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Best Fall Festivals and Fairs in Los Angeles

Pick a peck of pumpkins at the Annual Pumpkin Festival Cal Poly Pomona. Photo courtesy of the Cal Poly Pomona Facebook page
Pick a peck of pumpkins at the Annual Pumpkin Festival Cal Poly Pomona. Photo courtesy of the Cal Poly Pomona Facebook page
9/3/23 - By Toby B

Fall festivals in Los Angeles do exist, even if the warm beach weather says otherwise. While other places have a season called fall, LA has something more like extended summer weather with back-to-school fun and a pumpkin aisle at Trader Joe's.

Of course, the beauty of an endless summer that fades gently into Halloween or Thanksgiving—usually right up until that guy in the red suit arrives—is that family-friendly fall festivals keep going strong through November. Check out some of our favorite annual faux fall festivals in Los Angeles, from Labor Day through Day of the Dead. 

For more fall fun, visit the best pumpkin patches in Los Angeles, go apple picking near LA, and see what other seasonal activities should be on your fall bucket list in our Fall Fun Guide for Los Angeles and OC Kids.  

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See tall ships and more at Dana Point's Maritime Festival. Photo courtesy of the festival
See tall ships and more at Dana Point's Maritime Festival. Photo courtesy of the festival

Best Fall Festivals in Los Angeles: Pumpkin Festivals & More

Maritime Festival (Formerly the Tall Ships Festival)

Dana Point - Friday - Sunday, September 8 - 10, 2023
The Ocean Institute on Dana Point hosts the annual Maritime Festival (you probably used to know it by the name Tall Ships Festival!). Kids can tour tall ships, experience a mermaid breakfast, meet pirates, hear sea chantey concerts (and other live music), take part in cannon battles at sea, and more. READ MORE

Moompetam: Celebrating Coastal Native Americans

Long Beach - Saturday & Sunday, September 9 & 10, 2023
Aquarium of the Pacific hosts its 19th annual Moompetam Festival, celebrating the indigenous California maritime cultures, includingTongva, Chumash, Acjachemen, Costanoan, Luiseno, and Kumeyaay. READ MORE

Family Days@LA Plaza: Fiestas Patrias

Buena Park - Sunday, September 10, 2023
Free
September 16 marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. LA Plaza visitors can learn more about the day with activities for the entire family at this festival celebrating Mexican Independence. READ MORE

Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch

Orange - Starts Saturday, September 16, 2023
Irvine Park Railroad and the Pumpkin Patch once again open for the season with the Pumpkin Train, a moon bounce, hayrides, and haunted house.  Other daily fun includes panning for gold, carnival games, face painting, cookie decorating, and more.  READ MORE

Baja Splash Cultural Festival

Long Beach - Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24, 2023
The Aquarium  of the Pacific celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with the 21st  Annual Baja Splash Festival. Where else can you see ancient Aztec dance performed in the shadow of a shark tank? READ MORE

Long Beach Oktoberfest

Long Beach - Starts Friday September 29, 2023
Sundays are Family Days at Long Beach Oktoberfest. Modeled after the traditional Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, the festival features authentic German beer and eats, live performances, music and games. READ MORE

Annual Pumpkin Festival Cal Poly Pomona

Pomona - Starts Saturday, September 30, 2023
The Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Fest returns for its 30th year. Favorite fall activities return this year at a month-long celebration—the huge pumpkin patch, a petting farm, hayrides, corn and sunflower mazes, a cow train, and duck races. READ MORE

26th Annual Fall Harvest Festival

Moorpark - Starts Saturday, September 30, 2023
Underwood Family Farms' annual Fall Harvest Festival features pig races, animal shows, a corn maze and gourd tunnel, a combine slide, tractor rides, Farmer Craig’s Chicken Show, hay pyramids, and animals to feed, as well as a gigantic pumpkin patch. READ MORE

2023 Orange County Children's Book Festival

Costa Mesa - Sunday, October 1, 2023
Free
Read all about it: the Orange County Children's Book Festival unites children's books authors, illustrators and readers. READ MORE

