From festivals and costume contests to trick-or-treating across town, there were plenty of festivities Los Angeles County residents participated in on the spookiest night of the year — Halloween.
At the southeast corner of Walden Drive and Carmelia Avenue, for example, about 5,000 visitors were expected to visit “The Witch’s House” in Beverly Hills, according to homeowner Michael Libow. Also known as the Spadena House, the home was built in 1921 for a silent film movie studio, Willat Studios, in Culver City.
“I’m always thrilled to know that my house brings a smile to the face of each visitor young and old,” Libow told City News Service.
Halloween events in West Hollywood included the “Mary’s Hocus Pocus Bash” drag show and costume contest at Hamburger Mary’s and a costume contest at Micky’s WeHo gay bar for a prize of $500 to finish off their Halloween weekend events.
Festivals all over Los Angeles County also had something for both kids and adults to celebrate.
The 15th annual Downtown Los Angeles Halloween Festival for Kids included trick-or-treating, bounce houses, magic shows and more at Grand Hope Park. Haunt O’Ween, at the site of the former Westfield Promenade shopping mall, was home to a 200,000-square-foot interactive Halloween festival, with nine expansive thematic environments, including trick-or-treating, potion making, bounce houses, games, rides and performances.
La Mirada’s annual Halloweenfest was another family-friendly event that featured a haunted maze, costume contest, carnival-like games, crafts and a trick-or-treat area. Families also decorated pumpkins.
Long Beach and the South Bay area also joined in on the frightening fun.
There was a first-time event in Long Beach promoted by Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal — appropriately called Shaqtoberfest. That event began earlier in this month and concluded on Monday night, Oct. 31, with rides, games, food, trick-or-treating during the day and an adult experience after dark alongside the Queen Mary.
Trick-or-Treat on Second Street in Belmont Shore, a long-standing tradition for businesses in Long Beach, featured designated jack-o-lantern signs and homes in the area giving out sweet treats. This year there was also a professional photo booth set up at Chase Bank to capture participants’ costumes.
The Art Theatre in Long Beach had a screening and live score of the 1922 German silent horror film, “Nosferatu.”
“We are incredibly excited for the Jack C. Dubowsky Ensemble to return – live and in person – to the beautiful historic Art Theatre, where he debuted his original score for Nosferatu for Halloween in 2018,” Kerstin Kansteiner, the Art Theatre’s board secretary, said in an email. “While everyone recognizes Murnau’s ‘Nosferatu’ as a timeless masterpiece, we had no idea the film would be so eerily prophetic.
“‘Nosferatu’ has been a sell-out in the past and we consider the performance one of our strongest community events the Art Theatre offers,” Kansteiner added. “Live music, vintage film repertoire, local musicians and lots of returning fans of the JCD Ensemble.”
The Riviera Village Halloween Trick-or-Treat, in Redondo Beach, also returned this year as it has become a South Bay tradition, attracting thousands of kids each year.
City News Services contributed to this report.