Riverside County Halloween Events 2026 – Best Things To Do
Last updated: August 14, 2026. We verify dates directly with event organizers and update this guide as new events are announced.
October is approaching, and that means pumpkin patches and Halloween activities. With Halloween-related celebrations starting as early as September, our guide will help you choose from the best Halloween events in Riverside County. This year, we have a monster-sized list for you. If you’re looking for activities with the kids and family or scary adventures for the grown-ups, there are lots of options from which to choose.
With fall in the air, you’ll find many special Halloween-themed events. And certainly don’t forget to get a pumpkin or a few for your home. It’s indeed an excellent time for family fun.
The Places Where We Go brings together an especially curated list of top-rated events you can schedule. The following list is in alphabetical order by city name throughout Riverside County.
Important Note: Please visit the attractions’ websites before visiting for the latest information and specific guidelines that apply to each listed attraction. Information may change after posting on our website.
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Riverside County Halloween Events 2026 at a Glance
| Date | Event | Quick Take |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 18–Nov. 1 | Castle Dark — Riverside | Haunted mazes & scare zones • Teens/adults • Paid |
| Opens Sept. 19 | Peltzer Pumpkin Farm — Temecula | Pumpkin patch & fall activities • Families • Paid activities |
| October weekends | Headless Horseman Wagon Ride — Temecula | Lantern-lit wagon ride • All ages • Paid |
| Oct. 9–10 | Corona Halloweekend — Corona | Halloween activities & costumes • Families |
| Oct. 10 | Trunk or Treat — Lake Elsinore | Candy, amusements & haunted house • Families • Free |
| October | Riverside Halloween & Fall Events — Riverside | Neighborhood celebrations • Families • Varies |
| Oct. 16 | Movies on the Lawn: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — Riverside | Outdoor classic horror movie • Free |
| Oct. 17 | Victorian Dark Carnival — Riverside | Victorian curiosities & dark history • History lovers |
| Oct. 23 | Dark in the Park — Murrieta | Live music & laser show • Families • Free |
| Oct. 24 | The Last Bloom Ball — Temecula | Costume party, dinner & wine • Adults • Paid |
| Oct. 30 | Temecula Halloween Carnival — Temecula | Games, costumes & trunk-or-treat • Families |
| Year-round | The Haunt Ghost Tour — Temecula | Ghost tour & paranormal history • Paid |
Halloween Events Corona
The Corona Public Library Halloweekend returns on Friday, October 9, 2026, with a family-friendly celebration centered on this year’s heroes and villains theme. Visitors can enjoy Halloween Story Time, STEM activities, bingo, treats, costumes, and other seasonal activities throughout the event. Families are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite hero or villain and join in the Halloween fun.
A second night of fun is scheduled on Saturday, October 10, 2026 — 5:00–7:00 PM at Historic Civic Center, 815 W. 6th Street. That portion includes a treat trail, games, themed maze, booths, photo opportunities and a movie beginning at 7 PM.
Dates: October 9, 2026
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: 650 South Main Street, Corona, CA
Website: Corona Halloweekend
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Halloween Events Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore Trunk or Treat
The City of Lake Elsinore’s annual Trunk or Treat offers a free, family-friendly Halloween celebration featuring more than 60 creatively decorated trunks where children can collect candy. The evening also includes free amusements, a live DJ, a haunted house, and plenty of opportunities to show off Halloween costumes. Admission is free, making this a fun and budget-friendly option for families looking to celebrate Halloween in Riverside County.
Date: October 10, 2026
Location: Main Street, Lake Elsinore
Website: Lake Elsinore Special Events
Halloween Events Murrieta
Murrieta – Dark in the Park
The City of Murrieta’s Dark in the Park – Concert & Laser Light Show offers a free, family-friendly way to celebrate Halloween a little early. Held at Town Square Park & Amphitheater, the event features live music from the Monster Mash House Band, a colorful laser light show, and food available from local vendors. Costumes are encouraged, making it an easygoing evening of music, lights, and Halloween fun for all ages.
