From the archive: This Week in the South Bay for October 1 to 7, 2026. See this week’s list.
Halloween season opens across the South Bay this week, the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair and the 10K share the same Saturday, and the TROLLS exhibit at South Coast Botanic Garden has its last weekend.
Thursday, October 1
- Halloween kicks off at the Downtown San Pedro First Thursday Night Market, around 398 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. Vendors, live music, a costume contest with a $50 first prize, and trick-or-treating at participating downtown businesses. The organizers’ flyer says 5pm to 9pm and the downtown events calendar says 5:30pm to 9:30pm, so plan on the later window. The First Thursday ArtWalk runs the same evening. Discover San Pedro calendar
- South Bay Pumpkin Patch opens, 3540 W. Carson Street, Torrance. Weekdays 1pm to 10pm, weekends 10am to 10pm. Admission $10 adults, $5 ages 3 to 17, free for 2 and under, free parking. southbaypumpkinpatch.com
- Torrance Pumpkin Patch at Del Amo Fashion Center opens, 3405 W. Carson Street, Torrance, through October 31.
Friday, October 2
- Mr. Jack O’ Lantern’s Pumpkin Patch opens, 17520 Prairie Avenue, Torrance, through November 1.
Saturday, October 3
- Manhattan Beach 10K, 7:30am start. Streets on the course close at 6:30am and reopen in stages from about 9:15am, with downtown back open by 10am. If you need to drive out of the neighborhood that morning, leave before 6:30am. Our closure map and exit routes have the details.
- Free compost giveaway, Redondo Beach, 8am to noon, Hopkins Wilderness Park parking lot, 1102 Camino Real. Redondo Beach residents only, photo ID required. Compost provided with Athens Services; bring sturdy containers. City of Redondo Beach
- Scaredown in Downtown, 4pm to 9pm, Old Torrance, 1313 Sartori Avenue. Free trunk-or-treat, live bands, a DJ, games and contests.
- Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns, after dark at South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. More than 10,000 carved pumpkins along a mile-long trail, open Saturday and Sunday this weekend and again from Thursday, October 8. Tickets from $29.99 Saturday and $19.99 Sunday, with entry times on the ticket calendar.
Sunday, October 4
- Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, day two, 10am to 6pm, Live Oak Park.
- Last day of Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: A Field Study at South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Included with garden admission.
Monday, October 5
- Pumpkin Race Turbo Passes go on sale at 6am for Manhattan Beach residents. $7, good for two entries, optional. Non-residents can buy from October 12. City of Manhattan Beach
Coming up
- Friday, October 9: Carrie and the Prom, a live-band prom and 50th-anniversary screening of Carrie in the Hermosa Beach gym where it was filmed.
- Saturday, October 17: American Martyrs Parish Fair Saturday Night Dinner and Dance, 6pm to 10pm, American Martyrs School, 1701 Laurel Avenue, Manhattan Beach. Live music from Saved by the 90s and a DJ set from Vox DJs.
- Sunday, October 18: the Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race at the pier. How to build a racer and enter is in our Halloween in the South Bay guide, along with every Halloween event through October 31.
Have a question about this? Neil answers personally.