickets: Free
When: 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: Villa Park Towne Centre on Santiago Boulevard
Tickets: Free
More Options for Día de los Muertos
Listed by city
Día de los Muertos at Anaheim Town Square
When: 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 24
Where: 2180 East Lincoln Ave., Anaheim
Tickets: Free
Cermonia del Día de los Muertos
When: 5 p.m. Nov. 2
Where: Pearson Park Amphitheatre, 401 Lemon St., Anaheim
Tickets: $15
Hutchins Consort: Halloween & Día de los Muertos Concert
When: 3 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave., Corona del Mar
Tickets: $20 to $60
Día de los Muertos at the Muck
When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28
Where: The Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton
Tickets: Members $15; non-members $35; students/seniors $35
Halloween and Día de los Muertos at Casa 723
When: 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30
Where: 723 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton
Tickets: Free entrance; proceeds from sales benefit the Estrella Family Foundation
Los Alamitos Día de los Muertos
When: 2 to 9 p.m. Oct. 24
Where: St. Isidore Historical Plaza, 10961 Reagan St., Los Alamitos
Tickets: Free
Saddleback: Día de los Muertos Celebration
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2
Where: Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo
Tickets: Free with RSVP
Mission San Juan Capistrano Día de los Muertos ofrenda/altar
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 23, 26, 28, 30 and Nov. 1
Where: 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano
Tickets: $9 to $14
When: 3 to 5 p.m. Oct.31
Where: Galleria of Imagination in Main Place Mall, 2800 N. Main St., Santa Ana
Tickets: $30
Westminster Día de los Muertos
When: 12 to 4 p.m. Oct. 31
Where: 14801 Beach Blvd., Westminster
Tickets: Free
Kristina Garcia is a writing fellow for Voice of OC Arts & Culture. She can be reached at kristinamgarcia6@gmail.com.
Crystal Henriquez is an intern for Arts & Culture at Voice of OC. She can be reached at crystalh774@gmail.com.