Date: October 23, 2026
Time: 5:30 pm – 8 pm
Location: Town Square Park & Amphitheater – 11 Town Square
Murrieta, CA 92562
Website: Murrieta Dark in the Park
Halloween Events Palm Springs
Palm Springs Air Museum Halloween Chili Cook-Off & Car Show
The Palm Springs Air Museum’s annual Chili Cook-Off and Car Show combines classic cars with a festive Halloween atmosphere. Visitors can check out a collection of impressive vehicles and sample chili prepared from Museum volunteers’ favorite recipes, with the event supported by the Palm Springs Cruisin’ Association. Museum admission includes the car show, while chili tastings are available for an additional fee. Children 12 and under are admitted free and are encouraged to come in costume.
Date: October 31, 2026
Time: Car Show Starts at 10:00 AM; Chili Tastings Starts at 11:00 AM
Location: Palm Springs Air Museum
Website: Palm Springs Chili Cook-off and Car Show
More things to do during a Palm Springs Halloween getaway
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Halloween Events Riverside
Riverside – Castle Dark
Castle Dark returns to Castle Park in Riverside for the 2026 Halloween season with haunted attractions, scare zones, eerie entertainment, and seasonal treats. This year’s event introduces two all-new haunted mazes along with the return of a fan-favorite attraction, giving repeat visitors something new to experience.
The entertainment lineup also includes Lady Lou’s Haus of Monsters, followed later in the evening by After Dark, when the monsters keep the party going through the final hour of the haunt. Guests looking to experience the mazes multiple times can also purchase an Ultimate Thrill Pass, which provides unlimited priority access to all three haunted mazes throughout the night.
Dates: September 18 – November 1, 2026 (Fridays-Sundays)
Location: 3500 Polk St, Riverside, CA 92505
Website: https://www.castlepark.com/things-to-do/experiences/castle-dark
Riverside – Dark Carnival
The Museum of Riverside’s Victorian Dark Carnival offers a decidedly different kind of Halloween experience, inspired by the curiosities, beliefs, and amusements of the Victorian era. Visitors can learn about Riverside undertaker Stephen Squire and the work of his wife, Marion Mingo Squire, encounter fortune tellers, questionable cure-alls, mysterious oddities, and other period-inspired attractions. Guests can also book a tour of the historic house to explore Victorian mourning and death customs, making this an especially intriguing event for history lovers looking for something a little darker than the typical Halloween festival.
Date: October 17, 2026
Time: 12 pm – 4 pm
Website: Museum of Riverside – Dark Carnival
Riverside – Halloween Carnival
The City of Riverside is hosting a series of events to bring Halloween fun, including events with special trick-or-treat stations, inflatables, snacks, carnival games, and Halloween-themed activities.
These annual events are a fun and spooktacular way to celebrate. Check out the list below:
October 10, 2026: Eastside Fall Festival at Bordwell Park
October 16, 2026: Boo Bash in the Crest
October 17, 2026: Halloween Spooktacular
October 23, 2026: Trunk or Treat
October 23, 2026: Halloween Carnival
October 24, 2026: Barktoberfest
October 29, 2026: Halloween Carnival
October 29, 2026: 2025: Monster Bash
October 30, 2026: Spooky Spooktacular Festival
October 31, 2026: Ghoul’s Night Out at Bryant Park
Website: Riverside Community Calendar
Riverside – Movies on the Lawn: “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1941)
Movies on the Lawn at Heritage House brings classic Hollywood horror outdoors with a free screening of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) on October 16. Starring Spencer Tracy and directed by Victor Fleming, the film adapts Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous tale of the struggle between good and evil. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or camping chairs for the outdoor screening, with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. and the movie beginning at 6:30 p.m. Concessions will be available for cash purchase, and parking is limited.
