What are the Best Halloween Events in the South Bay Area and How Can You Prepare for Them?

 

It’s nearly time for that spooky Fall holiday that we all love to go wild about. Did you know, according to National Retail Federations Report that Americans spent a whopping $6.9 billion on Halloween in 2015? The end-of-October event is the perfect combination of spooky and upbeat, and a great excuse to dress up and go to some enjoyable social gatherings. Those of you living around the Manhattan Beach area will not be disappointed this year, as there are loads of options for enjoyable things to do. Here we suggest a few of the best things to check out, how to get in the mood, and of course, come up with some ideas of what to wear.

Some of the Events That are too Good to Miss

One of the most talked-about events coming up this October is the Hey 19 Public House Haunted Halloween party, featuring the Crow Hill Band. Tickets are available for $19 before October 21st on Eventbrite and Facebook, and those who book in advance will make good savings, as the door price is $35. On the night there will be a buffet, dancing, drink specials and giveaways, along with a $1000 costume contest. Bear in mind that this fun-filled evening takes place on October 28 and not actually Halloween night.

To get prepared for the big night, you’ll need to decorate your house and have fun with pumpkins. One way to do this and socialize with other people at the same time would be to get down to the Halloween Pumpkin Print Painting Party in Downtown Torrance. Guests can pop in any time on the 28th and get some expert tips on creating pumpkin prints from studio artist Vickie Sekits.

On the day itself, many South Bay residents will recommend the annual Halloween Trick or Treat Stroll in Riviera Village. Catalina Avenue closes for traffic to allow this huge gathering to take place, and all the shops will hand out candy and treats from 4 to 6pm.

Best Ways to Get in the Mood for Halloween

There are many ways to get into the spirit of Halloween and prepare yourself before hitting these popular social events around Manhattan Beach. One of the most obvious things to do would be to have a scary movie binge focusing on films set around the spooky holiday. The Halloween series would be the ideal place to start, and it all begins with the 1978 classic directed by John Carpenter that inspired so many other teen slasher films. There are seven other titles following on from that, with various directors including Joe Chappelle and Joe Miner putting their stamp on the franchise with Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers and Halloween H20. Hardcore horror fans could even check out the Rob Zombie remake/reimagining of Halloween and Halloween II, which were released in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

There are plenty of creepy games that could get you in the mood for the big night, including a host of new Halloween slot games which casino sites have adapted for the season featuring slot games that utilize pumpkins, ghosts, and all things scary. Console gamers have the option to check out some highly disturbing offerings, such as the classic Silent Hill 2 which, according to IGN, is the scariest game ever, or the more recent Resident Evil 7: Biohazard which was released this year and earned a score of 86% on Metacritic. If all this sounds a bit too scary for you, you could partake in some more traditional Halloween pastimes such as carving pumpkins and decorating the home to scare off all the trick-or-treaters. Then, of course, there is the all-important costume preparation.

What Kind of Costume Should You Go for?

People who put a bit of effort in and go to the party in an awesome costume garner so much more respect than the lazy folk who don a shop-bought mask or a sheet with some eye holes in it. Halloween only happens once a year, so you may as well have some fun and go to great lengths to be the most memorable character wherever you are. Some of the most-worn outfits in the late noughties included Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and the late Heath Ledger’s Joker from the second installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight. Although these are still classics that would go down well at any party, it’s always good to wear something that is more in tune with today’s trends.

In 2017, some of the most popular costumes that are currently in fashion include Pennywise the clown from Andy Muschietti’s recent remake of the 1986 Stephen King classic, It. Other options are Wonder Woman from the recent DC Extended Universe adventure, and Rick from Rick and Morty. If none of those ideas tickle your fancy, you can’t go wrong with a Game of Thrones character. The show attracts more than 10 million viewers per episode, and you can bet that you will run into a few Jon Snows and Daenerys Targaryens while out and about this October.

Wherever you find yourself in the South Bay area this Halloween, you are sure to have a blast. Don’t forget to get in the spirit of things first, and make sure that your costume is on point before you leave the house.

 

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