This Week in the South Bay: October 8 to 14, 2026

From the archive: This Week in the South Bay for October 8 to 14, 2026. See this week’s list.

Halloween keeps building across the Beach Cities and the Palos Verdes Peninsula this week. Dogtoberfest opens its first weekend at South Coast Botanic Garden, and Saturday stacks up with a home tour in Old Torrance, a 3.5 mile walk at the Hermosa pier and live turtles at Madrona Marsh.

Thursday, October 8

• Redondo Beach Certified Farmers’ Market, Veterans Park, 309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday, free, with parking in the Redondo Beach Pier structure next door. Redondo Pier
• El Segundo Certified Farmers’ Market, 350 Main Street, El Segundo, on Main Street in front of City Hall. 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday, year round. El Segundo Recreation and Parks
• Magic of the Jack O’ Lanterns, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. More than 10,000 carved pumpkins along a mile-long trail after dark, running select nights through November 1. The night you want may or may not be on the schedule, so start at the ticket calendar. Discover Torrance

Friday, October 9

• Carrie and the Prom, Hermosa Beach Community Center, 710 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach. A 1976 style prom and a screening of Carrie in the gym where it was filmed. Doors at 7 p.m. with a live band, a photo booth, a costume contest and a guided tour of the filming locations; the movie starts at 8:30 p.m. in the Community Theatre. Tickets $10. Rated R, 1 hour 28 minutes. One thing to sort out first: the city’s calendar files this on Friday, October 9, while the writeup on the same page says Friday, October 10. October 9 is the Friday this year, so confirm on the ticket page before you pick the night. City of Hermosa Beach
• 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 Farmers Market, 396 W. 6th Street, San Pedro. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday in the downtown blocks. Discover San Pedro
• Jess and Joe, Nakano Theatre at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Jessica Hayes and Joseph Ott bring a set of original songs to the Studio Cabaret, and they play Saturday as well. Tickets are $37, or $65 with dinner. The ticket page posts 11 a.m. for both dates while the show itself is written up as an evening, so call the ticket office at 310.781.7171 to pin down the start time. Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation

Saturday, October 10

• Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Beach Cities, Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza, 1 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach. The site opens at 9 a.m., the ceremony is at 10 a.m. and the walk steps off at 10:30 a.m. The route is 3.5 miles. Registration is required and there is no registration fee. Alzheimer’s Association
• Original Fall Tour of Historic Homes, starting at the Torrance Historical Society and Museum, 1345 Post Avenue, Old Torrance. A half dozen homes built between 1914 and 1928, self guided, all within walking distance of the museum and the furthest six blocks away, with a Model A parked out front of each one. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, museum opens at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $50, bought at the museum either day with cash, check or card. Lemonade and Torrance Bakery cookies are served at the 1925 Woman’s Club. Torrance Historical Society
• Dogtoberfest, opening weekend, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Saturdays and Sundays through November 1. German music in 30 minute sets, stein holding and a pretzel toss through the day, and dog races for pups 30 pounds and under at noon and 3:30 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors and students, $8 for ages 3 to 12, and free for members and ages 2 and under. Dogs are $6 for members and $7 otherwise, and leashes are required everywhere on site, parking lot included. South Coast Botanic Garden
• Turtle and Tortoise Day, Madrona Marsh Nature Center, 3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance. The California Turtle and Tortoise Society brings live turtles and tortoises for a hands on morning and afternoon, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., all ages. Discover Torrance
• Nature Walk at Portuguese Bend Reserve, meeting at Rancho Del Mar High School, 38 Crest Road West, Rolling Hills. 9 a.m. A strenuous climb up the Fire Station Trail to Eagle’s Nest through restored coastal sage scrub, with ocean views for most of it. Free, and the Conservancy asks you to RSVP. Park in the lot beside the baseball and soccer field. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
• Free composting workshop, Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden in Polliwog Park, 1237 North Peck Avenue, Manhattan Beach. 10 to 11 a.m. One hour on backyard composting and the curbside organics program. Manhattan Beach residents can buy a discounted bin at the workshop with cash or check, two per household a year. City of Manhattan Beach
• Pumpkins in the Park, Edith Rodaway Friendship Park, Hermosa Beach. The Hermosa Beach Friends of the Parks put this on every fall. The city’s listing carries the date but no start time, so check hbfop.org before you walk over. City of Hermosa Beach
• Torrance Certified Farmers’ Market, Wilson Park, Torrance. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Saturdays, rain or shine. 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 11

• Original Fall Tour of Historic Homes, day two, Torrance Historical Society and Museum, 1345 Post Avenue, Old Torrance. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The houses can be seen in any order on either day, and a ticket bought Sunday works the same as one bought Saturday. Discover Torrance
• Dogtoberfest, day two, South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, Palos Verdes Peninsula. Same schedule as Saturday, with the Upper Meadow set up as a biergarten and Bavarian food at Dottie’s by the Koi Pond. South Coast Botanic Garden
• Palos Verdes Symphonic Band: Skyward, The Salvation Army Torrance Corps, 4223 Emerald Street, Torrance. 4 p.m., admission free. Discover Torrance
• Outdoor Volunteer Day at White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 West Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. 9 a.m. to noon, planting native shrubs, pulling invasive weeds, watering and grooming trails. Free, and you sign up ahead through the Conservancy. Students can earn volunteer service hours. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy

Tuesday, October 13

• Manhattan Beach Certified Farmers’ Market, Civic Center parking lot and plaza, Manhattan Beach, next to City Hall. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 60 vendors, live music and train rides for kids. Downtown Manhattan Beach
• Torrance Certified Farmers’ Market, Wilson Park, Torrance. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Tuesday half of the week. City of Torrance

Coming up

• Saturday, October 17: Trunk or Treat in Rancho Palos Verdes, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ken Dyda Civic Center, with free parking and a shuttle from the Point Vicente Interpretive Center.
• Sunday, October 18: the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, 9 to 11:30 a.m., between the Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach piers.
• 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. The Nike half marathon runs the same day through Redondo Beach, Torrance and Hermosa Beach, so look at the course map before you drive.
• Sunday, October 25: the 15th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival in downtown San Pedro, 3 to 9:30 p.m.