Fall Events in Ladera Ranch and Beyond

Fall is a delightful season, painting the landscape with vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold. As the air turns crisp and cool, communities in Ladera Ranch and South Orange County come alive with exciting events to celebrate this beautiful time of the year. From pumpkin patches to spooky Halloween festivities and outdoor adventures, there's something for everyone. Let's explore the fall events you won't want to miss in this charming region of California.

Ladera Ranch

Halloween Home Decorating contest

Oct 12-26th

Visit LaderaLife.com to use the interactive map showcasing all the jaw-dropping home entries. Take a tour and cast your vote for your absolute favorites. Let's support our fellow neighbors and show some love for their wickedly awesome displays. The judging will be wrapped up by Thursday, October 26, at noon.

Create and Connect Succulent Workshop

Oct 12 6pm-8:30pm

Home decor for the fall by creating pumpkin arrangements. You will be guided through the process of decorating your pumpkin with succulents, nuts, dried flowers and more. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Harvest Festival

Oct 21 12-4pm

A fun filled event for all Ladera Residents. Rock out while playing games, engaging activities and lots of cute photo ops. Shop at our fabulous handmade craft fair or cheer on the contestants of the costume contest.

Teen Movie Night and Haunted Maze

Oct 28 7pm-10pm

A nights thrills and chills teens from grades 6-12 can enjoy a spooky movie, scream as they go through the haunted maze or take cool photos at the 360 Photo Booth. Indulge in a mouthwatering Nacho Bar and a Candy Buffet that'll satisfy all your cravings.

Create and Connect Workshop: Create ceramic Ornament

Nov 4 9:30-11am

Use your imagination and creativity to make your own ceramic ornament. From elegant to simple, muted to bold, traditional or unique, the choice is yours. You'll be sure to brighten up any tree with a decoration that expresses your personality and flair. For ages 9 an d up.

Ladera Pride Community Celebration

Nov 4 4-6pm

A community celebration that will provide a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community, allies, and friends to gather and celebrate.

Ladera Veterans Day Ceremony

Nov 11 10am-1pm

This is a wonderful family event to honor our local veterans and families publicly and thank them for their service. This event is organized by Lion's Heart Group 2025. There are signs of all the Ladera residents that are veterans and military vehicles for kids to check out.

Beyond Ladera

Halloween Time at Disneyland

Disneyland dresses up for Halloween every year with magically spook-free decorations throughout the park and all your favorite characters don their best costumes. The Main Street Pumpkin Festival is a guest favorite packed full of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns on display.

Knotts Scary Farm

Sept 14 - Oct 31

Knott’s Berry Farm continues with the Halloween tradition of putting on one of the biggest fright fests in Southern California. When darkness sets in, the park crawls with monsters and zombies, and features mazes, scare zones, shows and experiences.

Tunnel of Terror Carwash

Big Wave Car Wash | 2219 Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim

Oct 5 - 30 6pm-10pm (Thursday, Friday and Saturdays)

OC’s first haunted car wash will give you the drive-thru thrills with special effects and creepy costumed characters popping in throughout the duration of your wash cycle. Keep your hands off the wheel and the car in park and get ready for a scary good time.

Fall Harvest Festival

Grand Park | 6101 City Lights Drive, Aliso Viejo

Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 10AM – 12PM

Hosted by the Aliso Viejo Community Association, the Fall Harvest Festival will include games, entertainment, a kid’s costume parade, community booths, and trick or treating.

Barktoberfest

Tewinkle Park | 970 Arlington Drive, Costa Mesa Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 11AM – 2PM

Come celebrate your furry friends with a pet costume party, photo ops, music, demonstrations, pet adoptions, food trucks, and more.

Halloween Festival on Amber Lantern

Saturday, October 7, 2023 | 11am-4pm

Amber Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629

The street of the Amber Lantern will be closed down for this event to bring you a Spooktacular Halloween Festival. There will also be happy hour crawl with hauntingly good deals on local bites and craft spirits, live music, costume contests and raffle prizes, a pumpkin patch, kids craft zone and family-friendly workshops in Prado Square.

Spooky Seas at The Ocean Institute

Ocean Institute – 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr., Dana Point, CA 92629 Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Visit the Ocean Institute in Dana Point for spooky and spellbinding fun. The hauntingly exciting adventure begins with a visit to the Mad Scientist’s lab with hands-on experiments. There is also bioluminescence laser tag, a costume contest, trick or treating, live music, Artifact Graveyard, aquarium access, a photo booth, and food and drinks. The event is appropriate for all ages.

Halloween Zoo-tacular at the OC Zoo

1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA

Saturday, October 28, 2023 | 10 am – 4 pm

Park entrance $5 per car | Zoo entrance $2 per person

The Orange County Zoo’s Halloween Zoo-tacular is especially for kids 12 and under and includes trick-or-treating, scavenger hunts, spooky crafts, and games. The zoo animals get treats too and guests enjoy watching the animals get the goodies out of their treat-filled pumpkins during this annual family Halloween event. Don’t forget to dress up! The first 100 kids in costume receive a freebie.

San Juan Capistrano Ghost Walk

Oct 1- 31 (Friday, Saturday and Sundays)

Hear tales of headless spirits, bandits and even a pirate attack along the dark and the macabre the historic streets of one of California’s oldest cities. Under the canopy of century old pepper trees, hear the stories of the spirits that inhabit the old Los Rios district and make our way through the dimly lit Camino Capistrano to the outskirts of the Mission itself.

California Wine Festival

November 10-11, 2023

Paséa Hotel & Spa – 21080 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Friday: 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Saturday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The California Wine Festival is one of the most prestigious events in Southern California, featuring California’s best wineries offering rare and vintage wines, complemented by delicious gourmet appetizers prepared by the region’s top chefs and specialty food purveyors.

Carnival Colossal & Food Truck Festival

October 12-15, 2023 Vista Hermosa Sports Park | 987 Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente Thurs: 6-10PM | Fri: 5PM-12AM | Sat: 12PM-12AM | Sun: 12PM-10PM

Come to the Carnival Colossal and enjoy rides, games, food, music, and live entertainment. Discount Tickets can be purchased BEFORE the carnival begins at: San Clemente Aquatics Center, San Clemente Community Center, and Boys & Girls Club.