Start with the Halloween Guide, updated for this weekend: The Hometown Halloween Guide 2026
Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, so the whole weekend gets to play: rooftop movies on Friday night, daylight trick-or-treating up and down Coast Village Road on Saturday, and a free Día de los Muertos market at the Presidio on Sunday. All times Pacific. Check the organizer's page before you leave, since plans can change with the weather.
The Shortlist
1. Montecito Country Mart Halloween Spectacular
Saturday, October 31, 11 AM to 2 PM. Montecito Country Mart, 1016 Coast Village Road, Montecito.
Montecito's signature Halloween morning. The costume contest starts at 11 AM at the Trading Post, then the Mart opens up for trick-or-treating. Free, and best for little kids. The Mart's honor-system pumpkin patch is open the same day, 10 AM to 6 PM, its last day of the season.
Event page: https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/events-listed/2026/10/31/halloween-spectacular
2. Ghost Village Road and the Great Pumpkin Challenge
Saturday, October 31, 3 to 6 PM. Coast Village Road, Montecito.
The whole street trick-or-treats in daylight, which makes it an easy pairing with the Country Mart in the morning. Guess the weight of the Great Pumpkin outside Renaud's. Sunstone Montecito, 1294 Coast Village Road, is one of the stops. Free, all ages.
Event page: https://www.coastvillageroad.com/events/ghost-village-road-the-great-pumpkin-challenge
3. Día de los Muertos Market and Craft Day
Sunday, November 1, 10 AM to 4 PM. El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, 123 E. Cañon Perdido Street.
Free and the gentlest way to end the weekend: Mujeres Makers Market vendors, face painting, dance, a DJ, Lotería, a photo booth, a Catrina contest, and free arts and crafts in the Presidio Orchard from noon to 4 PM. There is a community ofrenda, so bring a photo or memento if you'd like to add one. All ages.
Event page: https://www.sbthp.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-market-craft-day-1
4. Boo at the Zoo, daytime edition
Saturday, October 31, 10 AM to 3 PM. Santa Barbara Zoo, 500 Niños Drive.
The last day of Daytime Boo. On Halloween the costume contest is at noon, the parade at 12:30 PM, spooky story time at 1 PM, and an animal encounter at 1:30 PM, plus the scavenger hunt and hay maze. Included with regular admission: $39.95 for ages 13 and up, $29.95 for ages 2 to 12, free under 2, and $2 off each ticket online. Parking is $11, and the lot fills early on weekends.
Zoo details: https://www.sbzoo.org/boo-at-the-zoo
5. Halloweentown on the Paseo Nuevo rooftop
Friday, October 30, 7 PM. South Side Parking Garage rooftop, Paseo Nuevo, 651 Paseo Nuevo.
A free family movie on a downtown rooftop, popcorn included. Last week's showing was rained out, so check the forecast. If you want something earlier and calmer, Coco Movie Night runs 6 to 7:30 PM in the Montecito Country Mart courtyard, with popcorn for kids, and mentioning Movie Night at Rori's turns a single scoop into a double.
Paseo Nuevo: https://www.paseonuevosb.com/events/spooky-movie-nights
Country Mart: https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/events-listed/2026/10/30/coco-movie-night
6. BOOcara at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara
Friday, October 30, 5 to 7 PM. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, 8301 Hollister Avenue.
A polished resort trick-or-treat with crafts and a haunted house, and self-parking is included. Tickets are $71.21 per adult and $39.19 per child age 5 and up on Eventbrite, nonrefundable; the organizer lists no separate price for children under 5.
Parents' Night Out
Poison Garden Murder Mystery Dinner Party. Friday, October 30, 6:30 to 9 PM, The Steward, 5490 Hollister Avenue. Dinner and a whodunit, $103.22, nonrefundable.
Sunstone Haunted Ball: La Saignée, The Vampire's Masquerade. Friday, October 30, 7 to 11 PM, Sunstone Winery, 125 N. Refugio Road, Santa Ynez. $35, or $25 for members. Adults.
Event page: https://sunstonewinery.com/event/haunted-ball-la-saignee-the-vampires-masquerade/
Dracula, A Dark Shadow. Friday, October 30, 7:30 PM, and Saturday, October 31, 2 PM, The Granada Theatre, 1214 State Street. The Saturday matinee is the easy family pick. Tickets include the Granada facility fee, plus a $3 web fee per ticket.
The Granada: https://www.granadasb.org/
Mystic Nights at Mirador Rooftop. Saturday, October 31, 5 to 9 PM, Hotel Californian, 36 State Street. 21 and up with ID. General admission $35 in advance, $45 day-of, nonrefundable.
Tickets: https://hotelcalifornian.ticketsauce.com/e/mystic-nights
Midnight Mansion Unscripted. Saturday, October 31, 8 to 9:30 PM, SB Improv at Jefferson Hall. A Halloween improv show for $10, recommended for ages 14 and up.
Event page: https://www.sbimprov.com/new-events
The Grimm Manor. Saturday, October 31, 4 PM to midnight, The Manor Bar, Rosewood Miramar Beach, 1759 S. Jameson Lane, Montecito. Per Rosewood's own Manor Bar page: costumes welcome, live music 8:30 to 11 PM, no cover and no reservations required; 21 and over after sundown.
