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Tis the season to take advantage of all the spooky and Autumn activities. California is one of the most fun states, so you know there are events all throughout the month of October. We are halfway through the month but it isn't over yet. Check out all the fun activities.
Pumpkin Patch Festivities
The Golden State is dotted with farms that take pumpkin season seriously during October, often with the added fun of hayrides and entertainment. In Temecula, the Big Horse Corn Maze boasts one of the largest corn mazes in Southern California and also offers hayrides and a “corn cannon.”
Scarecrow Fest and Contest, Los Olivos
Explore the Santa Barbara County town of Los Olivos this month to spot more than 20 scarecrows on display and see who won awards such as Most Humorous and Best Natural Materials. Visit on October 21 and you can also take part in the town’s beloved Day in the Country festival, which includes vendors hawking their wares, a small town–style parade, and plenty of local beer and wine.
Wild Tarantula Trails, Santa Barbara
Spiders don’t just come out this time of year to scare people—it’s mating season for nocturnal male tarantulas in the hills of the Gaviota Coast, just north of Santa Barbara.
Take one of the two-hour guided hikes—only about a half mile in wild oak woodlands—by the Wild Farmlands Foundation to learn about the lives and loves of common California ebony tarantulas, with the possibility of getting to hold (and then release back into the wild) one of them. Runs on select dates through Oct. 31.
JazzTrax Festival, Catalina Island
The 36th year of this festival—reportedly the longest-running smooth jazz fest in the world—spans two extended weekends (Oct. 12–15 and Oct. 19–22) at Catalina’s classic Descanso Beach Club & Casino Ballroom. This year’s lineup includes Sergio Mendes, Jesse Cook, and Keiko Matsui.
Boardwalk Bites & Brews, Santa Cruz
The boardwalk in Santa Cruz hosts its own form of Oktoberfest during the fall—an extended happy hour (4–8 p.m.) on select evenings through Nov. 19. Sample flights of Bay Area craft beers at Brews at the Beach, paired with small plates such as poke nachos or chili-and-biscuit bites. Play some old-school boardwalk games afterward at neighboring Neptune’s Kingdom.
67th Annual Silverado Days, Buena Park
Take part in Buena Park’s classic Western-style fair at William Peak Park with a full complement of carnival rides, fair cuisine, a pie-eating contest, hog calling, a horseshoe competition, and a corn hole tournament.
Pismo Beach Clam Festival, Pismo Beach
This Pismo Beach festival has more than just mollusks: The weekend includes a clam dig and a chowder-making contest, as well as a wine and beer garden and the annual Clam Festival Parade.
107th City Birthday Party & Halloween Parade, Carmel-by-the-Sea
The Monterey County town of Carmel-by-the-Sea was founded on Halloween day 1916 and makes the most of its holiday birthday. Come watch town dignitaries, costumed kids, and even pets as they parade through downtown, then party on with trick-or-treating and more festivities at the village’s shops and boutiques.
For more check out Visit California.