Lawndale Halloween Haunt: Free Family Fun

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and the City of Lawndale is marking it with a free evening party for the whole family. The Halloween Haunt takes over the Civic Center Plaza in the South Bay with a costume parade, games, face painting and a trick-or-treat trail, and it is an easy pick if you are building a list of things to do with kids LA this October.

When: Saturday, October 31, 2026, 4:00 to 8:00 PM Where: Lawndale Civic Center Plaza, 14717 Burin Avenue, Lawndale Cost: Free Hosted by: City of Lawndale Community Services Department

What to expect

The Community Services Department built the night around young kids and their parents. The lineup on the official flyer includes a costume parade, face painting, food vendors, music and a trick-or-treat trail. Performances come from Kids Imagination and Franklin Haynes Marionettes, and the flyer promises more on top of that.

For anyone who wants a few real chills, there is also a Haunted Maze. It is billed as a challenge for braver visitors, so younger children may want to skip it or stay close to a grown-up. The rest of the plaza stays bright and playful, with plenty to do between the stage acts and the food stalls.

Because the event runs from late afternoon into the evening, kids get to wear their costumes in the golden-hour light and then see the plaza after dark. If your family has an evening of door-to-door trick-or-treating planned, this works well as a warm-up, since the Haunt wraps at 8:00 PM.

Planning your visit

Admission costs nothing, though food from the vendors will be at your own expense, so bring a little cash or a card. Costumes are encouraged. Comfortable shoes help, because most of the fun is spread across the plaza on foot.

The Civic Center sits at 14717 Burin Avenue in Lawndale, a short drive from the 405 and 105 freeways. Weekend evenings fill up fast, so give yourself extra time to park and walk in. Event schedules can change, so check with the city before you go. The Community Services Department can be reached at (310) 973-3200, and the Local Anchor listing has the latest posted details.

Looking for more family events Los Angeles has on the calendar this season? Browse the Family category for other costume parties, pumpkin patches and kid-friendly shows around the region, and check the main events page for more things happening in Los Angeles.

Plan on a relaxed couple of hours, a lot of orange and black, and a free Halloween night that does not require a big budget or a long drive for South Bay families.