This Week in the South Bay: October 13 to 19, 2026

From the archive: This Week in the South Bay for October 13 to 19, 2026. See this week’s list.

Sunday, October 18 brings the Lunada Bay Harvest Festival in Palos Verdes Estates, the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk and the Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race. Saturday has Trunk or Treat at Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, the American Martyrs Parish Fair in Manhattan Beach and a second weekend of Dogtoberfest at South Coast Botanic Garden.

All week

• Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. More than 10,000 carved pumpkins along a walking trail, open Wednesday through Sunday nights this week with timed entry. Tickets are sold online only, from $19.99 most nights and from $29.99 on Saturday, October 17. On-site parking is $25 in advance, and a $10 shuttle lot is at 25851 Hawthorne Boulevard in Rolling Hills Estates. No pets, apart from service animals. Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns tickets
• Stephen Mirich: Stand by Me, Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. A retrospective of the painter’s plein air landscapes and harbor and coastal scenes, shown with his pochade boxes and French easel, through November 14. Galleries are open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission free, with docent tours Tuesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Palos Verdes Art Center
• Baker’s Dozen 2026, Torrance Art Museum, 3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Thirteen Southern California artists in the Main Gallery, with the B-LA-M exchange with artist-run spaces in Berlin, Los Angeles and Mexico City in Gallery Two, through November 7. Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free. Torrance Art Museum
• Pumpkin patches in Torrance. South Bay Pumpkin Patch is in the Del Amo Fashion Center lot near Macy’s Men and Home, 3540 West Carson Street, weekdays 1 to 10 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., $10 for adults and $5 for ages 3 to 17, free for ages 2 and under, with free parking (South Bay Pumpkin Patch). Mr. Jack O’ Lantern’s Pumpkin Patch is at 17520 Prairie Avenue, Monday to Thursday noon to 8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (City of Torrance).

Tuesday, October 13

• Manhattan Beach Certified Farmers’ Market, 1299 North Morningside Drive, Manhattan Beach. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday, with more than 60 vendors and live music. Downtown Manhattan Beach
• Torrance Certified Farmers’ Market, Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Saturdays, rain or shine. EBT is accepted, and the information booth explains how to use it. City of Torrance
• Rancho Palos Verdes Planning Commission, Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes. 7 p.m., open to the public. The commission hears building and planning applications, and the City Council meets at the same address the following Tuesday, October 20, at 7 p.m. City of Rancho Palos Verdes

Wednesday, October 14

• Vincent Thomas Bridge closure: Caltrans online open house. 6 to 8 p.m. on Webex. Caltrans walks through the planned 16 month full closure of the bridge and State Route 47 for a deck replacement, with the detour plans. Caltrans, which is doing the work, gives November 1, 2026 as the start of the closure, and the Port of Los Angeles waterfront site gives November 7. Register through the link on the Caltrans notice. Caltrans District 7
• Fire and Ice with Mad Science, Manhattan Beach Library, 1320 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach. 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. A science show with air pressure, fire and bubbling potions for ages 5 to 12 with a parent or caregiver, sponsored by the Manhattan Beach Friends of the Library. LA County Library
• Hello Kitty and Friends Puzzle Party, Hermosa Beach Library, 550 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach. 6 to 7 p.m. Teams race the clock to finish a jigsaw puzzle. Listed for adults, sponsored by the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library. LA County Library

Thursday, October 15

• Redondo Beach Certified Farmers’ Market, Veterans Park, 309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday, beside the pier. Redondo Pier
• El Segundo Certified Farmers’ Market, 350 Main Street, El Segundo. 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday, year round. Los Angeles County
• Haunt Your Look: Halloween Makeup, Miraleste Library, 29089 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rancho Palos Verdes. 3 to 4:30 p.m. Special effects makeup and face paint for grades 6 to 12. No registration, and space is limited. Palos Verdes Library District
• Rancho Palos Verdes Emergency Preparedness Committee, Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes. 6 p.m., open to the public. City of Rancho Palos Verdes

Friday, October 16

• Hermosa Beach Friday Farmers Market, 1035 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach. Noon to 4 p.m., run by the Hermosa Beach Rotary Club. City of Hermosa Beach
• San Pedro Certified Farmers Market, 396 West 6th Street at Mesa, San Pedro. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday. The Chamber suggests the public lot at 6th Street and Harbor Boulevard and the Friday trolley, which loops from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Pedro Chamber of Commerce
• Malaga Cove Book Sale, Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, Palos Verdes Estates. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Peninsula Library Friends Foundation’s used book sale, held the third Friday and Saturday of every month. Palos Verdes Library District
• Mahjong Night, The Grand Annex, 434 West 6th Street, San Pedro. Doors at 5 p.m., a Hong Kong style lesson at 6, open play at 7 and a three course dinner from Saigon Oi Cafe at 8. Tickets are $75, sets are provided, and there is no betting. Grand Vision Foundation
• American Martyrs Boutique Friday Night Party, American Martyrs Gym, Manhattan Beach. Early entry to the Parish Fair’s women’s clothing boutique the night before the fair, with drinks, light bites and a DJ. Three half-hour entry times: 4:30 p.m. at $175, 5 p.m. at $100 and 5:30 p.m. at $50. Each ticket covers five items, and each time slot has a limited number of tickets. American Martyrs Catholic Church

