Family-friendly Halloween Parties/Events in the OC Area

Torn between two (or three!) costumes for your child? Here's a listing of baby- and toddler-friendly Halloween events going on in the OC Area - plenty of options for photo ops and outfit swaps.

Great Park Pumpkin Harvest
October 22, 2011
10 am - 2 pm
The Great Park, Irvine (5 Freeway and Sand Canyon)

Celebrate the harvest season at the third annual Great Park Pumpkin Harvest, the Orange County Great Park Halloween celebration and food drive benefitting the Orange County Food Bank and the Second Harvest Food Bank. In addition to a scarecrow display, there will be a mini hay maze, art & crafts activities, a petting zoo, a pumkin patch and carnival-style games.

Free Admission, $10 parking

Irvine Park Railroad - Pumpkin Patch
September 17 -October 31, 2011
Opens at 10 am
Irvine Park Railroad
1 Irvine Park Road, Orange

Irvine Park Railroad's 5th annual pumpkin patch is fun for the entire family! Activities include train rides, hay rides, a haunted house, a hay maze, pony rides, a moon bounce, panning for gold, face painting (weekends only), picture stands, the Orange County Zoo, and a lot more.

Admission into the pumpkin patch is free. Prices for all other activities vary. Additional activities inside of the park include Irvine Park Rentals' paddle boats and Wheel Fun Rentals® bikes (single surrey bikes, deuce coupes, choppers, beach cruises and more), the Orange County Zoo and pony rides. School and group discounts available for Pumpkin Patch tours.

Bats, Cats & Spiders
October 21 & 25, 2011
10 - 11 am
Orange County Zoo
1 Irvine Park Road,
Orange, CA 92869

Come learn all about the animals associated with Halloween! Class includes hands on learning and fun crafts. Please note this class fills quickly. Please see special instructions.

Fee: $5.00 (includes ONE parent); Parking Fee: Irvine Park entry fee is $3 per car weekdays & $5 per car weekends Age: 3-4 years old

Special Instructions: PHONE REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Call Marcy Crede-Booth, Education Coordinator at (714) 973-6846. Additional parents/siblings/family/friends must pay admission fee to enter zoo. Please note spaces fill quickly for toddler classes.

Halloween Zoo-tacular!

October 29, 2011

10:00am to 4:00pm

Orange County Zoo
1 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA 92869

Join us as we celebrate Halloween at the zoo! Activities include trick-or-treating*, spooky crafts, a scavenger hunt*, and face painting. The first 100 children (ages 12 & under) in costume will receive a free gift! Come see the zoo animals receive treat-filled pumpkins!

Activities are free with zoo admission. *Children 12 years & under

Event Fee: Free with zoo admission ($2 per person, ages 2 & under free)

Parking Fee: $5.00 per vehicle

Halloween Craft Day

Sunday, Oct 30
1:00p
University
Park Library, Irvine

Celebrate the season with crafting fun. Children ages 12 and under are welcome to join us for crafts and face painting.

Pumpkins & Pancakes
A Children’s Halloween Extravaganza
Sunday, October 30, 2011
8:00am to 11:00am

Located in Crate and Barrel / Macy's Home Store Wing
South Coast Plaza

Enjoy Plum’s Café Gourmet Pancake Breakfast, Petting Zoo, Music, Face Painting, Balloon Artists, Arts & Crafts, Caricature Drawings, Professional Photos, Hair Feather Artists, Surprise Characters, Silent Auction, Opportunity Prizes and More!

Benefiting CASA Orange County, CHOC Children's Foundation and Orangewood Children's Foundation.

Tickets run $25 - $35.

Doheny State Beach Halloween Haunt
Saturday, October 22, 2011
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Doheny State Beach

Don't miss out on Doheny’s most festive event of the year as we transform a section of the campground into a spooky area, an array of educational booths, spooky walk, face painting, games, snacks and other fun activities.

There is no charge for admission; however, you are asked to bring in one can of food per person as an entry fee.

Halloween Spooktacular & Moonlight Movie
Friday, October 28, 2011
3 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Lantern Bay Park
25111 Park Lantern Road
Dana Point, California 92629

From 3 - 6 pm there will be Halloween Crafts, Cupcake Decorating, Best Carved or Decorated Pumpkin Contest for ages 3-10 years. (bring your already carved or decorated pumpkin)

At 5 pm there will be a children’s costume parade, with free treat for each child. Then at 6:15, the Moonlight Movie will start (Monsters, Inc.) Free popcorn during the movie.
Refreshments also available to purchase.

Halloween Kids Boo Cruise
Friday, October 28, 2011
5-7 pm

Dana Wharf Sportfishing / Dana Point Harbor
34675 Golden Lantern
Dana Point

Take a 20-minute Haunted Harbor Cruise! Wear your favorite costume! Trips will
depart every 20 minutes. Costume contest on every cruise!

$3 per person.

Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade
Saturday, October 29, Events start
at 11 am; Parade starts at 6 pm
Downtown Anaheim, at the Center Street Promenade

The Fall Festival features game and food booths, live entertainment, craft fair, a children's costume contest (for kids age 12 and under) and trick-or-treating. Food and craft booths are available for a nominal fee

Knotts Berry Farm 'Snoopy's Costume Party'
Weekends, October 1 - 30, 2011

10AM - 5:30PM
Knott's Berry Farm
8039 Beach Boulevard
Buena Park CA, 90620

Check out details in this OC Mommies blog: http://www.ocmommies.com/profiles/blogs/camp-spooky-at-knott-s-berr...

BOO at the Zoo
October 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30, 2011
5:30 - 8 pm

Santa Ana Zoo
1801 E. Chestnut Ave

This family-friendly costumed extravaganza will bring FUN, SAFE, trick-or-treating in a "Merry not Scary" Zoo atmosphere, with educational animal presentations, storytelling, and entertainment throughout the evening, with a grand finale costume parade! For the older kids, we also offer "Teen Scream," a haunted house filled with thrills and chills.

This attraction has a separate entrance, but is included with the price of admission. $12/person (only $6/Member) ages 2 & up children under 2 free

Halloween Celebration at Kidseum
Sunday, October 30, 2011
1:30 - 3:30 pm

1802 N. Main St.
Santa Ana, CA 92706

Strange things are afoot at Kidseum! Come join in on some spooky art projects, gruesome refreshments, super scary stories, a costume contest to die for and learn about other October traditions from around the world!

Recommended for ages 2 - 8, grandparents and parents.

Treats in the Streets
Thursday, October 27, 2011
4-7 pm
Old Towne Orange Plaza Area
Chapman Ave. & Glassell

The streets surrounding the Old Towne Plaza are closed off to traffic and Old Towne merchants decorate their shops and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. Fun activities, food booths, costume parade and community displays. (Parents please leave masks and pets at home)

This is certainly not the complete list, so please comment below with other events in the area, or share your experience and tips on any of the events.

Looking for Halloween party decorations? Check out my party decorations and stationery.