Belmont Park, the iconic oceanfront amusement center at Mission Beach, is transitioning into its annual Fall Fest from Sept. 9 through Oct. 31. The seasonal event will showcase live music, games, and specialty sips and bites at its restaurant venues.

Though the fest culminates this year on Halloween day, the park experience is really more about the end of summer and chilling for fall, noted Belmont Park general manager Steve Thomas.

“We’re trying to get away from Halloween so much, focusing more on the season with a harvest festival centered around live music, food, games, and fun, bringing in some sculptures and different activities around the park and touching on Halloween,” he said. “The festival is more about getting together and doing things for six weeks, transitioning the park, putting up all the new themes and the newest colors, and letting people enjoy what the park has to offer.”

Thomas said this summer was a big success at Belmont, adding he could tell people wanted to get out more after cocooning during COVID. “We’ve seen a lot of pent-up demand, people coming back wanting to be outside enjoying the park and having close-knit time with families and friends,” he said, adding there’s another change at Belmont Park accompanying the fall turnover.

“After Labor Day all the tourists go back home, and we start to get locals coming back for the 70-degree days, warm water, and a third as many people on the beach,” Thomas said. “The (attendance) numbers fall after the summer season, but it’s just great weather and a great time for locals.”

Belmont Park completed a major remodel this February of the nearly century-old amusement park on Ocean Front at Surfrider Square, which is renowned for its iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster, which turned 97 this year. The revamped park continues to feature amusement rides, games, and high-end and casual dining, along with a skate park, bike rentals, and more.

During the fall festival, special events will take place on weekends. “We’ll have live music every weekend in the park with action characters coming around all weekend with themes, like mermaids,” noted Thomas. “We’ll have people making balloon animals and costume contests every weekend in October with free trick or treating every Sunday at 5 p.m.”

Belmont hasn’t forgotten about Halloween. “We’ll have a burger and beer combo, and pumpkin spice funnel cake, at Belmonty’s Burgers & Pizza,” said Thomas. “On Friday, Oct. 28, we’ll do the pumpkin plunge, where kids can dive for pumpkins or go for a swim at the historic Plunge Pool. The park’s seasonal Go Kart track will also be open throughout October.”

Thomas added the park will bring in two stages for fall fest as well as having some “really cool old trucks and cars” around the park. He said there will also be a pumpkin patch for kids with tic tac toe, bean-bag toss, and jump houses.

At present, Belmont Park is home to three full-size restaurants, 20 amusement rides, 14 fast-casual food and beverage places, and six retail locations. The Plunge Pool is open to the public daily for $15 for an hour, and $25 for a day, and discount packages are available for a family of three and more.

Thomas said Belmont Park continues to be a destination location. “We have a world-class gym facility and an amazing indoor pool at the Plunge,” he pointed out. “We have a high-end sushi restaurant overlooking the ocean with great views. You can watch sports games on a 31-foot TV at Draft right on the boardwalk. You can ride some rides. Or we have rentals you can use to go paddle out around the ocean.”

Whatever the season, Belmont Park is an attractive draw.

“Belmont has something for everybody,” concluded Thomas. “You can have a date night and go (roller) skating in our new skate park, or a family of four can go on some rides and have a burger afterward, or you can have sushi and enjoy the sunset, or just come out and enjoy our beautiful beaches.”