Date: October 16, 2026
Time: 6 pm
Admission: Free
Website: Museum of Riverside – Movies on the Lawn
Halloween Events Temecula
Temecula – Headless Horseman Harvest Wagon Ride
The Temecula Carriage Company’s Headless Horseman Rides offer a family-friendly Halloween experience through Temecula Wine Country on weekends in October. Guests board a lantern-lit, horse-drawn wagon for a roughly 20-minute ride through Wine Country Hollow, passing glowing pumpkins, autumn flowers, scarecrows, candlelit barns, and other storybook-style seasonal scenes. The ride ends with a whimsical encounter with the legendary Headless Horseman, designed to be more magical than frightening. Coffee and treats are also available from Coffee Cave before or after the ride.
Dates: Select nights in October
Times: 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Website: Headless Horseman
Temecula – Once Upon a Nightmare — The Last Bloom Ball at Briar Rose Winery
The Last Bloom Ball at Briar Rose Winery brings a more elegant, adults-oriented option to Riverside County’s Halloween season. The annual costume party features wine, dinner, dancing, and festive entertainment in a distinctive Temecula winery setting. Admission includes a welcome drink, one dinner entrée with a choice of steak or vegetarian, and entry to the Halloween celebration.
Couples Tip: For a Halloween date night, The Last Bloom Ball at Briar Rose Winery may be our pick of the season. The combination of costumes, wine, dinner, dancing, and a Temecula winery setting makes it an especially fun choice for couples who want to celebrate Halloween without the haunted-house scares.
Date: October 24, 2026
Time: 6 pm – 10 pm
Website: The Last Bloom Ball
Temecula – Peltzer Pumpkin Farm
The Petlzer Pumpkin Farms opens for a new season on September 21st. Come to the farm to pick your pumpkin and enjoy many activities, including games, a petting zoo, train rides, pumpkin painting, and a tractor garden. Humans only – no dogs allowed.
Dates: Opens September 19, 2026
Time: Check the farm’s calendar for the latest closing date and daily hours.
Times: Monday-Friday (4 pm – 8 pm), Saturday-Sunday (9 am-8 pm)
Location: 39925 Calle Contento, Temecula, CA
Admission: Attraction ticket prices vary. Check the website for admission details.
Website: Peltzer Farms
Temecula Halloween Carnival
Bring your family and friends to the annual Halloween Carnival for an evening of spooktacular fun! Children of all ages can enjoy thrilling games, costume contests, and trunk-or-treating with local first responders—a frightfully good time you won’t want to miss!
Date: Friday, October 30, 2026
Time: 5:30–8:30 PM
Location: Temecula Civic Center, 41000 Main Street
Visiting Temecula for Halloween?
Consider turning your Halloween outing into a weekend in Temecula Wine Country. Use our interactive map below to find a place to stay for your visit.
Add a Tour During Your Temecula Visit
Year Round Spooky Experiences
Top Rated Haunted Halloween Tours in Temecula
Temecula – The Haunt
The Haunt is the immersive ghost tour of historic Old Town Temecula. Combining local lore, true crime, and real ghost hunting, this nighttime adventure takes you deep into the town’s ghostly past. Seek out evidence of the unknown using paranormal gear like EMF meters. You may encounter the eerie energy of past inhabitants as the tour visits sites of notable incidents like a botched bank robbery, a shocking shootout, a haunted hotel, and more.
Dates: This experience is available throughout the year. Check the website for open dates.
Location: The meeting point is in downtown Temecula
Price: Starting at $49
Get Tickets: The Haunt Ghost Tours Temecula
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Bookmark our Riverside County Halloween Events Guide
Riverside County offers many things to do between September and October to keep you in the Halloween spirit. We hope you’ve found this Riverside County Halloween Events directory helpful and wish you a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for visiting our website.
We hope to see you at the places where we go.
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