Tons of Halloween fun planned around Coachella Valley

Whether you’re looking for a creepy haunted house, zombies in the street, fun for the whole family, or to just dress up and party with friends, there’s a way for everyone in the Coachella Valley to celebrate Halloween this year.

Palm Springs Hotels/Pool-side Parties:

The Legendary Halloween Bash at the Hard Rock Hotel – Friday, October 31st beginning at 9PM. Organizers said the event promises to be even more outrageous and entertaining than last year’s party, which had over 3,000 in attendance. Three floors and five huge rooms of entertainment. DJs include Ray Phillips, Courtland Marlett, Aaron C, Ceasare, JF//Discord, Tommy O’connor, Anwaar Himself & many more to be announced. Advance tickets cost $20 online, (you can print your ticket or use the paperless mobile option with a code sent to your phone day of party), or $30 at the door. Portion of proceeds benefit The Pet Rescue Center. Organizers said the event will sell out so you should get your tickets early – 21+ to attend.

The Saguaro Palm Springs Halloween Weekend– A weekend’s worth of Halloween fun for everyone planned Thursday-Saturday including the Wicked Halloween Bash costume contest with a $1,500 grand prize and the deserts only Halloween weekend Tea Dance on Saturday afternoon.

Thursday, October 30th: Pumpkin Carving Contest, drop entries at the lobby by 5PM, winner announced Friday night. Free event to all ages.

Friday, October 31st: Kids Costume Pool Party from 4-6PM, crafts, face painting, costume parade and drive-in movies. Costume Party from 8PM-1AM including the Best Costume Contest. Grand prize winner will be announced at 10PM. Cash bars and photo booths. Free event, 21+.

Saturday, November 1st: Halloween Tea Dance 1PM-6PM. Show off your costume one more time poolside. Special guest DJ will be playing. Cover charge is $20 for Saturday’s event and includes one cocktail, 21+.

Dia de los Muertos – Poolside at the Hacienda Cantina & Beach Club: November 1st at 11 a.m. First year event! Food, drinks and a wide variety of entertainment from world-renowned DJ Von Kiss along with DJs ColourVision and Aaron C. $45 tickets for what’s expected to be a 400-person event. Admission includes an open Sangria bar and tray passed antojitos (appetizers) inspired by the traditional Mexican holiday. Guests encouraged to participate in other traditional aspects of the cultural celebration, such as sugar skull face painting, something that will be offered for free at the event.

“We wanted to honor and capture the color and vibrancy of Dia de los Muertos celebrations and combine it with a beach party like only Palm Springs can offer,” said George Nasci-Sinatra, event coordinator.

The DJs will be juxtaposed against a traditional Mariachi band, with sights and sound celebrating the Day of the Dead theme including tissue paper flowers and decorations, sugar skulls and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Meals on Wheels program: Purchase Tickets.

Zombie Walks/Haunted Houses/Community Events:

Zombie Walk Palm Springs: Thursday, October 30, 7PM-9PM at the corner of Baristo Road and Palm Canyon Drive. The cold zombie bodies are warming to rise on October 30 to walk the streets of Palm Springs. The 4th annual Zombie Walk Palm Springs is expecting a record crowd of more than 400 re-animated corpses staggering through VillageFest as part of what has become a staple Halloween event in downtown Palm Springs. Event participants of all ages create an interactive parade of zombies meandering through the crowd of onlookers along Palm Canyon Drive. More information.

Parkwil Manor presents ‘Retribution Haunted House’ in Coachella: Organizers said this is the 6th year the haunted house has been held in the Coachella Valley. They recommend guests be at least 10-years-old. It’s located at 84470 Ave. 54 in Coachella. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 7PM-11PM through Halloween. It will aslo be open Thursday, October 23rd; Wednesday, October 29th; and Thursday, October 30th. Phone #: 760-272-6206; Website: Parkwilmanor.com.

Desert Recreation District hosts Halloween Events & Family Movies: DRD is hosting Halloween Carnivals and Family Movies throughout the Coachella Valley.

Halloween Events: (Carnivals, Spooktaculars, Games, Contests & Good Times)

(The following three events are free)

Bermuda Dunes Community Center – October 17th from 4PM-7PM
Indio Hills Community Center – October 24th from 5PM-8PM
North Shore Beach & Yacht Club – October 18th from 11AM-2PM

Indio Community Center Park – October 25th from 1PM-6PM ($5 per person)

Movies: (Bring your blanket and let the fun begin!)

Family Movie Nights: Indio Community Center Park will be showing ‘Godzilla’ on October 17th from 6:30PM-9:30PM and the Boys & Girls Club of Mecca will be showing ‘Hocus Pocus’ on October 24th from 5PM-9PM.
Movie in the Park: La Quinta Community Park – ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ on October 18th from 6PM-10PM.

