Everything from school hallways and auditoriums to houses and yards will be haunted this year in Ocean Beach and Point Loma for Halloween. Loma Portal Monster Bash
Loma Portal Monster Bash is Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3341 Browning St. Sponsored by Kanda Thai of Mathnasium Point Loma, and Lisa Keith, neighborhood State Farm agent, the Monster Bash features a Halloween carnival and haunted house staged by volunteer dads.
The event begins with a costume contest at 11 a.m. followed by a cakewalk. Participants can also grab lunch from food trucks. Organized by The Loma Portal Foundation, a nonprofit parent-teacher organization, the Monster Bash raises funds and provides student support for Loma Portal Elementary.
“This year we’re doing it a little differently with a morning event instead of Friday night,” said Loma Portal Foundation spokesperson Samantha Siguenza. “We’re having a lot of the same things: lawn games for kids, an inflatable giant obstacle course, a petting zoo with alpacas and a haunted house in the gymnasium. We also have a lady who comes out and does henna and glitter tattoos, which the kids go crazy for.”
Siguenza said contributed baked cakes are judged in categories including funniest, scariest, most creative, etc. Cakes are raffled off in a musical chairs-style setting. “Everyone goes home with a cake,” she said.
For many years, numerous Dad’s Club members volunteer spending hours setting up and breaking down the school gymnasium’s haunted house. The school’s haunted house began outside using the library as part of the structure before being moved inside to the auditorium. School dads bring all their expertise to bear to create things like a haunted portrait and an eerie graveyard with professional lighting and video. Kids enjoy the haunted house so much, they go back time and again. OB Rec Center
This year’s free, family-friendly Halloween Carnival will be Saturday, Oct. 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Ocean Beach Recreation Center at 4726 Santa Monica Ave. Kids from infants to age 17 will be judged in age-specific costume contests from 2:40 to 4:10 p.m.
The event includes several different carnival games, activities, music, food and more. Kids pay $2 for a wristband and play any of the games they want and get goodie bags stuffed with prizes, toys, and candy. OB Kiwanis sponsors the Halloween Carnival, as well as helping out with volunteers. Halloween at the Station
Liberty Station will hold the annual Halloween at the Station celebration in partnership with Arts District Liberty Station, San Diego Comic Art Gallery, Comickaze Comics, Books, and More and Liberty Public Market on Sunday, Oct. 27, from noon to 4 p.m. in the North Promenade. The community is invited to the daytime festivities including trick-or-treating throughout the district, music and live entertainment, an arts and crafts project presented by Monart School of the Arts, spooky games and an inflatable obstacle course presented by Kid Ventures, a Hollywood car show and more. The event will also feature live music performances presented by the Recreational Music Center and a Hollywood car show with classic cars from famous blockbuster films parked in the North Promenade. Silvergate Harvest Festival
Bring friends and family to the annual Silvergate Harvest Festival Friday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at 1499 Venice St. Attractions and fun include a haunted hallway, ponies, petting zoo, laser tag, costume contest, bubble dance party, silent auction, arts and crafts, cookie decorating, face painting, glitter tattoos, spin art, a slime booths pop-up costume shop, a photo booth, a stuffed friend adoption center, a dunk tank, a bake sale, cake walk and lots of food (burgers, hot dogs, nachos, tacos, pizza). Tickets are sold to buy food or attend the various festival activities. The pre-sale offers 11 tickets for $10, $1 each the day of the festival.
