Halloween Events and Activities In and Around Ventura County

Halloween season is upon us again! Halloween 2023 looks to be a fun time with this compilation of Halloween events taking place in Ventura County and surrounding areas.

Dates/times subject to change; contact event organizers to confirm. This list will be updated regularly. For calendar view, click here.

Pumpkin Patches in Ventura County and Surrounding Areas

EVENTS COMING UP AND ONGOING

Tue, Oct 31: Halloween Carnival in Oak Park (4-7PM)

Tue, Oct 31: Halloween Carnival in Simi Valley (4-7PM RSVP)

Tue, Oct 31: Trick or Treat at the Camarillo Premium Outlets (4-6PM)

Tue, Oct 31: Trick or Treat at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks (4-6PM)

Tue, Oct 31: Haunted High Street Event in Moorpark (4-7PM)

Tue, Oct 31: Halloween in the Park in Camarillo (5-8PM)

Tue, Oct 31: Haunted House and Trick or Treat Garage in T.O. (5:30-10PM)

Tue, Oct 31: City of Fillmore Trunk or Treat Event (6-8PM)

Sat, Nov 4: Dia De Los Muertos Festival in Camarillo (10AM-6PM)

Sat, Nov 4: Festival de los Muertos Event in Newbury Park (4-8PM)

Cool Residential Displays (Links to Video Footage)

Corner of Christine Ave and Hope St in Simi Valley

642 Cayo Grande in Newbury Park

507 Yarrow Drive in Simi Valley

Mapleleaf Ave at Madrid in Newbury Park

Evenstar Ave north of Westlake Blvd in Thousand Oaks

Orangewood and Felton in Newbury Park

3337 Frankie Lane in Newbury Park

Bernadine St and Wauneta St in Newbury Park

Flaming Star and Shenandoah in Thousand Oaks

Blackwood Street in Newbury Park

Yew Drive in Newbury Park

Feather Ave near Hendrix in Thousand Oaks

Golden Crest Ave in Newbury Park

Valley High Ave in Thousand Oaks

Camino Dos Rios west of Lynn Rd in Thousand Oaks

Dena and Lesser in Newbury Park

665 E. Ave de los Arboles in Thousand Oaks

ONGOING EVENTS

Sep 30 to Oct 31: Underwood Family Farms Fall Harvest on the Farm in Moorpark

Sept 29 to Nov 4: Reign of Terror Haunted House at Janss Marketplace Thousand Oaks

Sept 30 to Oct 31: Nights of the Jack Halloween Experience at King Gillette Ranch

Oct 13-15, 20-22, 27-29: Santa Paula Theater Center “Ghostwalk” Event

Oct 20-22, 27-29: Boo at the Zoo at the Santa Barbara Zoo

Past Events

Fri, Oct 13: CineMalibu Halloween Outdoor Movie Night (5:30-9:30PM)

Fri, Oct 13: Let the Ghoul Times Roll SK8 Nite in Oxnard (6-9PM)

Sat, Oct 14: 4th Annual Pumpkin Patch Event at Simi Valley Town Center (11AM)

Sat, Oct 14: Trunk-or-Treat at the Simi Valley YMCA (3-6PM)

Sat, Oct 21: Trail or Treat at Camarillo Grove Park (10AM-1PM; $5 hike requires RSVP)

Sat, Oct 21: Peace Pumpkin Fest in Camarillo (10AM-3PM)

Sat, Oct 21: Halloween Haunted Trail, Costume Contest and Trick or Treat Street in Thousand Oaks (6-9PM)

Sat, Oct 21: Rancho Simi Heritage Halloween and Movie in the Park (4-9:30PM)

Oct 21-22: Boo at the Zoo at America’s Teaching Zoo in Moorpark (11AM-4:30PM)

Sun, Oct 22: Calabasas Pumpkin Festival (10AM-5PM)

Sun, Oct 22: Nextgen Rotary “Crawl-o-Ween” Fundraiser in Downtown Ventura (Benefits Three Local Nonprofits) (RSVP)

Mon, Oct 23: Oxnard PD Halloween Trunk or Treat Event (5:30-7:30PM)

Wed, Oct 25: Trick or Treat at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard (5PM - RSVP)

Thu, Oct 26: Halloween Celebration in Port Hueneme (5-8PM)

Thu, Oct 26: Camarillo Police Department “Trunk or Treat” Event (6-8PM)

Fri, Oct 27: Thousand Oaks Post Acute “Trunk or Treat” Free Event (5:30-7:30PM)

Fri, Oct 27: Spooky Swim at Pleasant Valley Aquatic Center in Camarillo (5:30PM RSVP)

Fri, Oct 27: Spooky Town at the Simi Valley Town Center (6PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest in Camarillo (10AM-1PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Halloween Fun at the Simi Valley Town Center (All Day)

Sat, Oct 28: Camarillo Old Town BooFest Trick or Treating (Noon-4PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest at Ventura Harbor Village (Noon)

Sat, Oct 28: Trick or Treat at the Stagecoach Inn Museum Newbury Park (1-4PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Pumpkin Party at the Leonis Adobe Museum in Calabasas (1-4PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Spooky Scavenger Hunt at Channel Islands Maritime Museum (2-4PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Pumpkin Fest and ESCAPE MAZE free event at Christ the King Newbury Park (2-6PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treating in Downtown Ventura (3-7PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Parade of Freights Marketplace at Harbor View Park, CI Harbor (3-7PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Trick or Treating at the Simi Valley Town Center (4-6PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Trick or Treat Event in Newbury Park (4-6PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Channel Islands Harbor Parade of Frights (7PM)

Sat, Oct 28: Halloween Bash at the Ojai Valley Museum (7-10PM)

Oct 28-29: Boo at the Zoo at America’s Teaching Zoo in Moorpark (11AM-4:30PM)

Sun, Oct 29; Dia de los Muertos Festival at Strathearn Park in Simi Valley (11AM-5PM)

Sun, Oct 29: Dia de los Muertos Festival at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula (11AM-5PM)

Sun, Oct 29: Dia de los Muertos Activities at Santa Paula Art Museum (Noon-3PM)

Sun, Oct 29: Seaside Trick or Treat at Ventura Harbor Village (Noon-2PM)

Sun, Oct 29: Trunk or Treat at Iceoplex Simi Valley (2:15-6PM)

Pumpkin Patches in Ventura County and Adjacent Areas

The star of the Halloween show is the pumpkin. According to my favorite resource Wikipedia, the name pumpkin originated from the ancient Greek word pepon ("large melon"). The French called it pompom. The British changed it to pumpion. Then American colonists changed it to pumpkin.

Pumpkins are gourd-like squashes and technically are a fruit. They can range in size from 1 lb to 1,000 lbs.

But who cares about all that...what we REALLY want to know is, where are the pumpkin patches in Ventura County and surrounding areas for the 2023 fall season!? Well, here are some choices...but make sure to call before you go for hours, etc.

OTHER HALLOWEEN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Big Wave Dave's Pumpkin Patch will be operating one pumpkin patch this year at the Pacific View Mall in the Trader Joe's/Target parking lot from Sept 29 to Oct 31, 2023. Free admission to the pumpkin patch, with kids’ activities, photo opps and more. Visit bigwavedaveschristmastrees.com/pumpkin-patch.html/

Pumpkin Patch at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 3947 W. Kimber Drive, Newbury Park. October 13 through 31, 2023, Mon-Fri 2-7pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun noon-7pm and Oct 31 9am-4pm. They will also be hosting a free Pumpkin Fest event from 2-6pm on the 28th as well as “Final Rest…an Escape Maze” for kids and adults that day from 5:30-9:30pm.

Boccali Ranch Pumpkin Patch at 3277 E. Ojai Avenue in Ojai will be open 7 days a week from 10am to 7pm during the month of October, The offer tiny to extra-large “Big Mac” pumpkins, squash, gourds, Indian corn and seasonal produce. More details at boccalis.com/pumpkinpatch.html.

Prancer's Pumpkin Patch Santa Paula is located at 18540 East Telegraph Road and will be open from 8am to dusk October 1-31, 2023. Also, they will be offering early access to the pumpkin patch from September 23-30. Admission varies by date. Parking is free and children under 2 are free. Located on a 30 acre farm filled with 10 acres of pumpkins, hay pyramid, animal center viewing, corn expedition, barrel train, horse rides and more. They encourage you to purchase advance tickets online as walk-ins will be limited at peak times. Learn more at prancersfarm.com.

The Santa Paula Rotary's Pumpkin Patch at the Limoneira Ranch in Santa Paula will not take place in 2023. Stay tuned for updates at www.pumpkinpatchatlimoneiraranch.com

Stu Miller's Pumpkin Patch just east of the Simi Valley Town Center.

The 2023 Underwood Family Farms Fall Harvest Festival in Moorpark is back from September 30 to October 31 at 3370 Sunset Valley Road. Admission includes all sorts of fun, including humongous pumpkin patch, tractor-drawn wagon rides, corn maze, giant tractor display, hay pyramids, animal center, and many other family-friendly activities. Themed weekend events include animal shows, pig races, live performers, roaming entertainment and more. 50 acres of fun! Weekday admission is $14 at the gate only. Weekend admission varies from $22 to $28 per person. Children 2 and under and parking are free. More details at www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com/fall-harvest.

The Underwood Farm Center in Somis at 5696 Los Angeles Avenue also has a pumpkin patch along with its year-round animal center. Open 9am to 6pm.

The 2023 Calabasas Pumpkin Festival is planned for Sunday, October 22 from 10am to 5pm at De Anza Park. Event will feature pumpkin patch and plenty of other fun activities. $10 per person in advance online. $15 at the gate. Kids under 2 are free. www.calabasaspumpkinfestival.com

The Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch will be back this year at 450 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Hodencamp) in Thousand Oaks from September 29 to October 31, 2023. Hours are 3-9pm Mon-Thu, 3-10pm Fri, 11am-10pm Sat and 11am-9pm Sun. Closes at 7pm on 10/31. Free admission. Rides and attractions priced separately. www.seasonaladventures.com/thousandoakspumpkins

The Simi Valley Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch is also back this year at 1898 Simi Town Center Way from September 29 to October 31, 2023. Hours are 3-9pm Mon-Thu, 3-10pm Fri, 11am-10pm Sat and 11am-9pm Sun. Closes at 7pm on 10/31. Free admission. Rides and attractions priced separately. www.seasonaladventures.com/simivalleypumpkins

McGrath Brothers Great Pacific Pumpkins is located at 5100 Olivas Park Drive in Ventura. Call 805.644.1235. They are open the entire month of October from 9am to 6pm. Admission is $1. Check their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/mcgrathgreatpacificpumpkins for updates.

Bennett's Best Pumpkin Patch have locations once again this year next to the Whizin Market Square at 28900 Roadside Drive and at the corner of Kanan and Agoura Roads.

Support Our Troops Through the Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program

At Halloween, many of us anticipate massive stockpiles of sugary sweets in our households.

As an alternative to consuming all this candy, consider donating it to our troops overseas. You may think, do we really want to send all that junk food to throughout the world? Sure! Everyone enjoys a treat! And truth be told, the troops themselves don't eat all this candy...much of it they enjoy sharing in the communities they patrol.

The Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program has partnered with Operation Gratitude and local dental practices to channel your candy stockpile to our troops. Local dentists "buy" back Halloween candy in exchange for cash or other items. The candy is shipped to Operation Gratitude and other U.S. Military support groups and in turn it is sent overseas, to children of deployed service members, wounded warriors, veterans and first responders.

There are nearly a number of local Ventura County dental practices participating in this program. Just visit www.halloweencandybuyback.com and enter your zip code for these or other locations throughout the L.A./Ventura County area.

Each practice has their own buy-back incentives. so make sure to call to learn more about their program and related time frames (usually the first several days after Halloween).

The Pumpkin Chucker at the Pumpkin Patch at Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula

A trebuchet is a catapult that works by using the energy of a raised counterweight to throw a projectile. It was popular in medieval times for hurling large stones and missiles. It became obsolete in the 15th century with the introduction of gunpowder.

However, in recent years, the Pumpkin Chucker at the Faulkner Farm Pumpkin Patch in Santa Paula has brought this ancient projectile thrower back into the spotlight!

For $5 (or 3 for $10), visitors to the pumpkin patch can select a small pumpkin that is carefully placed into a launch position on the Pumpkin Chucker, ring the Pumpkin Chucker bell, then pull the rope that triggers a 500 lb counterweight that projects the pumpkin 200 feet away towards a target.

In our recent visit, I was surprised to experience about a 45 minute wait for the Pumpkin Chucker! But that didn't seem to bother anyone, as everyone enjoyed watching the airborne pumpkins and cheering as they came close to the target. It was so popular in fact that I think this could be a great year-round business opportunity...flinging pumpkins, watermelons, canteloupes and other worthy produce!

Pumpkin commencing its 200 foot flight from the Pumpkin Chucker

The Faulkner Farm Pumpkin Patch, run by the Rotary Club of Santa Paula since 2007, is typically open on weekends in October each year. Learn more at www.faulknerfarmpumpkinpatch.com.

Pumpkin Chucker target area and post-flight remnants of pumpkins at Faulkner Farm

'Twas the Night Before Halloween in the Conejo Valley

Twas the night before Halloween and all through the sky,

In Conejo Valley, the clouds stopped by.

While witches were not seen as sunset arrived,

Tomorrow's the big day, we won't be deprived.

Of ghosts and gobblins and skeleton costumes,

Mummies, vampires, creepy dark, lost tombs.

We look forward to young trick or treaters at night,

As the Kit Kats and Snickers and SweeTarts delight.

If the trend continues from Halloweens past,

Our candy supply at night's end will be vast.

Which is good considering I have a sweet tooth,

Reese's are my weakness to tell you the truth.

So as the clock ticks towards this favorite day,

There is just one thing more I want to say.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween is Near, Black Cat Has No Fear!

I came across these really neat photos via a friend in Facebook. Los Angeles based digital special effects designer David Ridlen was outside his home a few weeks ago and noticed his neighbor's cat Lucy was perched on top of their chimney. And the moon floated directly above the fearless feline. Amazed at what a great image that was, David scrambled and grabbed his HD video camera and snapped these still shots.  Though the resolution of the shots is not high, it certainly turned out some really cool shots for this home stretch into Halloween! I love these pics!!

 

 

For nearly 40 things to do through Halloween weekend, CLICK HERE!