For more information on Desert Recreation programs and activities, visit MyRecreationDistrict.com or call (760) 347-3484.

Halloween Haunted House – Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs: The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs is excited to host its annual Halloween Haunted House on October 24th and 25th from 7PM-10PM, and on October 31st from 5PM-8PM. The last ticket will be sold 15 minutes before the close of the event. The haunted house, sponsored by Integrated Wealth Management, takes place at the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs, located at 450 S. Sunrise Way. Paths within the haunted house will lead guests throughout different rooms of the Teen Center outfitted to match this year’s theme, ‘horror Movies’. Visitors who can correctly name all the movies featured will be entered to win a raffle prize.

“We look forward to this event every year. It makes for a fun and safe place where the community can enjoy the Halloween spirit,” said Terry Tatum, board president of the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs. “All of our time, effort and energy we put into this event is worth it when we see the delighted and spooked faces of the kids.”

It costs $5 for adults, $3 for kids 12 and under and $1 for all Boys and Girls Club members when they show their membership card on their first time through. Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs for one dollar off regular admission prices. For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Springs, visit www.bgcps.org or call (760) 327-1304.

Living Desert’s Howl-O-Ween ‘A Spooky Zoo Adventure’: Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26 from 11AM-4PM. The event will include two days of Halloween fun for the whole family. Plus, a members’ only event will be held October 31 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

“This is one of the most popular events we have at The Living Desert,” said Allen Monroe, President & CEO of The Living Desert. “our Howl-O-Ween event provides a place for kids of all ages to enjoy this special holiday in a safe and family-friendly environment.” The event is free with paid admission to the zoo. Kids are encouraged to dress up in their favorite costumes and enjoy one of the many exciting activities, including more than 20 trick or treat stations, a monster maze, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin decorating, animal encounters, Living Desert zoo mascots, storytelling, face painters, bounce houses, craft work shops and more.

Admission to the zoo ranges from $8.75 to $17.25 (children under 3 are free). Membership prices begin at $60 for an individual and $105 for a family of four. For more information, call (760) 346-5694 or visit www.livingdesert.org. The event is sponsored by The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation.

Haunted Ranch in La Quinta: John K. Miller is setting up a Haunted Ranch at 58300 Almonte Drive in La Quinta on Saturday October 25th from 6-9PM in conjunction with the LQ Historical Society. Tickets are $10 per person and all money raised goes to the Historical Society. Tickets are for sale at the LQ Historical Society’s office in Old Town and must be purchased there. They will be for sale until the day of the event. The property is located on 2.5 acres and there is a main house with two guest houses plus a haunted maze. Check out some photos of last year’s decorations.

Coachella Valley High School Chorus Club’s annual spooky haunted house: Takes place October 29th through October 31st from 4PM-9PM in the CV Auditorium. They say they always have some amazing things in store and there will be food, fund and fright! Tickets are $3 with an ASB card and $4 without, and children under 12 get in for $2.

Monster Mash Halloween Party/Trunk or Treat at the Beuamont Sports Park: Saturday, October 25th 4PM-8PM. The city of Beaumont will host a Monster Mash Halloween Party at the Albert A. Chatigny Sr. Community Recreation Center, located at 1310 Oak Valley Parkway. The Monster Mash will include games, candy, food, a maze, and a Halloween costume contest at 6:30PM. The event is free and fun for the whole family.

Costume Safety Tips: Purchase costumes made of flame retardant material; keep hemlines short enough to prevent tripping and avoid loose, baggy sleeves, or billowing skirts; to be seen easily, select costumes made of light color material and also use glow in the dark reflective tape.

Halloween Safety Tips: Use battery powered lights in pumpkins; instruct children to stay away from open flames; remove objects from the yard that present a hazard to children (garden tools, hoses, etc.); keep cornstalks and other harvest-season items away from heat sources; do not allow children to carry sharp sticks or other objects that could cause inury to themselves or others; if you are driving on Halloween, watch out for trick-or-treaters who will be too busy to watch out for you. For more information, visit www.beaumontcares.com.

Yucca Valley Spooktacular Event: Saturday, October 25th from 10AM-3PM. The Hi-Desert Nature Museum and the town of Yucca Valley Recreation Department will host a Halloween Spooktacular at the Yucca Valley Community Center from 10AM-3PM. Participants of all ages are invited for a day of Halloween-themed games and activities. Dress in costume or come as you are and enjoy frightfully fun activities including face painting, a kids’ dance, contests and spooky crafts. All activities are free and open to the public. Kids costume contest awards will be presented in two age divisions: Newborns to six-years old and 7-12 years-old. Six costume categories: Best homemade, most original, funniest, ugliest, silliest and most eco-friendly. Kids will also be able to visit trick-or-treat stations in the community center courtyard. Carved Pumpkin Contest open to all ages. Bring your carved or decorated pumpkins to the community center beginning at 10 a.m. to be registered and displayed. Prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m. in the following categories: Scariest (not gory), funniest, most unusual and best in show. Pumpkin decorations may be carved or executed with pens, crayons, markers and paints. Object may also be glued on, stuck in, or on top of the pumpkins as well.

