The South Bay Fall Calendar: Events You Won’t Want to Miss in 2026
September 1, 2026
September 1, 2026
Fall in the South Bay might look a little different than it does elsewhere. The beach days aren't exactly over, but the calendar starts filling up with some of our favorite local traditions, festivals, outdoor events and the first signs of the holiday season.
From Fiesta Hermosa and the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair to thousands of glowing jack-o'-lanterns in Palos Verdes and Día de los Muertos in San Pedro, there’s plenty happening close to home over the next few months.
Here are the South Bay events worth putting on your calendar this fall.
September 5–7 | Downtown Hermosa Beach
One of the South Bay's biggest end-of-summer traditions returns for Labor Day weekend. Fiesta Hermosa takes over downtown with live music, local shopping, a Makers Mercado, food vendors, carnival rides and games.
The festival is free to explore, while The Garden is a ticketed 21+ area featuring live music, beer, wine, cocktails, covered seating and yard games.
Select Nights, September 18–November 1 | South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes Peninsula
This might be one of the most photogenic fall events in the South Bay.
Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns returns to South Coast Botanic Garden with more than 10,000 carved jack-o'-lanterns illuminating a mile-long trail through the garden. Expect glowing pathways, massive themed pumpkin displays, immersive scenes and plenty of fall photo opportunities.
Tickets are sold online and popular nights can sell out.
September 26 | Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro
Here's one you might not have on your radar: the Port of Los Angeles is offering free narrated boat tours of Los Angeles Harbor.
The approximately 50-minute tours depart from Downtown Harbor in San Pedro and offer a completely different perspective on one of the busiest ports in the country. Boats depart every 30 minutes between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a pet-friendly tour at 11:30 a.m. and a Spanish-language tour at 1 p.m.
Boarding is first-come, first-served, so plan on arriving early.
October 3–4 | Live Oak Park, Manhattan Beach
If you know Manhattan Beach, you know Hometown Fair weekend.
The 54th Annual Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair returns for two days in and around Live Oak Park. It's one of the city's most beloved traditions and the kind of weekend that brings seemingly the entire community together.
Bonus: the 49th Annual Manhattan Beach 10K takes place Saturday morning, October 3, making this one of the biggest weekends of the year in Manhattan Beach.
October 10 | Hermosa Beach
For families looking for something festive closer to home, Hermosa Beach's Pumpkins in the Park returns October 10.
It's an easy addition to the fall calendar and a fun way to get into Halloween season without leaving the beach cities.
October 18 | Manhattan Beach Pier
Only in Manhattan Beach.
The 36th Annual World Famous Pumpkin Race transforms the area around the Manhattan Beach Pier into Pumpkin Race Land, where decorated pumpkins on wheels race head-to-head toward the beach.
Come for the creative pumpkin racers, costumes and Halloween festivities, or build your own and join the competition. Festivities begin at noon, with racing starting at 2 p.m.
It's quirky, competitive and one of those South Bay traditions everyone should experience at least once.
October 25 | Downtown San Pedro
Downtown San Pedro hosts its 15th Annual Día de los Muertos Festival from 3 to 9:30 p.m., bringing art, music and Mexican cultural traditions to the heart of the historic downtown.
The free celebration features vibrant altars, live entertainment, traditional Aztec and folklórico performances, local artists and vendors, food, interactive cultural activities and a Catrina contest.
Thousands attend each year, making this one of the South Bay's standout cultural events of the season.
October 31 | Riviera Village, Redondo Beach
Halloween takes over Riviera Village on October 31.
Catalina Avenue closes to traffic as local businesses hand out candy and treats, creating a walkable outdoor Halloween celebration just blocks from the ocean. The event has become a South Bay tradition and draws thousands of families each year.
Trick-or-treating runs in the afternoon, while the street closure continues into the evening, making it easy to stay for dinner at one of the Village restaurants afterward.
November 14 | Manhattan Beach
Twice a year, something pretty special happens at Manhattan Beach's Light Gate sculpture.
The artwork is positioned so that on specific dates in January and November, the setting sun aligns directly through the keyhole opening in the sculpture.
The city's November Light Gate Sunset gathering takes place November 14 from 4:15 to 5 p.m. If you've never seen it, this is a very South Bay way to spend golden hour.
November 18 | Downtown Manhattan Beach
Consider this the unofficial start of the holiday season in Manhattan Beach.
Downtown fills with holiday music, shopping, dining and entertainment before the Manhattan Beach Pier is illuminated for the season. Local shops stay open late, restaurants join in the festivities, and the evening includes choir performances, carolers and family activities throughout downtown.
The pier lighting is scheduled for 7 p.m., with festivities running from 6 to 9 p.m.
November 21–22 | Downtown Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach trades surfboards for a little holiday magic during its annual Hermosa for the Holidays weekend.
The open-air celebration turns downtown into a beachside winter wonderland with local shopping, food and drinks, family entertainment, a Ferris wheel, community concert and tree lighting ceremony.
It's one of those events that could only happen in Southern California: holiday festivities, just steps from the sand.
One of our favorite things about living in the South Bay is that there's always something happening close to home. Fall brings some of the area's longest-running traditions alongside newer experiences that give us another excuse to explore our own backyard.
Whether you're racing pumpkins toward the Manhattan Beach Pier, wandering through thousands of glowing jack-o'-lanterns in Palos Verdes, spending Labor Day weekend in Hermosa or celebrating Día de los Muertos in San Pedro, consider this your starting point for the season ahead.
Save this guide and check back as more fall events are announced.
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