Halloween Offerings Feature Treats to Satisfy Everyone

Witches, ghosts and goblins may be lurking in the skies above Los Angeles, but Westsiders will discover a variety of safe ways to celebrate Halloween this week.

Getting a jump on the holiday is the Craft & Folk Art Museum, which today presents the International Festival of Masks. Traditional and contemporary masked dance, theater and storytellers will honor the cultural diversity of Los Angeles.

On Friday at the Westside Pavilion, more than 3,000 children and parents are expected to participate in a Halloween carnival and costume pageant. The carnival, including a Spooky Tunes dance party hosted by disc jockeys Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Jive and a haunted house, will take place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Registration is required for the costume pageant.

For children who want to put their creativity to use, the Culver City Department of Human Services Recreation Division will sponsor an afternoon of pumpkin carving at several city parks beginning at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Admission is free.

Children can show off their costume finery at Santa Monica Place on Friday. Trick or treating will be allowed at stores throughout the mall beginning at 4 p.m.

For those looking for something a little scarier, the Westside Family YMCA will present its seventh annual haunted manor at the Brentwood Youth House, 731 S. Bundy Drive. It will be open from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday and admission is $2.

To round out the week’s festivities, the Beverly Hills Recreation and Parks Department will present its annual Spooktacular Halloween Carnival. The carnival will have rides, game booths and entertainment. Activities begin at 4 p.m. Saturday at the La Cienega Park Ballfield in Beverly Hills. Admission is $2. Free parking is available at the La Cienega Tennis Center.

Listings of scheduled Halloween activities around the Westside:

Friday

Carnival--Westside Pavilion will sponsor a Halloween carnival and costume pageant; 10800 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.; registration for costume pageant required; information: (310) 474-6255 (free).

Stories--Venice-Abbot Kinney Memorial Library will have spooky stories and creepy crawlies by Wildlife on Wheels; 610 California Ave., Venice; 3:30 p.m.; information: (310) 821-1769 (free).

Pumpkin Carving--Culver City Department of Human Services Recreation Division will present pumpkin carving at the following park locations: Blair Hills, Culver City Park, La Ballona, Linwood Howe, Blanco, El Marino, Lindberg, Fox Hills, Culver West, Kronenthal, Veterans, Carlson and Tellefson Parks; 3:30 p.m.; information: (310) 202-5689 (free).

Halloween Stories--Santa Monica Library will have a Halloween Festival featuring arts, crafts, games and a costume walk; 1343 Main St., Santa Monica; 4 p.m.; information: (310) 458-8600 (free).

Haunted House--West Hollywood will sponsor its annual haunted house; Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday; information: (213) 876-17255 ($1 Friday admission, $2 Saturday admission).

Saturday

Haunted Manor--Westside Family YMCA will present its annual Haunted Manor and carnival; Brentwood Youth House, 731 S. Bundy Drive, Brentwood; 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday; information: (310) 477-1511 ($2 haunted manor, 25-cent carnival tickets).

Halloween Party--Marina Market Place and Villa Marina Shopping Centers will feature a spook-tacular Halloween party and costume contest; Maxella and Glencoe avenues, Marina del Rey; 3 to 6 p.m.; information: (310) 827-0253 (admission free with donation of canned food item).

Afternoon Festival--Hancock Park School Booster Club will have a haunted house, costume parade and jack-o-lantern contests; 408 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; noon to 4:30 p.m.; information: (213) 937-0940 (free admission).

Trick or Treating--Santa Monica Place will present a trick or treating event in the mall; 4th Street and Colorado Boulevard, Santa Monica; 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday; information: (310) 394-5451 (free).

The following Recreation Centers will also sponsor family carnivals, festivities and activities Saturday:

Beverly Hills Recreation and Parks Department, La Cienega Park, 8400 Gregory Way, Beverly Hills; 4 to 8 p.m.; information: (310) 550-4765 ($2 admission).

Culver City Department of Human Services Recreation Division will present Halloween carnivals, costume contests and games at the following parks: El Marino, Kronenthal, Veterans and Culver West; 5 to 7 p.m.; information: (310) 202-5689 (free).

Palisades Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real Drive, Pacific Palisades; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; information: (310) 454-1412 ($4 admission).

Westchester Recreation Center, 7000 Manchester Ave., Los Angeles; 2:30 p.m.; information: (310) 670-7473 (free).