Saturday, October 17

• Trunk or Treat, Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, Rancho Palos Verdes. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the City Hall grounds. No admission price is published. City of Rancho Palos Verdes
• American Martyrs 55th Annual Parish Fair, American Martyrs Parish, 700 15th Street, Manhattan Beach. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, with game booths, Granny’s Kitchen baked goods in the School Hall and the fair boutique. The Saturday night dinner opens its doors at 6 p.m. and is ticketed through the fair page, and the online auction closes Sunday at 3 p.m. American Martyrs Catholic Church
• Dogtoberfest, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Saturdays and Sundays through November 1, with timed entry from 8 a.m. and the last Saturday entry at 4 p.m. Leashed dogs are welcome, with dog races, a band and Bavarian food and beer at Dottie’s at the Koi Pond. Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors 62 and up and for students, $8 for ages 3 to 12, free for ages 2 and under, and $7 per dog. Members get a discount after signing in. South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation tickets
• Los Serenos Nature Walk: Ocean Trails, Ocean Trails Reserve, Rancho Palos Verdes, with parking at 79 Trump National Drive. 9 to 11 a.m. A docent led walk of under a mile, rated moderate, through Founders Park, down the Sunset Trail switchbacks, along the beach and back up the Sunrise Trail. The walk series is co-sponsored by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, and trail closures are posted at rpvca.gov/trailalerts. Los Serenos de Point Vicente
• Outdoor Volunteer Day at Abalone Cove Reserve, 5970 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes. 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Habitat restoration, with sign-up through the Conservancy. Students can earn community service hours. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
• Guided Nature Walk at White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 West Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. 10:30 a.m. Meet in front of the Nature Center and park in the lot at the dead end of Paseo del Mar. No reservation needed. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
• Plant Swap, Miraleste Library deck, 29089 Palos Verdes Drive East, Rancho Palos Verdes. 11 a.m. to noon. Bring labeled plants, cuttings or seeds to trade. Free, with no registration. Palos Verdes Library District
• Meet the artist: Stephen Mirich, Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. 1 to 3 p.m. at his Stand by Me retrospective. Gallery admission is free. Palos Verdes Art Center
• Lauren Jelencovich: From Yanni to Dolly, Norris Theatre, 27570 Norris Center Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. 3 p.m. The vocalist toured 15 years with Yanni, and the program includes a Dolly Parton tribute. Tickets are $25, $15 or $5 by section, plus a $10 facility and health fee per ticket. Palos Verdes Performing Arts
• Elixir Piano Trio, Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. 3 to 4 p.m. Music for piano, violin and cello. Palos Verdes Library District
• ICAN Inclusive Halloween Festival, SCROC, 2300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free to attend, with a bubble show, magic shows, a costume contest, game and food booths and a marketplace. ICAN
• Riptide Film Festival, James R. Armstrong Theatre at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. 4 to 10 p.m. Independent films by California filmmakers in screening blocks, then an awards ceremony. General admission is $15 and a VIP pass is $40, plus a $2.25 processing fee. The arts center’s page lists 8 a.m.; the festival’s own site gives 4 to 10 p.m. Riptide Film Festival
• Sensory Sensitive Saturday, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen M. White Drive, San Pedro. 9 to 10 a.m., an early hour before the regular 10 a.m. weekend opening. Noise canceling headphones and weighted lap pads can be borrowed at the Welcome Booth by leaving an ID. The aquarium is free with a suggested donation, and Cabrillo Beach parking is $3 an hour. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
• Family Art Workshop, Angels Gate Cultural Center, 3601 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro. 1 to 2:30 p.m., free, with materials provided. Spots are claimed on Eventbrite, and children stay with an adult. Angels Gate Cultural Center
• Torrance Certified Farmers’ Market, Wilson Park, Torrance. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The city page gives the address as 2200 Crenshaw Boulevard in one spot and 2400 Jefferson Street in another; both are the same park. City of Torrance

