October 2019 events calendar for Los Angeles
Plan your month with our October 2019 events calendar of the best activities, including free things to do, Halloween festivals and our favorite fall concerts
While fall foliage is sparse in L.A., the there’s no shortage of Halloween spirit. It’s October, so there are precious few weeks left to hit up costume stores and stockpile some of the best Halloween candy. If Halloween isn’t really your holiday, then celebrate the end of summertime crowds and enjoy one of the best hikes in L.A. Regardless, you’ll find something to do among the street fairs, Halloween parties and other fun festivals in L.A. in our October events calendar.
RECOMMENDED: Full events calendar for 2019
Time Out loves
Freeform’s Halloween House
Celebrate your love of both Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at this pop-up from cable network Freeform, which is mounting an immersive experience inspired by the two Halloween flicks at the Hollywood Athletic Club.
All-Star Chef Classic
Do you hear that? It’s the sound of a thousand L.A. foodies letting out one collective squeal. The All-Star Chef Classic (think: the culinary world's Superbowl) is taking over Downtown’s L.A. LIVE for the sixth year.
Vampire Weekend
See them play the Bowl in support of their latest record, Father of the Bride.
Werk It: A Women’s Podcast Festival
Make your way to the annual all-women podcast festival at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, which lands in L.A. for the second time with live tapings, workshops, a bootcamp for entry level producers, mentoring sessions and cocktail parties.
Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic
Put on your wide-brimmed hats and Sunday best for this annual polo match and sip on some bubbly at a celeb-filled soirée.
“W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine”
The latest challenging exhibition from the Annenberg Space for Photography examines the real and imagined barriers that have separated societies and ideas for centuries, from the Roman Empire to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Urban Death
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group hosts a chilling series of vignettes. Armed with a shoddy flashlight to illuminate the their path, guests navigate a labyrinth of terror before enduring a series of shocking scenes that will unsettle even the most stoic of horror fans.
Morrissey + Interpol
Oh, this charming man! British national treasure Morrissey brings his Smiths and solo hits to both OC and the Hollywood Bowl, with support from moody aughts post-punk band Interpol.
Game Theory Concert
Listen to the 60-piece Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra tackle indie video game scores at the Ford Theatres, with onstage introductions from the six featured award-winning composers. Expect a genre-crossing assortment of compositions from Chad Seiter (ReCore), Austin Wintory (Journey), Grant Kirkhope (Banjo-Kazooie), Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies), Jake Kaufman (Shovel Knight) and Lena Raine (Celeste—which made our best albums of 2018 list).
Ali Wong
The Fresh Off the Boat scribe and American Housewife co-star attacks the Wiltern for eight nights of stand-up.
Popular
Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest
Head to the mountains for the annual Oktoberfest at Big Bear Lake, where you'll be able to clink steins every weekend from now until November 2. Beer will be flowing, knockwursts will be cooked up and dirndls will be worn. The schedule includes numerous bands—four flown straight from Germany—and other performances, and some lucky damsel will be named the Oktoberfest Queen when she wins the stein carrying contest.
