Halloween Horror 2010: Final Weekend – What’s Left?

 

Planning your Halloween Weekend? Wondering What to do with these final days of October? Looking for something new  and different? With the opening of the Theatre 68 Haunted House this past Friday, all of Los Angeles’s professional Halloween haunts are in full swing, leaving the Halloween yard haunts to dominate the concluding weekend of October, along with various horror movie screenings. Here is a rundown of Halloween events and attractions opening around Los Angeles this weekend. (NOTE: This lists avoids haunts that are currently running, unless there is some special event taking place this weekend, such as a party after a final performance. On-going engagements can be found here; you can find a complete listing of events by clicking here to view our Calendar.)

HALLOWEEN YARD HAUNTS & MAZES

Alien Infestation lands Friday night at 2734 Annapolis Circle, San Bernadino, CA 92408. This amateur yard haunt runs for three nights, featuring the impact of a meteor strike on San Bernadino. This one is a little bit out of our usual jurisdiction, but it is presented by someone who contributes to the Old Town Haunt in Pasadena, so it isof interest. Website: Click here

The Forest of Mirrors opens the gates at 6124 Lederer Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367-1329 on Halloween Night only. This unique amateur yard haunt – which uses mirrors to create the illusion of a virtually endless labyrinth is not to be missed. 6:00pm to midnight. Website: Click here

The Haunt with No Name returns to 19351 Hatteras Street, Tarzana, CA on Friday night. This yard haunt is more atmospheric than shocking, and not too terrifying for kids: it features an impressive array of carved pumpkins, skeletal mannequins and graveyard decorations. Hours are are from from 7:00 to 10:00 on October 29 and 30; Halloween dusk to 11:00. Website: Click here

House at Haunted Hill begins with a preview night on Thursday and then runs through Sunday. This is the most elaborate yard haunt you are likely to see, with extensive mechanical and lighting effects timed to a pre-recorded soundtrack featuring dialogue, narration, and music. Shows run frm from 7pm till midnight at 4400 Saltillo Streeet, Woodland Hills, CA. Website: Click here

House of Restless Spirits rises from the grave on October 30-31, 7-11pm; its location is 1008 Euclid Street Santa Monica, CA. This supremely creepy amateur haunted house allows you to walk around the residence, where a variety of spirits manifest in different forms that defy belief. There is a monochromatic feel to this one, suggesting an old-fashioned haunted house movie from an earlier era. No shocks, just eerie thrills from a sense of encountering the unknown and the unexplained. The special effects are truly amazing – not spectacular in a Hollywood blockbuster away, but subtly spooky – and very effective.

Revenge of the Ninja takes place at  The Way of the Shadow Martial Arts Academy, 18727 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance CA 90504. This community Halloween haunt promises a themed maze and a block party fall festival, with snack shack, carnival style games, prizes, drawings, and more. The back story is that every October 31 the martial arts academy is haunted by spirits of Ninja slaughtered in a sneak attack, who rise from the dead to take revenge against unworthy trespassers. All ages are welcome, but the maze is not recommended for children under 10. Costumes are allowed. Admission price is a suggested donation of $2. October 29-31, 6-10pm; block party on Halloween night. Call 310-327-1837 for info. Website: Click here

Whitecliff Road Haunted Manor (pictured at top) begins their 6th year of operation on Friday and continues through Halloween night. Their walk-through maze – missing last year – will be back, although due to time constraints it will not be as long as in past years. 1077 Whitecliff Road Thousand Oaks, CA. Hours are 6-11pm, except for Sunday, which is 5-11pm. Website: Click here

Find more Halloween events and attractions here.

STAGE & PERFORMANCE

Halloween Fright Night 8 takes place on Saturday night at 8pm in the  Warner Grand Theater, 478 West 6th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731. Conductor Steven Allen Fox and the musicians of Golden State Pops Orchestra begin their 6th season with their annual  Halloween concert. Expect haunting themes from classic horror films including “King Kong”, “Twilight Zone”, “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein”. TIX: $35/$25/$15. Website: Click here

Haunted Midnights offers its final tour of the The Comedy Store’s haunted premises at 8433 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069) , along with a stage show and videos of paranormal investigations conducted on the premises. Friday night at midnight. Admission is $10; there are 50% discount coupons at the Comedy Store bar next door. There is a two-drink minimum. Opening night review here.

The Wicked Lit Halloween Theatre Festival 2010 winds up with an after-party following the final performance on Halloween night, which starts at 8:00pm. Guests are invited to come in costume. Tickets are $45. Call 818 242 7910 for more info.

