Mario Bautista
Spooky season is here, and the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens have Halloween-inspired events for the whole family all month long.
From botany, crafts, and family night hikes to trick-or-treating in the garden, there is something for everyone.
Want to get crafty? This week, The Arboretum is hosting a ‘Pumpkin Fairy Gardens’ workshop for kids to build a fairy garden inside of a real pumpkin from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12.
They will trade pumpkin guts for soil, and plant their own enchanting fairy garden inside, with succulents and other decorations.
Hissing cockroaches, earthworms, snakes, bearded dragons and carnivorous plants will all be on display for families to learn about the spookier side of nature for ‘Trick-or-Treat in the Garden’ from 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 18. Littles will discover fun facts about plants as they walk around the garden, and get nature-based treats throughout the event.
Ever wonder about the plants that grow in cemeteries? Well, the arboretum is hosting an event to explore the historical significance of cemetery plants at the ‘Cemeterrarium Workshop’ from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19. Participants will also learn how to layer a terrarium and deck it out with mini classic Halloween decorations!
This year, the LA-based Thrill the World dancers will perform at the Arboretum from 3:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26.
‘Thrill the World’ is an international dance event, global community project, and a world-record-breaking attempt where people from communities all around the world come together to perform the iconic, “Thriller” dance routine, at the same time globally.
The dancers perform throughout the world, and participants range from children to adolescents to seniors. The goal of the project is to break down barriers by connecting people of all different ages, religions, races, identities and economic backgrounds through dance.
For those interested in an adult-only activity, there are a few of those on the calendar as well.
Walk through the gardens and learn about the plants that inspired potions throughout history, along with their uses from the medicinal to the magical. Those who attend the ‘Potions Walk’ event will also get to create a whimsical potion of their own. The potion walk will be from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19.
There will also be two ‘Ghoulish Garden Night Hikes’ offered at the Arboretum on Oct. 26, the first being a family-friendly hike from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the next being an adult hike from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. On both hikes, participants will learn about the creepier plants in the botanical gardens.
At the end of the month, attendees and their furry friends attend ‘Barks and Boos’ and walk the botanical gardens and enjoy delicious food. Attendees can meet adoptable dogs from Pasadena Humane at the mobile adoption truck and purchase food from Mt. Lowe Brewing Co. Dogs and humans are encouraged to dress in costume for the event on Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you miss the events in October, do not fret, one more spooky event awaits on Nov. 2 to celebrate the Mexican Holiday, the Day of the Dead.
At the ‘Bones, Skulls and Marigolds Workshop’ guests will paint their faces into sugar skulls, under instruction from an artist, dissect owl pellets to uncover the bones inside them and examine skeletal remains of animals that have perished at the arboretum.
Participants will also be able to enjoy an adult beverage and pan dulce while they discuss the science and symbolism of owls, learn botanical and cultural significance of marigolds and examine bones under microscopes. The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Some events are included with Arboretum admission, while others are separately ticketed.
Tickets for events range from $5 to $30 per person. Members of the arboretum will get discounted prices.
To purchase tickets and learn more about all the events happening at the Arboretum, visit the LA Arboretum site, arboretum.org/learn.
Jenna Mindel is a 2024 California Press Foundation Internship Grant finalist, reporting for the Southern California News Group. She is a 2024 graduate from Biola University, majoring in journalism. She really likes Dr. Pepper.
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