Pie Night at 189 by Dominique Ansel
We’re creeping into fall, which means peak pie season—and no one dives headfirst into pie season like Dominique Ansel. The world-famous pastry chef’s all-you-can-eat Pie Night is back, and this year, the menu looks, well… well-rounded. (Ba-dum ching.) Every ticket includes unlimited slices of 10 different pies, including sweet and savory options from Ansel, his 189 by Dominique Ansel team and few other lauded chefs (ahem, Wolfgang Puck and BBQ champ Aaron Franklin) for good measure. And, oh yes, there will be ice cream. For the second annual pie celebration, you’ll be heading to the pastry legend’s restaurant in the Grove and satisfying your sweet tooth with house concoctions such as salted caramel apple pie with soft caramel in a lattice-topped crust; a fruity, tart pie featuring yuzu curd, blueberry compote, brûléed meringue and fresh blueberries; and a strawberry rhubarb cheesecake pie (pictured) made with farmers market strawberries, strawberry-and-rhubarb jam, strawberry mousse and a base of ricotta cheesecake. Ansel’s savory takes include harvest squash with lemon ricotta; a slow-cooked–pork al pastor pie; and a spinach-and-artichoke–dip pie involving caramelized onions, feta and cheddar. Don’t sleep on the guest-recipe options, which mean business. There’s Wolfgang Puck’s chocolate cream pie; Ruth Reichl’s sour cherry crostata; Aaron Franklin’s brisket shepherd’s pie topped with pickled fennel; and Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s green-chili chicken pot pie. Like we said, n
Ali Wong
With the verbal fury of Nicki Minaj and the fearless attitude of Joan Rivers, Wong made her name with her 2016 Netflix special Baby Cobra, which she performed seven months pregnant, taking on menstruation, Sheryl Sandberg and sex with Asian men. Now, the Fresh Off the Boat scribe and American Housewife co-star attacks the Wiltern for eight nights of stand-up.
Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen
Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler host their variety show, Hot Tub, every Monday night at the Virgil. Expect a fresh, oddball lineup each week of stand-up comics, sketch performances and new music.
San Gabriel Dumpling & Beer Fest
Oktoberfest is in the air, but you can swap out giant pretzels for dumplings at the returning Dumpling & Beer Fest at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse (320 S Mission Dr). Entry includes a beer tasting wristband, which will get you unlimited craft beer from 6 to 10:30pm. Soak it all up with the dumpling vendors and assorted food trucks that will be on hand to sell an array of fried and steamed dumplings. Make sure to stick around for the festival's dumpling eating contest (if you can stomach it), as well as the competition for the most original dumplings.
Free
Smorgasburg LA
Indulge your inner foodie and shopaholic at this weekly food-focused market. The Brooklyn export has landed in the Arts District and become a hotbed of fantastic food and retail vendors, with some that are testing out their dishes before launching a full-blown brick-and-mortar in the city. Bonus: there is plentiful (and free, for two hours!) parking in the nearby parking garage.
Community Marathon Weekend
Since the beginning of the summer, the translucent, rainbow Second Home Serpentine Pavilion by SelgasCano has been posted up at the La Brea Tar Pits. The dreamy structure has naturally become a go-to backdrop for colorful photo ops, but it’s also supported free programming—including this weekend in October that features some incredible community organizations. Saturday’s lineup features Pando Populus, Get Lit and Freedom & Fashion, while Sunday will see Covenant House, Infinite Flow and the Assistance League of Los Angeles.
Artists & Fleas Venice
The newest flea market on the block, the Venice outpost of this artisan/craft-focused flea market mini-empire is bringing records, vintage and vintage-inspired clothing, cosmetics, jewelry and more to the Westminster Avenue Elementary School. A handful of small batch confectioners provide sweet treats to snack on or take home, while food trucks and nearby restaurants provide heartier bites. Though relatively small in size, owing perhaps to its prime location bookending the neighborhood’s famed Abbot Kinney stretch, vendors hawk a diverse range of hand-made and expertly curated wares that seems to simultaneously fit in and stand out in one of the nation’s most unusual neighborhoods.
Asssscat
Every Saturday and Sunday, the UCB franchise’s longest-running, most beloved showcase starts when a base cast of the theater’s current top-brass—including founding UCB members Matt Walsh, Matt Besser and Ian Roberts—takes the stage. Then they introduce the surprise celebrity alumnae and friends who will be joining them (think Horatio Sanz, Ben Schwartz, Adam Pally). And finally, another special guest takes the stage, a non-improviser (think Flea, Cat Power, Rebel Wilson, Lena Dunham) who opens the show with a personal story, that’s deftly mined for laughs by the players. But you have to go to find out who’s there—that’s part of the fun. Looking for a cheap night out? Sunday shows are free, but seating is first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early.