Sunday, October 18

• Lunada Bay Harvest Festival, Lunada Bay Plaza on Via Anacapa, Palos Verdes Estates. 2 to 6 p.m. Inflatables, live music from School of Rock and the Big Heart Band, crafts, face painting, a live raffle and the pumpkin races, which add a Masters division for racers 18 and over this year. Race entries are free for current Lunada Bay Homeowners Association members or $30 each, registration closes Saturday, October 17 at 10 p.m., and Lunada Bay Hardware has wheel kits and will install them. No admission price is published. Lunada Bay Homeowners Association
• Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, check-in at the Manhattan Beach Pier lower parking lot off Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at about 9:30 a.m., about 3.4 miles to the Hermosa Beach Pier and back. $30 in advance or $35 on the day, and leashed dogs are welcome. A free shuttle runs 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. from the Northrop Grumman lot R2 in Redondo Beach and from Kinecta Federal Credit Union in Manhattan Beach, dropping off on Valley Drive. Skechers Friendship Walk
• Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race, downtown Manhattan Beach. Downtown Manhattan Beach lists the 36th annual race for Sunday, October 18. The city has not posted this year’s start times or kit prices, so look at its Pumpkin Race page before you head down. Last year the festival started at noon and the races at 2 p.m. on Manhattan Beach Boulevard at the pier. Downtown Manhattan Beach, City of Manhattan Beach
• American Martyrs Parish Fair, day two, American Martyrs Parish, 700 15th Street, Manhattan Beach. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The boutique closes at 3 p.m., and raffle sales end at 1 p.m. or when the tickets sell out. American Martyrs Catholic Church
• Dogtoberfest, day two, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Same admission as Saturday. South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation tickets
• Palos Verdes Certified Farmers’ Market, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday, year round. Los Angeles County
• Riviera Village Farmers Market, the triangle lot across from Trader Joe’s, 1801 South Elena Avenue, Redondo Beach. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday. The county’s listing gives 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; the market and the Riviera Village Association both give 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Riviera Village Farmers Market
• Outdoor Volunteer Day at White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 West Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. 9 a.m. to noon, with sign-up through the Conservancy. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
• Black Market Trust, The Grand Annex, 434 West 6th Street, San Pedro. 4 p.m., with doors and a wine tasting at 3. Crooner vocals and swing guitar. General admission is $31.54 online or $35 at the door, and the $19 tasting needs a concert ticket. Grand Vision Foundation

Monday, October 19

• Free Fitness: Yoga for Unity, AdventurePlex, 1701 Marine Avenue, Manhattan Beach. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. A free Beach Cities Health District yoga class held with the South Bay Community Coalition Against Hate for United Against Hate Week. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Beach Cities Health District

Coming up

• Wednesday, October 21: Halloween Trick-or-Treat Fest at The Point, 850 S. Pacific Coast Highway, El Segundo, 10 a.m. to noon, with trick-or-treating at the shops, live music, strolling characters, balloons and pumpkin decorating, plus one-day deals at several stores. Bring a bag and check in on arrival. The Point
• Tuesday, October 20: the Waterfront Farmers Market opens at Berth 77 Park in West Harbor, San Pedro, 3 to 8 p.m., then every Tuesday, with more than 35 vendors. West Harbor
• Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25: the St. James School Harvest Festival, 4625 Garnet Street, Torrance. Carnival rides, game booths, live music, a beer garden, bingo and a silent auction, with free entry. Rides are ticketed, and the beer garden is 21 and over. St. James Catholic School
• Saturday, October 24: Halloween Movie in the Park at Wilson Park in Torrance, from 4 p.m. with Toy Story 5 at 6:30 p.m. (City of Torrance). The Nike After Dark Tour half marathon, built for women and open to all runners, starts at 5 p.m. on North Harbor Drive in Redondo Beach and runs through Torrance to Hermosa Beach and back, with road closures on the route from 4 p.m. The race is sold out, and spectators can watch free along the course (Nike After Dark Tour).
• Saturday, October 24: the 24th annual Scary Stories at Battery Leary-Merriam, Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro, 6:30 to 8 p.m. $5 cash, free for ages 6 and under, no reservations, and bring a chair. Angels Gate Cultural Center
• Saturday, October 24: household hazardous waste and document shredding for Redondo Beach residents, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center lot, 1935 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Free with proof of residency. City of Redondo Beach
• Sunday, October 25: the Prepared Peninsula Expo at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free (City of Rancho Palos Verdes), and the Dia de los Muertos Festival in downtown San Pedro at 398 W. 6th Street, 3 to 9:30 p.m., free (Discover San Pedro).
• Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31: Halloween on the Redondo Beach Pier, Friday 5 to 8 p.m. (Redondo Pier), and Riviera Village Halloween Trick or Treat on Catalina Avenue, Saturday 3 to 8 p.m. (Riviera Village Association). Every Halloween event through October 31 is in our Halloween in the South Bay guide.