Oktoberfest on Catalina

Catalina - Friday, October 6, 2023
The family-friendly event features live music by Hammerstein, an authentic Bavarian polka rock band, the traditional singing of the Schnitzelbank, an Oktoberfest-themed art project for the kids, and German beer for adults. READ MORE

Reyes Adobe Days

Agoura Hills - Friday - Sunday, October 6 - 8, 2023
Free
Reyes Adobe Days returns! The weekend-long celebration of California's heritage doesn't scrimp on the fun, with a parade, pony rides, and a petting zoo. READ MORE

Autumn Moon Festival at the Bowers Museum

Santa Ana - Sunday, October 8, 2023
Free
The Bowers celebrates the season with its annual Autumn Moon Festival. The day includes live performances, art making, face painting, and more. READ MORE

Water Harvest Festival

El Segundo - Saturday, October 14, 2023
Free
The Water Harvest Festival is back as an in-person event, held at the front parking lot of the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility. This year's event welcomes community members to enjoy a day of free family-friendly activities including: tours of the water recycling facility, stage shows, interactive water education booths, games, kids’ costume contests, and opportunity drawings. READ MORE

2023 Glendora Pumpkin Festival

Glendora - Saturday, October 21, 2023
It's more than just pumpkins! The annual Pumpkin Festival at Glendora's Centennial Park celebrates all the best things about fall. READ MORE

Fall Festival (Original Farmers Market)

Fairfax - Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22, 2023
Free
Kids can enjoy the wonders of a country fair in the middle of the city. The Original Farmers Market on Fairfax plays host to the Fall Festival, featuring such family-friendly attractions as a pumpkin patch, farm animals, fall-themed games, kids crafts, photo ops, and live entertainment.  READ MORE

Calabasas Pumpkin Festival

Calabasas - Sunday, October 22, 2023
The annual Calabasas Pumpkin Festival returns for one day only this year! Families can enjoy music, carnival games, crafts, inflatables & rides, and a pumpkin patch. Pumpkin facts and history are shared, too—after all, calabazas means pumpkins. READ MORE

Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade

Anaheim - Saturday, October 28, 2023
Free
2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the Anaheim Fall Festival, which began as the Halloween Carnival and Festival in 1923. READ MORE

Día y Noche de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever

Hollywood - Saturday, October 28, 2023
The annual Día de los Muertos event at Los Angeles’s oldest memorial park is the nation's largest Day of the Dead event, celebrating the memories of loved ones with ceremonial tributes and extravagant altar creations amidst some of the city's most famous departed. Separate day and evening events are made memorable with music, dance, and exotic costumes and decor throughout the park. READ MORE

Pumpkin Race Festival

Manhattan Beach - Sunday, October 29, 2023
Free
The city of Manhattan Beach holds its annual Pumpkin Race on the pier. Families are encouraged to attend in costume and create their own crazy pumpkin race cars at the pier's colorful Pumpkinrace Land. READ MORE

Fiesta de los Muertos

DTLA - Sunday - Thursday, October 29 - November 2, 2023
Olvera Street hosts its annual celebration of the festive Mexican holiday when families remember their ancestors and the continuity of life. READ MORE

Mexican Day of the Dead Festival at Bowers Museum

Santa Ana - Sunday, November 5, 2023
Free
The Bowers Museum celebrates Dia de los Muertos (Mexican Day of the Dead) live this year in the Bowers courtyard. The festival includes live performances, art making, face painting, and more. READ MORE

Canoga Park Dia de los Muertos Festival

Canoga Park - Sunday, November 6, 2023
Canoga Park's annual Día de los Muertos Festival fills Sherman Way between Canoga and Topanga Avenues with all manner of Day of the Dead entertainment. Booths line the street; highlights include traditional holiday altars and food from around the world. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Festival at AGRIscapes
Reyes Adobe Park and throughout Agoura Hills
Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility