These first days of fall may be too hot for pumpkin spiced lattes, but as the days grow shorter and the calendar fills up with fall fests, scary movie nights, and Halloween attractions, you can't help but get excited for the new season. Here's a look at some fun happenings around the area from now through October, starting with the annual Abbot Kinney Festival on Sunday. Check back as we round up more fall festivities and Halloween parties in the coming weeks. Have an event? Share it here.

Abbot Kinney Festival

The largest event of the year in Venice also lets you know that fall is officially here (even if the weather still feels very much like summer). The 31st annual festival draws thousands of visitors to the trendy boulevard for eats, drinks, wares for sale, kids’ games and rides, live music, and three beer gardens.
// Sunday, Sept 27; 10am-6pm; Free entrance; abbotkinney.org

See The Blood Moon Sunday Night

When the annual supermoon rises Sunday night you'll also be able to see a total lunar eclipse, a rare occurrence that hasn't happened in 30 years. It'll look like a big red ball in the sky, hence its spooky nickname, the blood moon. 

Other Venice Film Festival

The 12th annual Other Venice Film Festival (OVFF) returns October 9th through 11th. The nonprofit community event is dedicated to screening full-length, short and animated films showcasing the creativity and diversity of Venice. Opening night and general admission tickets as well as information on screenings and competitions can be found at othervenicefilmfestival.com.

Front Porch Cinema @ The Santa Monica Pier

Outdoor movie nights return to the Santa Monica Pier starting Friday, October 9. Catch Big Hero 6, Imitation Game, Guardians of the Galaxy, and on Halloween eve, Ghostbusters (in order of appearance) on the big screen under the stars.
// Friday nights; Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30; Music at 6pm; film at 7:30pm; Free; santamonicapier.com

Beer, Art and Music Fest (BAM Fest)

The biggest beer fest on the Westside returns to the 18th Street Art Center in Santa Monica. The annual BAM Fest does not disappoint with beer from a long list of breweries, including Santa Monica Brew Works, food from the likes of Dogtown Dogs, and a traveling art exhibition, Geniale Dilletanten Exhibit, a multimedia survey of German subculture of the 1980s.
// Saturday, October 10; 1-5pm; $40-$50, 21+ only; 18thstreet.org/bam

Beers 'N' Brats @ Wurstkuche

Though there are no firm plans for an official Oktoberfest celebration, Wurstkuche is the ideal spot to partake in traditional Belgian beer and enjoy it with a spicy bratwurst or one of the many fine exotic sausage combinations like duck and bacon.
// Wurstkuche Venice, 625 Lincoln Blvd., Venice 90291; wurstkuche.com

Off The Hook Seafood Festival

Eat fresh seafood on the pier while learning about sustainable fishing at the first Off The Hook Seafood Fest, a fundraising event benefitting Seafood For The Future. Enjoy unlimited cocktails, chef demonstrations, and an afterparty at the Santa Monica Aquarium. What’s not to love?
// Saturday, October 17; 3-7pm; $60-$100, 21+ only; Santa Monica; offthehookfeafoodfest.com  

Virginia Avenue Park Fall Festival

It’s the park’s first ever fall fest and they’re doing it up right: pumpkin carving demos, country line dance lessons, a hay bale maze, Halloween costume swap, juggling, and more. Walking, biking or busing it is recommended.
// Saturday, October 17; 3-7pm; Free; Santa Monica; santamonica.com

Dusk-To-Dawn Horrothon

This is the Aero Theatre’s 10th annual horror movie marathon and the lineup is full of classic thrillers: Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Anguish, Dead and Buried, and more. All-night snacks included, plus free Pete's Coffee and Monster energy drinks to keep your eyes wide open.
// Saturday, October 24; 7:30pm; $15-$20; Santa Monica; americancinematheque.com

A Nightmare on Elm Street at Will Rogers State Park

Street Food Cinema pay homage to the season with an outdoor screening of the movie that launched Freddy Kreuger into infamy.
// Saturday, October 24; Doors at 6pm; music at 6:30pm; movie at 8pm; $6-$17; Pacific Palisades; streetfoodcinema.com

PUMPKIN PATCHES

Marina del Rey Garden Center

In addition to several varieties of pumpkins, Halloween decorations, and fun activities for kids like the hay maze, you'll find lots of plants to add some fall color to your garden. Check out the deep burgundy (and drought tolerant) leucadendron, or how about planting a blood orange tree?
// Marina del Rey Garden Center; 13198 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey, 90292; Open 7 days a week; 8am-5pm; marinagardencenter.com

Shawn’s Pumpkin Patch

It’s not just a pumpkin patch: This fall playland also houses a petting zoo, bouncy castle, ball house, mechanical animals, and face painting and spin art stations to keep the kids entertained for hours.
// Oct. 7-31; Sun-Thu 9:30am-7:30pm; Fri-Sat 9:30am-8pm; shawnspumpkinpatch.com

Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch

You won’t know where to turn first—there’s a petting zoo, a jumpy pumpkin, pony rides, super slide, straw maze, face painting, and, yes, pumpkins.
// Oct. 2-31; Mon-Thu 10am-7pm; Fri-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 9am-8pm; Culver City; Free entrance; mrbonespumpkinpatch.com

All You Can Carry Pumpkin Patch

Big pumpkins, little pumpkins, funny shaped pumpkins—how many can you carry down a 25 foot runway at the Santa Monica Farmers Market? For $5, whatever you take to the end, you get to keep.
// Wednesday, October 28; 8:30am-1pm; $5 to participate; santamonica.com

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