Top October Events

Come soak up some Vitamin D in California's Beach City this October, all while enjoying 80+ Kids Free San Diego offers, Halloween happenings, Dia de los Muertos celebrations and more awesome events.

Don't miss these exciting events happening in San Diego this October.

Kids Free San Diego

When: Oct. 1-31, 2025
Kids Free San Diego is calling you back this October, where kids eat, stay, and play for free. With more than 80 deals on activities, attractions, meals and more, unforgettable family memories are waiting to be made in San Diego. Plan your trip today!

HalGLOWeen at the San Diego Zoo

When: Oct. 3-26, 2025
Plan to join the San Diego Zoo for musical entertainment, special performances, Dr. Zoolittle, and more family friendly fun will light up the night every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening in October. Kids 11 and younger are free, and can come in costume for even more seasonal excitement.

San Diego Spirits Festival

When: Oct. 27-28, 2025
The two-day Signature Event is set to delight everyone’s palate and promises to be a feast for ALL your senses, with a weekend of unlimited tantalizing sips as you reconnect with brands you know, and discover new ones from over 60 brands from High end Spirits to ready to drink cocktails and seltzers.

LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat Party Nights

When: Thru Nov. 1, 2025
Every Saturday night, LEGOLAND® California Resort creates Halloween excitement with live entertainment, character meet-and-greets, costume contests, and treat stations during extended Park open hours!

Halloween Happenings

When: Thru Nov. 2, 2025
From family-friendly fright fests and historically-haunted tours, to terror-filled scream zones and wild, trick-or-treat parties, Halloween in San Diego is crazy fun for ghouls and kids of all ages.

SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular

When: Thru Nov. 2, 2025
For weekends brimming with family fun, SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular thrills with spooky live shows, Halloween activities and trick-or-treating for the little ones throughout the park in a safe, family-friendly environment.

Del Mar Fall Racing Season

When: Oct. 30 - Nov. 30, 2025
This nostalgic season will present superior racing Fridays - Sundays and Thanksgiving along with a lineup of engaging events during the four-week run. Thousands of visitors from 16 countries will enjoy a full slate of events, dining, live music and more throughout Del Mar Village, culminating in two days of world-class thoroughbred racing at the Del Mar Racetrack.

More Awesome October Events

Oktoberfest in El Cajon

When: Thru Oct. 5, 2025
San Diego County's most traditional Oktoberfest - fun for the whole family! Live German Oom-Pah music, awesome German food, German beers on tap, and so much more!

Fall Fest at Belmont Park

When: Thru Oct. 26, 2025
The magic of the season will transform the 97-year-old seaside Belmont Park into a vibrant taste of fall! Get into the festive spirit with FREE Trick-or-Treating every Sunday in October, live acoustic performances and festive beer garden Friday nights, specialty treats from your favorite stops, iconic rides and attractions and MORE!

San Diego Italian Film Festival

When: Oct. 1-11, 2025
The San Diego Italian Film Festival showcases the best of new Italian film with a series of premieres ranging from dramas and comedies to documentaries. 

San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival

When: Oct. 2-5, 2025
Celebrate the musical richness of the San Diego/Tijuana region with internationally acclaimed performers as they light up stages on both sides of the border.

Bahia Oktoberfest Cruise

When: Oct. 3, 2025
Get your lederhosen and dirndls ready for an Oktoberfest bash on the waters of Mission Bay! Hop aboard the sternwheeler boat for a festive celebration featuring refreshing beer options and savory snacks such as bratwursts, giant pretzels, and popcorn.

La Mesa Oktoberfest

When: Oct. 3 - 5, 2025
3 days of festive live music, including Oompa bands, tons of top-notch German food, and of course, steins filled to the brim with German & Craft beer!

Del Mar Harvest Festival

When: Oct. 3-5, 2025
Each Harvest Festival features hundreds of artisans exhibiting American handmade items, strolling entertainment, festival food and a Kidzone.

Mr. Jack O' Lanterns Pumpkin Patch

When: Oct. 3-31, 2025
The perfect pumpkin awaits at this family-owned pumpkin patch, along with a spooky maze, games, and activities that make for an unparalleled family experience.

Pacific Beachfest

When: Oct. 4, 2025
Pacific BeachFest has something for everyone including a fish taco contest, beach volleyball, craft beer, kids activities and music!

Taste of North Park

When: Oct. 4, 2025
Enjoy over 40 food tastes and 15 craft beer/craft cider sips from North Park’s best restaurants and breweries while exploring the sites and sounds of this electric North Park neighborhood.

Fort Cross Haunted Harvest

When: Oct. 4-25, 2025
Haunted Hayride, Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest, Apple Bobbing Contest, Harvest Hoedown with Jug Band, Apple Cider Pressing and Tasting.

Sip & Scare Sunset Special

When: Oct. 4-25, 2025
As the sun dips below the horizon, casting long, eerie shadows across the tracks, the Sip & Scare Sunset Special sets off on its 45-minute spine chilling journey through the Campo back country. The air is filled with the haunting melodies of classic Halloween tunes, while passengers sip on a complimentary crafted cocktail at our new bar.

Pumpkin Express

When: Oct. 4-26, 2025
Join the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association in the Pumpkin Express Halloween Celebration complete with a train ride, pumpkin patch and more.

