Too old to trick-or-treat too young to pass out candy to the youngsters. Halloween can be a frustrating yearly event for college “kids.” While most students in the Southern California area clog up the 101 freeway and hightail to Santa Barbara some are left to sit around at a house party in Malibu. “Santa Barbara and [college neighborhood] Isla Vista offer an amazing atmosphere during Halloween said senior Nina Saldana. [But] it can be a little overwhelming at times.”
But Pepperdine students can take advantage of the Los Angeles landscape and the many things it has to offer. Beaming with artistic flavor the city is home to many venues and events that make the most of Halloween.
With this year’s festivities taking place during a weekend there are many events parties concerts festivals and haunted mansions that will make any Santa Barbara trip planned with friends a distant memory. HARDFest Haunted Mansion The second annual all-ages HARDFest on Halloween night is about pumping fists and flashing lights. The electronic music festival takes place in the historic downtown theater district at the Shrine Expo as the hipster techno scene explodes on one stage.
“[HARDFest] will be the place to be on Halloween because of Justice said senior Tommy Raymond, referring to the techno band.
Raymond, sporting his rock star vampire” costume attended the Monster Massive rave in downtown Los Angeles Saturday but said that HARDFest is miles ahead in terms of a music lineup.
“Crystal Castles is one of the big upcoming artists in the electronic music Raymond said. But to see Justice one of the most visionary and artistic bands in any genre with tens of thousands of people in costumes having the time of their lives is almost too much to think about.”
Other famous bands and DJs scheduled to play include Simian Mobile Disco and DJ AM.
Gridlock Ghost Ship During its days of service the Queen Mary went from being an army troop transporter during the World War II era to being a classy upscale ocean liner. It also has its fair share of ghost stories that roam the floors of the ship.
Now permanently docked in Long Beach the gigantic ship turns into the biggest party on water when it hosts the infamous “Queen Mary Halloween Bash.”
Billed as one of the scariest “haunted mansion” thrillers in the United States the Queen Mary’s entire ship is open for people to roam. The ship also has four floors devoted to those who would rather spook up the dance floor. DMX headlines and will certainly be partying it up (up in here).
This year’s event is the first for party-planning company Gridlock which promises “the greatest Halloween show on the west coast” for the thousands who attend.
“Gridlock is known for its over-the-top big-time parties during Halloween and New Year’s Eve said Gridlock Executive Vice President Charles Lew. With ten DJs and ten thousand people it will be the place to be on Halloween.”
And the ship also acts as a hotel.
West Hollywood Halloween Carnival If one likes his or her Halloween often and early the tiny enclave of West Hollywood is the place to be. The city known for its vibrant arts community and pet-friendly atmosphere gets the festivities started a week early with its annual doggy costume contest beauty pageant and drag race.
Come Halloween time “boys town” turns into an all-out street festival (one of the world’s largest in fact) using world-famous Santa Monica Boulevard as the backdrop. 250000 people descend upon Highway 2 in outrageous costumes from 6 p.m. to midnight.
Concerts Despite this weekend being dubbed a “three-day” weekend by most rock bands still cannot take the day off. Political-rock outfit Rise Against teams up with local band Thrice and arena-rock outfit Gaslight Anthem to bring back the newly – renovated Hollywood Palladium just in time for Halloween.
Cypress Hill brings its old-school Los Angeles hip-hop to The Wiltern for an evening that features more spooked-out horror-themed fun. Indie-hipsters should check out both The Henry Clay People and Gaslamp Killer downtown at Little Radio or head over to Silverlake’s pride and joy Spaceland to catch some surprise guests team up with The Entrance Band and Jason Simon of Dead Meadow.
Fright Fest Horror Nights and Halloween Haunt Southern California also boasts three amazingly different amusement park experiences within about an hour of each other each offering a unique way to celebrate the scare.
Six Flags Magic Mountain boasts its “Fright Fest while Orange County’s Knott’s Berry Farm transforms into the Halloween Haunt.” Universal Studios in Hollywood takes one through a movie back lot in its “Horror Nights.” The only downside to attending these parks is the inevitably long lines.
Each Halloween-themed festival runs at the parks through Halloween night. All three have haunted mazes and mansions and roaming ghosts and monsters to scare even the most unflappable person.
Magic Mountain located an hour north of Malibu in Santa Clarita turns off the lights on their major rides to set the mood even throwing its vintage wooden coaster Colossus into reverse.
Knott’s Berry Farm’s “Haunt” is the largest of the three parks and has been consistently rated as the No. 1 amusement Halloween festival and the place to be on Oct. 31 in Southern California by the Professional Journal of Amusement Business.
“Knott’s is surprisingly pretty scary senior Stephen Scotti said. There are monsters skating around the entire park waiting around every corner. It’s amusing to go in a large group and explore the haunted mazes and see who can’t take the frights any longer.”