The Town goes big on Halloween and Day of the Dead. To help you navigate the options, we’ve compiled a curated list of 21 events so diverse that it contains something for everyone. From the 10th anniversary of the Oakland Ballet’s “Luna Mexicana” to the Day of the Dead festival in Fruitvale, holiday-themed burlesque shows and spooky movie screenings, you’ll find something to check out from Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1.
If you are looking for a place where to dance the night away dressed in your best costume, bars and lounges all around Oakland will have a special-themed event. There’s Halloweentown at Zanzi on Friday, Oct. 30; Frightnight on Friday, Oct. 30, and Freakfest on Saturday, Oct. 31, both at For The Culture; and Hyphy Halloween at Crybaby on Saturday, Oct. 31; just to name a few.
Have an event you’d like to see included here? We do our best to stay on top of what’s happening in our community, but we love a tip. Send us a note at azucena@oaklandside.org. You can also use the self-submission form on our events page to add it to our calendar for free.
Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch
Now in its 30th year, the Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch is ready to welcome visitors again. Owner and operator Jon Goldstein can help you find the perfect pumpkin, pick up Halloween decor, or sell you tickets to the haunted house, complete with kid-friendly and adult versions. The pop-up remains open through the first week of November. And don’t worry, no pumpkins go to waste: any leftovers are devoured by the animals at the Oakland Zoo.
Through the first week in November, free to enter, $10 for the haunted house, 4414 Piedmont Ave.
Adults-Only Monsters Ball at Children’s Fairyland
Children’s Fairyland is known for its after hours events for adults, but the park has never hosted an adults-only Halloween night — until now. The event will include cocktails, food trucks, a haunted park and scare zone, spooky scenes throughout the grounds, and an open-air dance floor with sounds by DJ heyLove. Costumes are encouraged.
Friday, Oct. 23, 6 to 10 p.m., 21 and up, $23 for members, $28 general admission, Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave.
Double-feature screening of ‘Coco’ and ‘The Book of Life’
The Unity Council is opening the doors of Juntos Fruitvale, the nonprofit’s new co-working and event space above the Public Market, for a double-feature movie screening of “Coco” and “The Book of Life,” movies about the tradition of Day of the Dead. The free screening includes snacks and refreshments, a “Coco”-sing-along, and special treats for those in costume.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free, 3357 International Blvd.
The Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch has been operating since 1996. Credit: Amir Aziz/The Oaklandside
Lakeshore Avenue Candy Crawl and Harvest Festival
The annual event is co-hosted by the Lakeshore Avenue Business Improvement District and the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church. The family-friendly event will kick off at 11 a.m. with a parade from Lakeshore Baptist Church to the corner of Mandana Boulevard and Lakeshore Avenue for a candy crawl that will include a fresh baked cookie from Arizmendi and surprises from other local businesses. The Harvest Festival, which takes place back at the church, will include crafts, games, cupcake decorating and a pumpkin carving station hosted by Trader Joe’s.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3534 Lakeshore Ave.
Tricks, Treats and Traditions in the Laurel
The annual family-friendly event by the Laurel District Association will kick off at Golondrinas Mexican Grill with free commemorative trick-or-treat tote bags (while supplies last), Day of the Dead-themed crafts, and sounds by DJ Tok@Ritmo. Plus, a community altar and a photobooth. Children will be able to trick-or-treat at MacArthur Boulevard merchants between 35th Avenue and High Street.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 12 to 3 p.m., free, Golondrina’s Mexican Grill parking lot, 4171 MacArthur Blvd.
39th annual Piedmont Avenue Halloween Celebration
The event kicks off at Pet Food Express with Orchestra Euphonos. From there, follow the band up the street and look for the Candy Station signs to trick-or-treat at your favorite businesses along Piedmont Avenue, which will be closed to traffic between Yosemite and Linda avenues. There will also be live music, haunted houses and pumpkin patches.
Saturday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., between Yosemite and Linda Avenues
34th annual Rockridge Halloween Parade
Rockridge will host its own family-friendly event, where children of all ages can trick-or-treat at over 40 businesses on College Avenue from Broadway to Alcatraz Avenue. The parking lot of the Oakland Public Library’s Rockridge Branch and the courtyard of the College Avenue Presbyterian Church will host family activities as well, with free commemorative trick-or-treat bags (while supplies last) for kids.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rockridge Branch parking lot, 5366 College Ave.
Halloween Fun at Montclair Village
The Montclair Village Association is hosting a family-friendly event that includes an Oakland Fire Department parade rig, face painting by Lily’s Art, a photo booth hosted by Najee Tobin of Rough Thesis Photography, lawn games, and a haunted hunt at the Farmers’ Market.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free, Montclair Village, 2038 Mountain Blvd.
Angel Food Cakes performs on skates during a Rollin’ With the Homos event at the Oakland Township Commons in Oakland on April 28, 2024. Credit: Amaya Edwards for The Oaklandside
Rollin’ with the Homos Halloween costume contest
Rollin’ with the Homos, the music-filled soiree hosted by Bay Area drag queens at Brooklyn Basin is putting on its last event of the year with host Angel Food Cakes. There will be performances at 5 and 6 p.m., music throughout the afternoon, and a Halloween costume contest that the organizers say will be “judged by an esteemed panel of homosexuals.”
Sunday, Oct. 25, 4 to 7 p.m., $7.50 suggested donation (Venmo.com/rollinhomos), Oakland Township Commons, 288 9th Ave.
