9 Spooky Festive Events to Check Out Near Prospector Ranch This Halloween Season!
~ Natalia Radcliffe ~
What’s that? Something feels different in the air? It could be the spirit of Oktoberfest. No, that’s not it?
Hmmmm.
Could it be the scent of fall right around the corner?
Not that either?
Think think think……
Ahhhh, then it must be the smell of candy, and the glow of jack-o-lanterns starting to line neighborhoods.
Halloween is just right around the corner after all.
But the holiday extends to more than just one night on October 31st. It has turned into something people celebrate all month long, with a plethora of varying degrees of spooky events.
We at Prospector Ranch have decided to be merciful this year and compose a fun list of spooky, but chill things to do in the area, for those who enjoy a nice kind of spooky. Like Casper the friendly ghost spooky, and not Friday the 13th spooky. There is a difference. Trust us.
Ideas 1-5: About A Half Hour’s Drive
These first 5 places we are going to talk about are all about a half hour’s drive from Prospector Ranch, so if you decide to take a Halloween vacation at one of our Airbnbs or decide to chill and have some fun after using our property as a photoshoot, filming location, or venue, it’s a nice quick car ride.
You have heard of driving around neighborhoods looking at all the pretty Christmas lights during the holiday season, right? Well, imagine that on a ranch, but it’s all things Halloween. Located at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, this event goes through November 1st. The grounds are open from 5:30-10:00pm, with activities going from 6:00 to around 9:15, 9:30pm. There is a mile long trail where you can walk along a glowing Halloween wonderland, full of a million places to take pictures of memories that will last a lifetime. In addition, there are other activities you can enjoy during your time there, including a spookeasy where you can enjoy a craft beer, wine, or Halloween cocktail, food trucks with seasonal treats and snacks, a souvenir shop, and face painting. For kids, there is a fun little hay maze they can explore. For those curious about pumpkin-carving, you can watch expert pumpkin carvers in real time bring various images to life. You can also have the opportunity to buy permanent jewelry by Raine Jewelry and have your fortune told by a resident psychic. You can buy tickets online at their website, and they start at $29.35 for their time slots during the week, with prices a little higher Friday through Sunday. We say time slots because you can choose when you come, with tickets available for time slots between 6:00 and 8:30, in 30 minute intervals. For more information about the event, you can visit their website.
2. Boo at the Zoo Event at The Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College
When you think of Halloween fun, do you think of going to the zoo? Probably not. But Moorpark College has other ideas. Home to the Teaching Zoo, part of the unique college major Exotic Animal Training & Management Program, it’s a community zoo that houses a wide variety of different animal specifies, and prides themselves on teaching the highest standards of care and welfare for the animals. For their special Halloween event happening on October 18, 19, 25, and 26, not only are there meet and greets with some of the animals and information about some of their wildlife programs, you can also participate in pumpkin bingo and interactive trick-or-treating, and, of course, many photo opportunities. You can get tickets online, or in person at the ticket booth. Tickets are a little cheaper online, with Adults (12-64 years old) being $12 and Children and Seniors being $10, compared to the ticket booth which are $15 for Adults and $12 for Children and Seniors. For more information on the event, you can visit their website.
3. Trail or Treat Event at Camarillo Grove Park
Who loves both nature and Halloween? You might want to check out Camarillo Grove Park’s Trail or Treat event, happening on October 18 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. You get to walk along the Camarillo Grove Trail dressed up in your best costume and answer nature based questions on various stops on the trail, getting treats if you answer correctly! At the end of the trail, you either get to take a craft home or make it in the nature center at the park. Tickets are $10 per child, and parents are free! To register for the event, visit their website.
4. Christ The King’s Annual Pumpkin Fest
Christ The King Church’s annual pumpkin fest is happening this year on October 25th, from 3:00-6:00pm. There will be a pumpkin patch to walk around and explore, and a beer and brat garden for some tasty things to eat and drink. There will also be various games, including lawn games, a scavenger hunt, and the activity cakewalk, which is similar to musical chairs, except winners usually receive cake as a prize. The event is free, perfect for a fun little family outing. For more information, you can visit their website.
5. Leonis Adobe Museum’s Pumpkin Party
The Leonis Adobe Museum is hosting their annual Halloween Party this year on October 25, from 1:00-4:00pm. You can enjoy making your own crafts, enjoy some live music, and observe live demonstrations of rancho life in the 1880s. Feel free to come in your favorite costume if you want, though it is not required. Admission is $8, but children under 2 years old and museum members can get in for free. You can get tickets at the door. For more information about the event, you can visit their website.
Ideas 6-9: About A Hour’s Drive At Most
These next 4 places are between 30 minutes and an hour away from Prospector Ranch, so if you have the time, you might want to check these out.
6. Downtown Ventura Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treating
Downtown Ventura is having its annual Halloween Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treating event, happening on October 25. The costume contest is at 3:00pm, and the trick-or-treating portion is from 4:00-7:00pm, where you can walk along Downtown Main Street and trick-or-treat at various participating businesses. This year, a new costume contest has been added: The Best Pet Costume contest! Feel free to bring your four-legged family members to the event and show off their best looks. The event is free and open to all ages, children and adults alike. For more information, you can visit their website.
7. Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest
Speaking of pets, Ventura Harbor Village has its very own dog costume contest, happening on October 25, going from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. Space is limited, only having room for 75 participants. However, even if you don’t get to or didn’t want to register your dog for the contest, you can still come to view all the adorable dogs and their creative costumes. If you are interested in registering your dog for the contest, there will be a sign up link on Friday, October 17. All registered doggie participants gets a small goodie bag of prizes that will make their tails wag in joy. The five dogs that win in their respective categories will take home the grand prizes. There will also be a professional photographer on site, so your dog can put its best paw forward! All registered participants need to check in around 11:30am on the main lawn in Ventura Harbor Village, with the contest starting at 12:00pm. The contest wraps up around 1:45pm, after which there will be a small doggie parade showing off everyone’s hard work, which will end around the Village shopping center, around the Hats Unlimited store. After that, there will be a skeleton photo opportunity where you can pose with your dog, a station to collect a pup-cream certificate for your dog as a sweet treat, and a professional pumpkin carver that you can enjoy watching. For more information and to register, you can visit their website.
8. 2025 Channel Islands Harbor Parade of Frights
If you are looking for a night of fun for all ages, consider Channel Island’s annual Halloween celebration, happening on October 25 from 3:00-8:00pm. This free-to-attend event includes lots of spooky fun activities. This includes a haunted courtyard at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum from 3:00-6:00pm, a market place at Harbor View Park from 3:00-6:30pm, where you can buy a variety of seasonal treats, trinkets, and crafts, complete with a costume costume parade at 5:00pm, and the Wolfsburg Finest VW Club Trunk or Treat from 3:00-6:00pm, featuring 20-25 cars where you can get a treat with the magic phrase, and photo opportunities to add to your album. Of course, the highlight of the night is the Parade of Frights, which begins at 7:00pm. This is when you can see dozens of festive boats decked out in spooky vibes parading around the Channel Islands Harbor, the lights twinkling under the night sky, lighting up the harbor with a festive glow. For more information, you can visit their website.
9. Halloween Haunt in the Park in Oxnard
Taking place on October 25th from 4:00-7:00pm at the Plaza Park in Downtown Oxnard, this kid-friendly event features an assortment of spooky fun activities, including games, crafts, costume contests for different ages, and, of course, trick-or-treating, which takes place in the Trick-or-Treat Village made up of booths run by various non-profits and businesses, which offer guests games, tricks to perform, and goodies to be gained. The event is free. For more information, you can visit their Facebook page.
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