Rosewood page: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/miramar-beach-montecito/dining/the-manor-bar
Noche de los Muertos. Saturday, October 31, 8 to 11:30 PM, Foundation Press, 38 Depot Road, Goleta. A late-night cumbia and goth costume dance party, $12.51 to $17.85. Listed as all ages, but best for teens and adults.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/noche-de-los-muertos-tickets-1999806584327
Godmothers Gather: Sophia Bush. Sunday, November 1, 6 PM, Godmothers bookstore, 2280 Lillie Avenue, Summerland. An author conversation, from $44.52.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/godmothers-gather-sophia-bush-tickets-1999812576249
The Broader Roundup
Friday, October 30
Wiggly Storytime at Oak Park. 10:30 to 11 AM. A short outdoor movement storytime from Library on the Go, for ages 0 to 5. No fee listed.
Family Movie Night at Eastside Library. 3 to 5 PM, MLK Jr. Room, 1102 E. Montecito Street. A free bilingual after-school movie with popcorn, for kids up to 6th grade.
Montecito YMCA Trunk or Treat. 3 to 6 PM, Montecito Family YMCA, 591 Santa Rosa Lane, with Library on the Go. Face painting, music, games, and candy, free and open to the community, ages 0 through high school.
Library calendar: https://calendar.library.santabarbaraca.gov/events/week/2026/10/31
Saturday, October 31
Explore Together. 10 to 11:15 AM, Island Room, Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu Street. Hands-on science, math, and art play for kids up to 2nd grade. No fee listed.
Farmer and the Flea. 10 AM to 3 PM, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. An artisan and vintage market, free to browse, and dogs are welcome.
Market: https://www.farmerandtheflea.co/
Museum of Natural History: Dress Wild. 10 AM to 5 PM at the Museum, 2559 Puesta del Sol, and the Sea Center, 211 Stearns Wharf. Come in an animal costume. The Witch's Ride planetarium show runs at noon and 3 PM, recommended for ages 7 and up; tickets are included with admission, handed out first come, first served 20 minutes before showtime, with no late entry. Hours and admission are as normal, and admission is free for members.
Dress Wild: https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9312/dress-wild
Witch's Ride: https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9393/halloween-planetarium-show-witchs-ride
Milpas Street Trick or Treat. 2 to 5:30 PM, near La Super-Rica Taqueria, 622 N. Milpas Street. The Eastside's big neighborhood trick-or-treat, free, with Library on the Go on site (not lending books at this stop).
Library listing: https://calendar.library.santabarbaraca.gov/event/lotg-milpas-trick-or-treat-33733
Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch, last day. 10 AM to 5 PM, corn maze until 4:45 PM, 308 S. Walnut Lane, Santa Barbara. The page does not list an entry fee, so do not assume it is free.
Lane Farms: https://www.lanefarmssb.com/pumpkin-patch/
Sunday, November 1
Sea Center and Museum Backyard storytimes. Sea Center storytime 10:30 to 10:45 AM, Museum Backyard storytime 11:30 AM to noon (also Saturday). Included with admission.
Museum calendar: https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/
Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival opens. November 1 to 8, SBIFF Film Center, 916 State Street. Opening day screens Love, Statistically Speaking at 11 AM, My Underground Mother at 2:15 PM with a director talkback, and Lucky Star at 7 PM. All Access Passes are on sale.
Festival: https://www.sbjewishfilmfestival.org/
Worth the Drive
Downtown Ventura Día de los Muertos Festival. Sunday, November 1, 11 AM to 6 PM, across seven blocks of Downtown Ventura. Free: 200-plus lowriders, four music areas, mariachi and cultural dance, community altars, a Catrina contest, an artisan market, and face painting.
Festival page: https://downtownventura.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos-festival/
Moreno Manor, Ojai. Friday through Sunday, 7 to 9:30 PM, with a 6 PM opening for little ones on Halloween night. A free, long-running walk-through yard haunt at a private home, more whimsical than gory but still spooky for small kids. The owners ask visitors to walk or carpool and drive slowly.
Moreno Manor: https://ojaihaunt.com/
Underwood Family Farms Fall Harvest, Moorpark. Saturday, October 31, 9 AM to 6 PM, 3370 Sunset Valley Road. $34 online, $38 day-of, free under 2.
Farm page: https://underwoodfamilyfarms.com/fall-harvest/
Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch. Open through Saturday, October 31, last maze entry 5:15 PM.
Solvang page: https://solvangusa.com/things-to-do/solvangs-harvest-haunts-happenings/
Off the Water: Santa Barbara Sailing Center
A calm, non-Halloween option any day of the weekend. The Sailing Center's winter specials run daily: the Sunset Winter Special aboard the Double Dolphin catamaran is $50 per person (normally $77.83), and the Coastal Winter Special is $40, taxes included. Reservations required; departure times are set at booking, or call (805) 962-2826.
Sailing Center: https://www.sbsail.com/sunset-cruise/
Looking Ahead
Downtown Ventura's costume contest and trick-or-treat is Thursday, October 29, 4 to 7 PM, a night before this issue's window. Further out: the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, November 6 to 8, and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Plant Sale, November 7.