The event at Oakland Museum of California will kick off with a procession to the gardens led by the museum’s Día de los Muertos Committee for the dedication of an ofrenda and an opening ceremony with the ceremonial dance company Danza Xitlalli. There will be poetry readings, live music by Mexican American band Los Cenzontles and Oakland rapper Gina Madrid, plus a performance by Oakland’s Ballet Folklorico de Carlos Moreno. Also, a market by Bay Area Latinx vendors and ancestral traditions such as ritual cleanses.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $10, members and children under 12 free with advance reservations, OMCA, 1000 Oak St.
The cultural organization in East Oakland is hosting a day of workshops to get ready for Day of the Dead including candle making, lino prints for writing letters to loved ones who have passed, and journaling. Then, on Nov. 2, the organization will host altar installations with a traditional drumming performance to honor the ancestors.
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4 to 7 p.m., free, EastSide Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd.
Thêàtre Des Vampires: The Vampire Lestat drag show
If you enjoyed Anne Rice’s gothic horror novel “The Vampire Lestat” and the AMC show by the same name, then put this event on your calendar. The show includes a night of drag, burlesque, and live music featuring Oakland rock goth band Pretty Frankenstein playing a full set of the vampire Lestat covers.
Thursday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m., 21 and up, $13.40, $16.49 at the door, Thee Stork Club, 2330 Telegraph Ave.
Trick-or-Treat in Chinatown
Kick off the afternoon at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center by following the “Trick or Treaters Welcomed” signs at participating Oakland Chinatown storefronts to collect Halloween treats. From there, head back to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center to participate in a costume contest, with prizes for the top three winners. The center will also offer games, activities, and community resources hosted by local organizations.
Friday, Oct. 30, 2 to 4 p.m., free, Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St.
An ofrenda decorated by Lilia Olsen, 72, with photos and several mementos important to her loved ones at the Dia de los Muertos Festival in Fruitvale on Nov. 3, 2024. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside
A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
This moody concert by a live quartet performing in front of a mesmerizing backdrop of thousands of candles will feature renditions of spooky tracks including the theme from the Netflix show “Stranger Things,” selections from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and more.
Friday, Oct. 30, 8:45 p.m., $46.50 to $70, First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway
Driveway Follies Halloween puppet shows
A Halloween marionette show, first performed in 2007 by the late artist and puppeteer Larry Schmidt in his Trestle Glen driveway, has continued to mesmerize kids and adults alike every year. Besides the spooky entertainment it provides, Driveway Follies helps preserve the art of marionette puppetry with back-to-back shows beginning at sundown. Adults are encouraged to attend the late night shows. Event organizers encourage attendees to wear a well-fitted mask to prevent the spread of flu and COVID.
Friday, Oct. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 31, back-to-back shows starting at dusk and running through the evening, 3854 Greenwood Ave.
Oakland Ballet’s ‘Luna Mexicana’ 10th anniversary
The Oakland Ballet, under the guidance of artistic director Graham Lustig, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Day of the Dead show, “Luna Mexicana.” To mark this milestone, Lustig has enlisted Esteban Hernández, a principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet, with a new work entitled “Lineal,” set to traditional Mariachi music.
Friday, Oct. 30, and Sunday, Nov. 1, see website for tickets, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway
20th Annual Scraper Bike Halloween Ride
The Scraper Bike Team, an organization serving youth in deep East Oakland and led by Tyrone “Baybe Champ” Stevenson Jr., is hosting its annual bike ride around East Oakland. The event will kick off at Arroyo Viejo Park with games and trick-or-treating from 2 to 6 p.m., followed by a bike ride from 6 to 8 p.m. Kids who want to get their bikes tricked out for the ride can stop by the park this Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 to 8 p.m., free, Arroyo Viejo Park, 7701 Krause Ave.
Oakland Ballet dancer Jazmine Quezada as Luna in the ballet’s production of “Luna Mexicana.” Credit: courtesy of the Oakland Ballet
Screening of 1931 ‘Frankestein’ in 35 millimeter
The Paramount Theatre’s classic movie screenings came back this summer after a multi-year hiatus. To celebrate the spooky season, the historic theater will screen the 1931 film “Frankenstein” in 35-millimeter. The pre-screening entertainment includes a performance on the theater’s original Mighty Wurlitzer Opus 2164, plus classic trailers and cartoons.
Saturday, Oct. 31, 3 p.m., $12.50, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway
Dia de los Muertos in Fruitvale
One of Oakland’s biggest annual festivals, Fruitvale’s Day of the Dead always includes colorful community altars honoring loved ones, live music, food and vendors. And this year’s street fair features something new and spectacular: a 34-foot Catrina sculpture handcrafted in Mexico. The sculpture, one of this year’s main festival attractions, will be on display through Nov. 5.
Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, International Boulevard between Fruitvale and 41st avenues
Día de los Muertos on the Oakland waterfront
The event includes performances by folklorico and mariachi dancers, as well as crafts and a costume contest.
Sunday, Nov. 1, 1 to 3 p.m. free, at the plaza near Scott’s Seafood and Grill, 2 Broadway
Screening of the Portuguese film ‘The Tree of Knowledge’
This screening is part of the DIY monthly movie screening series called Vital Signs. The live-action film, “The Tree of Knowledge” is about a young man from the Lisbon suburbs who falls in with a mysterious ogre bound by a demonic pact — then flees with two animal companions to a rural farm, where folklore and danger collide. The film will screen with English subtitles.
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2 p.m., $16, Shapeshifters Cinema, 567 5th St.
“*” indicates required fields