Find more live performance events here.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS FOR CHILDREN

Boo at the Zoo! offers annual Halloween fun at the Los Angeles Zoo(5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA. 90027) on October 30 & 31, from 10am to 4pm on both days. Eucalyptus Grove will become a giant Pumpkin Patch with jack-o-lantern carving, photo opportunities, and eerie crafts. The Creepy Creature Encounter at the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo will feature trick-or-treating, a chance to get up close with some creepy creatures, and Halloween entertainment. Website: Click here

Enchanted Green Hallow’s Eve occurs on Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 6pm at Star Eco Station (10101 Jefferson Blvd Culver City, CA). The Wildlife Rescue facility transforms into a magical fairytale palace of trickery, treating and eco storytelling! See your farovite fairy tales with an environmental twist. Costume Contests, games, prizes and performaces. Website: Click here

The Halloween Family Festival climaxes the three-week-long Golftoberfest at Lost Canyons Golf Course, which is raising money to benefit the Gull Wings Children’s Museum. The festival – which includes pumpkin decorating, Halloween games, and a costume contest – takes place on October 30, from 11am to 7pm. After that, the scary 13 Nights of Terror haunted house, which has been running most of the month, takes over. Lost Canyons Golf Course, 3301 Lost Canyons Drive, Simi Valley, CA 93063. Website: Click here

The Old Pasadena Halloween Celebration offers two days of fun (Saturday and Sunday) at Central Park & One Colorado Courtyard in Old Town Pasadena, CA. Spooky activities include a pumpkin hunt, kids Halloween craft center, costumed characters, Halloween moon bounces, live ghoulish music, scary animal and bug show-and-tell, kid-friendly haunted house, store-to-store trick-or-treating and much more! Starts at 1pm both days. Website: Click here

Safe Haven Trick-or-Treating takes place at the Heritage Square Museum (3800 Homer Street, Los Angeles, CA) on Halloween from 4:00pm to 7:30pm. Children 1 to 12 years of age, with parent accompaniment, may come in costume and receive sweet sweats from our costumed interpreters stationed at each building inside the museum grounds. Admission price is $5 for Adults and $2 for children 6 to 12. Children under 6 are free.Website: Click here

Find more Halloween events for children here.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

The Cinefamily’s 100 Most Outrageous Kills screens at Silent Movie Theatre on Friday at 8pm. This installment of their 3rd Annual Horror Film Fest is a compilation of great death scenes (including, naturally, the exploding head from SCANNERS). There is also a Heavy Metal Halloween Party and Fundraiser on Saturday at 8pm and a Halloween double bill of two William Castle thrillers on Sunday, starting at 6pm: THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and THE TINGLER. 611 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. Website: Click here

The American Cinematheque’s 5th Annual Dusk Till Dawn Horror Marathon screens at Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA) on Saturday night, October 30, beginning at 7:30. There are between-film free food, giveaways, trailers, crazy shorts and surprises!Titles include: FRIGHT NIGHT, DON’T LOOK IN THE BASEMENT, CANDYMAN, BLOODY BIRTHDAY, PHANTASM, CEMETERY MAN. Website: Click here

The Night of Bloody Horror takes place at the American Cinemathque’s  Egyptian Theatre, (6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA) on Friday night, starting at 7:30pm. Program includes horrifying high-production webisodes from FearNet.com, Danny DeVito’s favorite “splattercuts” from his horror-gore site TheBloodFactory.com and Roger Corman’s Netflix collaboration hit web-series “Splatter.” Discussion following the screening with Roger Corman, Joe Dante (schedule permitting), Corey Feldman and Tony Todd. Website: Click here

The Outdoor Cinema Food Fest presents two Halloween screenings: ZOMBIELAND at Los Angeles State Historic Park (1245 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012o) on Saturday night; THE SHINING at Exposition Park (700 Exposition Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037) on Sunday night. Doors open at 5:30pm both nights; live music begins at 6:30pm, and the films begin at 8pm. Get more info on the first screening here and on the second screening here.

Find more screenings here.

HALLOWEEN PARTIES, FESTIVALS, STREET FAIRS, ETC.

The Astra Dance Company’s announced “Poe-Etic Halloween Ball” at El Rey Theater has apparently been cancelled. Instead, guests are invited to a the Hex Hollywood Halloween Party, on Sunday, October 31 at the Monte Cristo Nightclub (3100 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles). The company’s final performances of Astra: A Ballet take place on Friday and Saturday. Website: click here.

Both the Hollywood Halloween Street Fair and the West Hollywood Costume Carnaval take place on Halloween night, starting at dusk. The former is on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood; the later is on Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny and La Cienega, in West Hollywood. Both are free, informal events, so you can just show up, but bewared: these events attracts crowds and parking can be difficult.

Sounds from the Deep: An Auditory Adventure throbs at the Exchange LA (618 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014) on Halloween night, starting at 8pm. This seven-hour  celebration claims to feature the hottest DJ’s in the Techno scene in a 25,000-square-foot venue located downtown. Tickets are $15.00 in advance or before 11:00pm night of the event, then $20 after midnight. Advance tickets are available at www.WantTickets.com.

Find more Halloween Parties and other events here.