Additional Dia de los Muertos events:

2nd Annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration: Saturday, November 1st at Desert Memorial Park, DaVall Drive and Ramon Road in Cathedral City, from 11AM-4PM. The Palm Springs Cemetery District and Well in the Desert will launch their second annual Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos cultural festival, with all proceeds going to Well in the Desert, a nonprofit organization that provides meals and more to those in need. The festival includes food vendors Taquiza el Chato, El Mirasol, Woody’s and more. Mariachis Nuevo Amanecer, Sabe Norteno & Inesperado, Folkloric Dancers from Palm Springs, College of the Desert and Desert Hot Springs, student artwork contest, a community altar, face painting and special guest Mark Guerrero, son of the late and famous Lalo Guerrero. The event is free to the public and was created to promote education, awareness, understanding and community building. An altar will be dedicated to Pascual Quiroz, the first Mexican American born in the Coachella Valley, who recently passed away and is buried there.

There will also be a community altar. People are invited to bring photos of lost loved ones. For more information, to be a sponsor, or to have an information table, please call (760) 327-8577.

2nd Annual 5K ‘Run with Los Muertos’ in Coachella: Saturday, November 1st. Humana Challenge has joined the list of sponsors who have committed support to the Run with Los Muertos event in Coachella.

“We are committed to helping bring health and wellness throughout the Coachella Valley,” said Humana Challenge Executive Director and CEO Bob Marra. “Run with Los Muertos is a very unique event. We look forward to helping promote it and the culture of fitness that comes with it.”

Run with Los Muertos inaugural run last year tallied nearly 600 runners and 3,000 visitors to downtown Coachella. This year runners can look forward to a competitive run, live music with two stages, large scale art installations created by local students and artists, an art zone and more. Registration and more information available at runwithlosmuertos.com.

Forest Lawn Celebrates Dia de los Muertos: Come honor the memory of a loved one on Sunday, November 2 beginning at 4PM at the Coachella Valley Cemetery, located at 82925 52nd Avenue. Forest Lawn is pleased to be sponsoring the third annual Day of the Dead celebration. In addition to the religious service, there will be face painting, traditional Day of the Dead bread, snowcones, floral tribute, mariachi music, souvenirs and refreshments. As with all Forest Lawn events, admission is free of charge. Free parking on Jackson St. between Avenue 52 and Avenue 53 with shuttle service will be provided.

Sunnylands Dias de los Muertos – Art in the Garden: October 29 – October 31 from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37997 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. Art installations created by talented, young artists from Raices Cultura will be on display throughout the Gardens. Guests of all ages are invited to tour colorful altars and see the calavera (skull) created especially for Sunnylands. Artists will be on hand to meet guests and answer any questions about their alters and the cultural significance of the celebration.

Guests are encouraged to bring flashlights. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cookies will be available for purchase in the Cafe. Admission to Sunnylands Center & Garden is free.

Palm Springs Art Museum Celebrates Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos: One celebration is planned in Palm Springs and another will take place in Palm Desert.

Palm Springs: Saturday, October 25th from 10:30AM-4PM at 101 Museum Drive. Day of the Dead celebrates the continuance of life, family relationships, and community solidarity while finding humor after death. Traditional cultural activities planned include contemporary altar installations, music by Mariachi Azteca de Oro de Jose Valdez, a performance by the Danza Azteca Citlaltonac Tierra dancers, a special Day of the Dead quilt exhibition, art activities, and more.

Palm Desert: November 1st from 10AM-2PM at 72567 Highway 111. You can see a live sugar skull demonstration by Gloria Maldonado, listen to music by Mariachi Azteca de Oro de Jose Valdez, and visit installations throughout the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden and the Annette Bloch Education Wing. Activities include creating paper flowers and skull magnets. The museum encourages attendees to remember a loved one by leaving a memento on the community altar. Both events are free.

For more information, visit www.psmuseum.org or call the Palm Springs Art Museum at (760) 322-4884, or the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert at (760) 346-5600.

Dia de los Muertos Day celebrated at Coachella Valley High School: Tuesday, October 28th from 6PM-9PM in the CVHS library. Food and prizes, art displays, face painting and entertainment by Sr. Mixxx Productions. This is a free community event.

Be sure to check out our special section for all things Halloween!

Photos from 2013’s Haunted Ranch in La Quinta