Well, it’s finally here. Halloween falls on a Saturday, Dia De Los Muertos right on its tail. The midnight hour is close at hand, and all that.
First things first: Be. Safe. Out there. As we’ve been reporting since last week, there will be plenty of things for you to get into, with live music around town and spooky events from La Jolla and the beaches to La Mesa. Plus, while not a Halloween-themed event, the Escondido Renaissance Faire returns on Saturday and Sunday.
So that’s going to be more folks out and about and out on the roads, meaning it’s more important to be careful; a lot of the celebrations this weekend will be about honoring the dearly departed; we don’t need you joining them.
Because it’s a special weekend, we’re kicking off this installment with a couple of Thursday events, coincidentally both catering to the same crowd.
Thursday, Oct. 29
Howl-o-ween Yappy Hour: The Margaritaville Hotel downtown (435 Sixth Ave.) opens up its rooftop to dog owners for this special event from 4-6 p.m. with Halloween-themed toys and photo ops plus a doggie costume contest, with the winning entry getting their owner a free one-night stay at the hotel plus a $50 dining credit. No cost to attend, but the hotel asks that you RSVP.
Tricks For Treats: The Barktorium in downtown Escondido (115 N. Broadway) will be the starting point for this free activity letting dog owners collect treats from local businesses with their pooches. The first hour, starting at 6:30 p.m., is for owners whose pups would feel more comfortable walking the route solo. Then at 7:30 comes the big group pack walk and doggy parade down Grand Avenue.
Speaking of the avenue, it will also be the site of a trick or treat for costumed humans on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. No cost to attend, but organizers ask that you RSVP.
Friday, Oct. 30
Dia De Los Muertos and Undas Festival: The non-profit group A Reason To Survive (ARTS) hosts this free bicultural DDLM celebration at its National City headquarters (200 E. 12th St.) from 5-9 p.m. combining Mexican and Filipino traditions, featuring a community altar, live performances ranging from mariachis to dance troupes and techno artists, as well as art workshops.
San Diego Ballet’s Dia De Los Muertos: The company will present a special performance inspired by the Mexican tradition both Friday and Saturday with 8 p.m. shows each night at the San Diego Museum of Art (1450 El Prado), featuring “Mambomania” by artistic director Javier Velasquez. Tickets cost $55 for general admission and $45 for students, seniors, and military personnel.
The museum will also hold its own DDLM celebration on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free admission.
Spookfest: Parkway Plaza in El Cajon (415 Fletcher Pkwy.) will devote Friday afternoon (4-6 p.m.) to family-friendly fare like balloon art, crafts, face painting, and giveaways from some of the mall’s stores. The mall asks that you RSVP to attend — and to keep an eye out for “a special trio of pop stars with a talent for hunting demons.”
Saturday, Oct. 31
There’s three free Dia De Los Muertos events on tap on Saturday; let’s split them up by area.
In Carlsbad, the celebration at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park (6200 Flying Leo Carrillo Ln.) will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., though the park itself will remain decorated through Monday for visitors to enjoy. The event will feature performances from Ballet Folklorico de Tapatio de San Dieguito and Grupo Bella.
Further south in City Heights, the 28th annual DDLM celebration will be held at Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park (3795 Fairmount Ave.) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. amid escalating actions by federal agents in the area this year.
“At a time when so much around us can feel uncertain, coming together as a community matters more than ever,” organizers have said on the event’s Facebook page.
And of course, Old Town will once again have more than 40 altars set up for visitors to see for its celebration starting on Saturday and running through Monday, culminating in a procession by candlelight at 6 p.m. Monday evening. The weekend will also feature a Catrina Contest on Sunday, as well as live music and a street market throughout the weekend.
Meanwhile, elsewhere around town:
San Diego Halloween Film Festival: Cinema Under The Stars in Mission Hills (4080 Goldfinch St.) invites you to come in your finest costume for a night of “gothic glamour meets indie cinema” starting at 7 p.m., as you can make your way down the Crimson Carpet for special cocktail treats before enjoying a selection of independent films. Tickets, appropriately enough, cost $31.
Spooky Shakespeare: The Bard wasn’t all about romance, and the San Diego Shakespeare Society will dig into the scariest part of his catalog at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park (1450 El Prado) with performances at 1 and 2:30 p.m. drawing from “Hamlet,” “Richard III,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Titus Andronicus” and of course the Scottish Play. Admission is free with your museum ticket that afternoon.
Trick or Treat Symphony: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kalena Bovell present this special edition of its Family Concert Series, promising “flying bats, swirling dances, and a dash of orchestral mischief” along with pre-show festivities at the Jacobs Music Center downtown (1245 Seventh Ave.). The concert begins at 11 a.m. and tickets cost $36.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Chula Vista Dia De Los Muertos Celebration: The city’s downtown area will host this free event from 3-7:30 p.m., featuring an ofrenda contest with prizes ranging from $500 to $1,000 as well as perks from local businesses; a Catrin or Catrina costume contest with prizes also as high as $500; and its own street market.