Autumn Festival at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

When: Oct. 5-27, 2024
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park celebrates the season of color with amazing wildlife, special entertainment, and culinary comforts that create heartwarming memories and good old-fashioned family fun.

A Taste of Coronado

When: Oct. 8, 2025
Take a culinary trip around the world sampling from Coronado bistros. Meander along Orange Avenue or take a ride on the complimentary trolley. This will be a night to remember so come and bring your friends! 

San Diego Filipino Film Festival

When: Oct. 9-12, 2025
SDFFF aims to not only be a platform to amplify Filipinx visions, voices and stories but also foster new interest in filmmaking and cinema as art throughout the local and global Filipinx community.

Ocean Beach Oktoberfest

When: Oct. 10-11, 2025
The Ocean Beach Oktoberfest is a two-day, eclectic, beachside festival with a variety of exciting activities, contests and entertainment.

Carmel Valley Trail 15k, 10k and 5k

When: Oct. 11, 2025
On the Carmel Valley Trail 15K, 10K and 5K, participants will experience a combination of single track and dirt service road trails through beautiful open spaces.

Rancho BEERnardo Festival

When: Oct. 11, 2025
Rancho Bernardo’s Favorite Beer Festival is Back!

XTERRA Wetsuits Mission Bay Triathlon

When: Oct. 12, 2025
Join us at the birthplace of the sport for the Mission Bay Triathlon! Competitors from around the country will return to Mission Bay to celebrate the triathlon.

Hauntfest on Main Street

When: Oct. 17, 2025
HauntFest on Main is an exciting family friendly event in Downtown El Cajon with a pumpkin patch, costume contest, kidz zone, rides, entertainment and more! 

MCRD BootCamp Challenge

When: Oct. 18, 2025
The MCRD Bootcamp Challenge features obstacles used only by Marine Recruits plus USMC Drill Instructors providing direction and encouragement.

Borrego Days Desert Festival

When: Oct. 18-19, 2025
The 56th Annual festival weekend at Christmas Circle includes live bands, an acclaimed Comedy Hypnosis Show, plus art exhibits, kid's zone, food vendors, artisans, education, adult beer garden, free to enter car show and more. This is a family friendly festival that is fun for all ages.  

Escondido Grand Avenue Festival

When: Oct. 19, 2025
Since 1989, the Escondido Grand Avenue Festival has brought live entertainment, over 400 vendors, children's rides and activities, and food from around the world to the downtown tree-lined streets of Escondido. 

USA Ultimate National Championships

When: Oct. 23-26, 2025
The USA Ultimate National Championships represent the pinnacle of elite ultimate in North America and crowns champions in three divisions: men’s, mixed and women’s.

Haunted Hangar Halloween Bash

When: Oct. 24, 2025
Prepare for a spooktacular night filled with thrilling activities, exciting contests, delicious treats, bewitching cocktails for the grown-ups, and more. Don’t forget to flaunt your most spine-chilling costume to win a fang-tastic prize!

Lions Tigers & Bears Spooky Campover

When: Oct. 24, 2025
Enjoy a wild and ghoulish night under the stars with the rescued exotic animals of Lions Tigers & Bears. The annual Spooky Campover is a family favorite you do not want to miss! Enjoy pumpkin carving (don't forget your pumpkin), s'mores by the campfire, and more.

Halloween Aglow

When: Oct. 24-25, 2025
After the sun goes down, the Birch Aquarium lights up! Halloween Aglow is a family-friendly event that features live music, a costume contest, trick-or-treat stations and so much more!

Halloween at San Diego Zombie Crawl

When: Oct. 24 - Nov. 1, 2025
If you love Halloween, dining and the nightlife, do not miss San Diego's #1 Halloween Celebration! Your San Diego Zombie Crawl ticket includes a guided route, 25+ premier club admissions, welcome shots + food and beverage specials in the Gaslamp. 

Halloween at the Station

When: Oct. 26, 2025
Liberty Station invites you to join us for our annual free, family-friendly Halloween celebration: Halloween at the Station! Gather in Ingram Plaza for live DJ entertainment, a Hollywood car show, inflatable obstacle courses, crafts, activities, and trick-or-treating throughout Liberty Station!

Trick-or-Treat on India Street

When: Oct. 26, 2025
This fun and safe Halloween event makes it possible for urban families to enjoy authentic trick-or-treating fun as Little Italy businesses along historic India Street open their doors to give out candy and Halloween treats. 

Oceanside Dia de los Muertos Festival

When: Oct. 26, 2025
Altars, arts & crafts, por siempre car show, a chalk cemetery and more!

Haunting in Venice

When: Oct. 26 - 31, 2025
Celebrate Halloween with the ghosts of Venice on a gondala cruise through the eerie canals and spooky waterways of the Coronado Cays.

Nightmare on Normal Street

When: Oct. 31, 2025
Guaranteed to be a Fang-tastic evening filled with ghouls, goblins and spine chilling scares. You won't want to miss this year Nightmare on Normal St.

Halloween Party Cruise

When: Oct. 31, 2025
The Mission Bay adults-only party boat is packed with two live DJs pumping out spooky dance beats, a cash bar with delicious libations and snacks, as well as a photo booth to capture all your spirited shenanigans.