Fall Festival
Halloween time can be a bit scary for kids—we’ve all been there—so for a less frightening affair, head to the Farmers Market for their children-friendly Fall Festival: carnival games and a petting zoo are all mainstays at this annual harvest fest. Come in costume and catch a musical performance, explore the always delicious treats at the market or test your appetite with a pie-eating contest.
Concerts
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend aren’t phoneys. Firstly, they chose their name before the whole prepubescent Twilight craze kicked off. What’s more, they all studied musicology, making them that rare thing on today’s rock scene: a band who know their shit. Their music, a hybrid of pop, rock and South African influences which they’ve dubbed ‘Upper West Side Soweto’, certainly reveals a careful craft and intelligence. See them play the Bowl in support of their latest record, Father of the Bride.
The Who
The Who—that is, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, some other musicians and two very prominent ghosts—come to town on their “Moving On!” tour. Despite the name, though, this isn’t a farewell scenario; instead, the band is pegging this as a new chapter, with their first new album in over a decade due out as well. See them during a pair of orchestra-backed shows at the Hollywood Bowl.
Van Morrison
The great bard of Irish R&B turns up for a show at the Hollywood Bowl. You never know what you’re going to get from a Van gig—or what mood the famously prickly singer-songsmith will turn up in—but he remains one of the least contrived performers of his generation. While Morrison’s vocals might have diminished over the years, his penchant for thrilling improvisational risk remains very much intact.
All My Friends Music Festival
ROW DTLA isn’t just for Smorgasburg and trendy boutiques. Come this October, it’ll also host the return of All My Friends, the newest EDM-focused music festival from HARD founder Gary Richards. The second annual fest will arrive at ROW DTLA on October 19 and 20, with Justice, Idris Elba and Destructo (that’s Richards’s DJ moniker) atop Saturday’s lineup and Black Coffee, DJ Harvey and a special guest on Sunday. Tickets for the 18-and-over fest are on sale now. A two-day pass costs $119, while a VIP ticket runs for $179.
Morrissey + Interpol
Oh, this charming man! British national treasure Morrissey brings his Smiths and solo hits to both OC and the Hollywood Bowl, with support from moody aughts post-punk band Interpol.
Movies
Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever, toting folding chairs, picnic blankets, snack spreads and lots of booze. Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to the hallowed resting place of such Hollywood greats as Rudolph Valentino and Bugsy Siegel. The series typically releases its slate one month at a time, most recently for August: Point Break (Aug 3), Boyz n the Hood featuring a John Singleton tribute from Questlove and DJ Pooh (Aug 10) and Psycho (Aug 24). Of particular note: the 9th Annual Slumber Party on August 24, with a trio of sleepover staples including Never Been Kissed, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Jawbreaker. Angelenos line up for hours to partake in the concept—and to enjoy DJ sets, dance parties, sleepovers and more magical mischief otherwise strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. It’s an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early (doors open at 6:45pm), pee early… it’s getting a bit overcrowded, to say the least.
‘Us’ in Concert
Composer Michael Abels conducts the Hollywood Studio Orchestra in a live score of Jordan Peele’s Us, with an intro by both Peele and Abels.
‘Psycho’ Live with Orchestra
The LA Opera and the Theatre at Ace Hotel once again join forces for a chilling mash-up of opera and film. Hole up in the Ace’s gothic auditorium for a screening of the 1960 Alfed Hitchcock classic, Psycho, complete with a live accompaniment from LA Opera Orchestra—we can already hear that iconic string motif from Bernard Herrmann’s score. Stick around after the October 26 performance for the Ace’s “A Hitchcock Halloween,” a haunted costume party in the hotel theater’s cathedral-like lobby.
Halloween Organ & Film
Each year the Walt Disney Concert Hall adds a little bit of Frank Gehry to Halloween with a silent film screening accompanied by organist Clark Wilson for an extra eerie feel. This year, take a seat for 1923’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, starring the legendary Lon Chaney.
Rooftop Cinema Club
The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Hollywood and Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own blanket or camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair, as well as blankets on request for the ultimate cozy experience. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word.