Weekend · October 30 – November 1

Free things to do this weekend in Los Angeles

By HolaSavings · Published October 29, 2026

Short answer: you do not need to spend money this weekend. Friday starts with Halloween by the ocean in Redondo Beach and Day of the Dead in Anaheim and Santa Ana. On Saturday, Halloween is daytime for kids and nighttime for grown-ups in West Hollywood. And on Sunday, Day of the Dead closes at Grand Park. That is 15 plans verified today; 13 charge no admission.

Friday, October 30

• Halloween on the Redondo Beach Pier (trick-or-treating 5–6 p.m.; main event 6–8 p.m.) — the ninth year by the sea: a magic show, live music, crafts and a photo station. Free, all ages. Arrive before 5 if the candy run matters, because it goes fast. 100 Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach.
• Day of the Dead: A Night of Community & Culture (from 5 p.m.) — Anaheim opens the weekend with altars, live performances, food and activities for all ages. Free. Center Greens Park, next to the Downtown Anaheim Community Center, 250 E. Center St., Anaheim.
• Magic of the Altars (4–6 p.m.) — Santa Ana takes the tradition to the neighborhood: a short, calm afternoon of altars and remembrance without the big crowds. Free. Roosevelt-Walker Community Center, 816 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana.

Saturday, October 31 — Halloween

• Boonion Station (11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) — Union Station turns into a haunted station: Treats-on-Track candy, face painting, balloon artists, a DJ and a costume contest by age group, families included. Free, no ticket; ride Metro and skip the parking hunt. 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles.
• Unscary Halloween at Vidiots (11 a.m.–2 p.m.) — Halloween without the scares: soft lighting, low volume, pumpkins, a costume parade, animated shorts and Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Free with RSVP; online spots sell out, so confirm before you go. Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles.
• Boo at the L.A. Zoo (10 a.m.–5 p.m.; candy 10 a.m.–3 p.m.) — six trick-or-treat stations, costumed characters and pumpkin treats for the animals. Not free: it is included with general admission ($27 adults, $22 children ages 2–12, per lazoo.org) or a membership. It also runs Sunday. 5333 Zoo Dr., Los Angeles.
• Día de Muertos Cultural Festival at Plaza Mexico (12–4 p.m.) — colorful altars, live music, dance, artisan vendors and traditional food. Free. Plaza Mexico, Lynwood.
• DTLA Halloween Festival for Kids (5–8 p.m.) — the 19th year of the festival built for ages 2 to 8: a trail of real doors to knock on, magic and puppet shows every 30 minutes, and dinner included (hot dog, chips, cookie and water). $13 presale, $15 at the door; children under 3 are free. Grand Hope Park, 919 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.
• Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party (4 p.m.–midnight) — Little Tokyo's street party turns 10: costume contests, neighborhood food and music. Free with RSVP; the exact spot arrives when you register. Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.
• West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval (6–11 p.m.) — a mile of Santa Monica Boulevard, from Doheny to La Cienega, fills with costumes you will not see anywhere else, with a stage and DJ at San Vicente and food trucks. Free. Heads up: this one is for adults — the city discourages bringing kids and pets, and backpacks and street drinking are not allowed. The free WeHo shuttle connects from the Metro B Line at Hollywood/Highland. Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.

Sunday, November 1 — Day of the Dead

• Noche de los Muertos at Grand Park (3–7 p.m.) — the closing night of the ten-day altar exhibition: 17 community ofrendas under the theme “The Power of One”, live music and hands-on crafts. Free, no ticket. The altars are up all day, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and stay through Monday the 2nd. Music Center parking is $10; the Metro B/D to Civic Center/Grand Park is easier. 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Full guide: Día de Muertos at Grand Park 2026.
• Día de Muertos Festival at Olvera Street (10 a.m.–9 p.m., closing Monday the 2nd) — the city's most traditional Novenario: community altars, afternoon entertainment and face painting (face painting costs extra), Teatro del Barrio's Danza de la Muerte at 6 p.m. and the Novenario procession at 7 p.m., with complimentary sweet bread at the ceremony. Free. 125 Paseo de la Plaza, Los Angeles.
• Mexican Day of the Dead at Bowers Museum (11 a.m.–3 p.m.) — the Bowers family festival: live performances, family art-making, face painting and complimentary treats in the courtyard. The festival is free; museum galleries are paid separately. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana.
• Día de Muertos at Heritage Museum of Orange County (5–9 p.m.) — the same Sunday, Santa Ana closes with live entertainment, vendors, food, crafts and a community altar that also remembers pets. Free. 3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana. Bowers in the morning, Heritage at sunset: a full day without leaving the same city.
• Closing at Lincoln Heights Youth Arts Center (4–8:30 p.m.) — Danza Mexica, workshops, face painting, a talk on how an altar is built, and a movie to finish: “The Book of Life” at 7 p.m. Their community altar takes your photos and keepsakes. Free. 2911 Altura St., Los Angeles.

The big option? Carved at Descanso Gardens (paid)

Carved closes its season this weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 6–10 p.m.): a one-mile trail through hundreds of carved, glowing pumpkins, with a Day of the Dead ofrenda and, for the first time, trick-or-treating on Halloween night. It is not free: non-members pay $29–$52 for adults and $19–$37 for children depending on day and entry time; tickets are bought in advance, not at the door, and parking is free. 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. One honest note: Hollywood Forever's Día de Muertos was last Saturday, October 24 — if anyone sells it to you as a plan for this weekend, it already happened.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the best plan of the weekend? For kids, Boonion Station on Saturday (free, 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.). For Sunday, the Olvera Street + Grand Park combo: a few blocks apart, both free, and together they fill the day.
• Is the West Hollywood Carnaval for kids? No. The city says it plainly: kids and pets are discouraged. For little ones, go to Boonion Station, Vidiots or the Grand Hope Park festival.
• What needs a reservation? Vidiots asks for a free RSVP and its spots run out; Little Tokyo is also free with RSVP. Carved is bought in advance. Everything else is just show up.
• Is almost everything really free? Yes: 13 of the 15 plans charge no admission. The Zoo is included with admission ($27 adults, $22 children) and the downtown kids' festival is $13–$15 with dinner included and under-3s free. Carved is labeled as a paid plan and does not count toward the 15.

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SOURCES CHECKED ON OCTOBER 29, 2026discoverlosangeles.com · lapca.org · grandparkla.org · ocindependent.com (OC Parks notice) · parks.oc.gov · greatparklive.com · tixr.com · lapradaevents.com · ticketweb.com · santaanita.com · funwithkidsinla.com · kidsguidemagazine.com