You've made plans to go apple picking and picked up haunted house tickets, but are far more free things to do in October before Halloween arrives. From a dragon boat festival to a free museum night, these are the best ways to make the most of your month without breaking into your wallet.
Oct 6, 13, 20
Front Porch Cinema; Santa Monica Pier
Spend Friday evenings by the beach at this music and screening series complete with movie-themed cocktails.
Oct 6
Malibu Movie Night Under the Stars; Malibu Wines
Get in the Halloween spirit with a bottle of vino and an outdoor screening of the beloved cult classic Hocus Pocus.
Oct 7
Drive-In Movie and Car Show; Paramount Ranch
Leading up to its 90th anniversary, the ranch is hosting a drive-in movie screening of the '80s hit Back to the Future, along with a car show, movie history tours in Western Town and activities for kids.
Oct 13
L.A. Documentaries at Union Station; Union Station
Catch the first installment of Metro Art's newest series, which kicks off with a screening of Roller Dreams, a documentary that follows roller dancing culture in 1980s Venice Beach.
Oct 7
Los Angeles Dragon Boat Festival; Whittier Narrows Recreation Area
Watch as teams paddle their way across the river in the annual race, which also features lion dancers and an extravagant costume competition.
Oct 8
CicLAvia: Heart of L.A; DTLA
Pedal your way through DTLA, Chinatown, Westlake, Little Tokyo, the Arts District and Boyle Heights during the bike-friendly fest.
Oct 13
ArtNight Pasadena; Various locations in Pasadena
Explore Pasadena’s underrated bounty of museums and cultural spaces with pop-up performances across the city as well as free shuttle buses and admission to local institutions like the Norton Simon Museum and Pasadena Museum of California Art.
Oct 14, 15
Fall Festival; The Original Farmers Market
Celebrate the harvest season with carnival games, tractor pulls and a petting zoo.
Oct 14, 15
Pumpkin Festival; Brookside Park
Explore a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce castles, carnival games and seasonal crafts at this Pasadena pumpkin patch and costume parade.
Oct 19-Jan 20
Latin American Artists in the Marciano Collection; Marciano Art Foundation
View a pan-American selection of little-seen works in the new contemporary-art museum.
Oct 21, 22
Oktoberfest DTLA; Pershing Square Park
Expect traditional German fare like savory pretzels and sausages to accompany you through up to 30 beer tastings.
Oct 22
P-22 Day Festival; Griffith Park
Trace the steps of Griffith Park’s resident mountain lion during ranger walks, wildlife camera workshops and a VR river crossing.
Oct 31
West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval; West Hollywood
Dance and drink your way through West Hollywood with thousands of other (sometimes scantily) costumed revelers.
Ongoing
Free concerts; Various locations
Listen to some tunes without breaking the bank with free shows at the Echo, the Satellite, Grand Park and more.
Ongoing
Free museum days; Various locations
Make the most of free days at LACMA, the Natural History Museum and more, plus always-free museums like the Hammer, Getty and Broad.