Torrance has become Graceland for fans of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

Part of the fun of living in Southern California is discovering there’s almost always a little bit of wackiness around every corner.

Examples?

Driving up Lake Avenue from Pasadena, I came across Altadena’s Bunny Museum, home of more than 46,000 rabbit-themed items like tchotchkes, plush toys, zany clothing and art. That was before it burned down in the Eaton fire. A rebuilding effort is underway.

Out in the high desert near Cabazon, my favorite stops are Hadley’s Fruit Orchards, home of the famous Hadley date shakes, and the whimsically Cabazon Dinosaur sculptors.

In L.A., there’s the 32-foot tall Randy’s doughnut jutting out along West Manchester Boulevard.

Another of my favorite quirky SoCal gems is the Torrance home where the television cult classic “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was filmed. It still draws Buffy fans year round. This weekend marks the 10th annual gathering of hardcore fans, known as HellmouthCon 2026.

While fangs and stakes aren’t my forte, a gathering of friends and strangers acting goofy and reminiscing over childhood and teen memories sounded cool.

Here’s what I found out:

What’s going on

The annual convention centers on the television cult classic series that debuted on the WB Network and later finished on UPN, running from 1997 to 2003.

Buffy, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, was depicted as a teenager in a new town and new school who was also tasked with slaying vampires.

While there is a Friday night pre-convention mixer, the action gets going Saturday and Sunday at Torrance High School.

Actors Charisma Carpenter, Amber Benson, Amy Acker, Clare Kramer, Doug Jones and Emma Caulfield are among the show stars expected to attend.

Debbie Hays, the head of community relations at Discover Torrance, gives an exterior tour of Buffy’s house in Torrance.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Somewhere between Graceland and Dollywood is Torrance

Buffy lived in the fictional town of “Sunnydale,” which included many scenes filmed in Torrance.

Buffy’s 2,296-square-foot home is included in regular Torrance historical tours, while Sunnydale High School was actually Torrance High, where the first three years of the show took place.

“I’ve led private tours to the home, with sometimes as many as 80 people,” Torrance Historical Society docent Debbie Hays told The Times last year. “Fans come to the house, they cry, they take pictures, they hug the tree. They love it.”

Who are these fans?

Christopher Cullen, board member and director of fan experiences for Hellmouth Events, which is organizing the event, said the convention gets a good mix of fans numbering around 1,500 in past years. Those fans range from original show watchers to recent discoverers, he said.

Eventgoers take part in games, trivia, live panels, connect with friends they only meet annually and often dress up as their favorite characters.

“We’re grateful to the Torrance community for allowing us to host here and we give back with patronage at local stores and hotels and restaurants,” Cullen said. “It’s a great relationship.”

Offering a helping hand

Hellmouth Events is a division of Fandom Charities, which creates convention-like events connecting fans with worthy causes.

Cullen said some of the money raised from HellmouthCon will be shared with charities, including the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the South Los Angeles-based Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center and San Diego-based Rainbow Spaces.

One of the big fundraisers is a charity auction, where clothing items from the show and other memorabilia will be put up for bid. All proceeds are donated to charity.

“This is something unique among events and allows our fans to give back and help others,” he said. “While we all come together as fans of Buffy, we appreciate being part of a larger community.”

Today’s top stories

L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez is all smiles at City Hall following last week’s election, in which she ran unopposed.

(Etienne Laurent/For the Times)

Midterm election 2026

• The Los Angeles primary election season was characterized by calls for change. But when the votes were tallied, the powers that be prevailed.
• Becerra heads toward the November election with a major edge over Hilton in the governor’s race, a poll shows.
• California Democrats advanced from last week’s primary election in all five House districts targeted by last year’s redistricting measure.

California’s e-bike laws and restrictions

• E-bikes have zoomed into popularity across the country, especially among kids and teens, and that surge has been met with a wide array of models with different specifications and abilities.
• Here’s a quick guide to whether yours or your kid’s e-bike is legal under California law and who is legally allowed to ride them.

2026 World Cup guide

• Skip $300 parking. Here’s how to get to the World Cup at SoFi Stadium on $1.75 Metro shuttles.
• Want to experience the World Cup for $10? Head to the FIFA Fan Festival.
• Here are start times for every match, how to watch and game previews, plus live updates from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

What else is going on

• LA28 releases details on the second Olympics ticket sales drop.
• At Riverside’s Mission Inn, its former owner departs with historic art — and locals are outraged.
• The search for a girl ended after 24 hours of scouring the ocean off Laguna Beach amid treacherous conditions.
• Mayor Karen Bass’ brother joins the Palisades fire lawsuit against the city of L.A.

Commentary and opinions

• Voter rolls are a scam. Just not the scam you think, writes columnist Anita Chabria.
• The right-wing attack on science reaches a nadir, but it could get worse, argues columnist Michael Hiltzik.

This morning’s must-read

California

For Subscribers

The cost of trust: The rise and fall of a well-connected Newport Beach jeweler accused of duping his clients

Clients trusted him with their special moments: engagements, weddings and anniversaries, or when they simply wished to treat themselves. But for some, when it came time to settle up, Nelson Holdo was full of excuses.

June 11, 2026

For your downtime

The half-chicken at Henrietta in Echo Park was inspired by the chicken and bread salad at Zuni Cafe. This one stands on its own.

(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)

Going out

• Restaurants: Where should you be eating this summer? This cozy Echo Park bistro is the answer.
• Museums: Yoko Ono’s “Wish Trees for Los Angeles,” at the Broad, invites visitors to hang their wishes from tree branches.
• Theme parks: Can thrills hub Magic Mountain captivate a younger set with new Looney Tunes Land?

Staying in

• Documentaries: Questlove’s Earth, Wind & Fire doc shows how trauma lingered behind a band’s relentless positivity.
• Podcasts: Sen Dog discusses his new Cuba documentary, how L.A. shaped his music and being Latino in hip-hop in the latest episode of “The De Los Podcast.”
• Recipe: Here’s a recipe for this iconic Japanese spaghetti that glistens with butter.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.

A question for you: What’s your favorite California summer song?

Lillian said, “It’s ‘Summer Breeze’ by Seals & Croft hands-down!🌞🫶💛”

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally ... your photo of the day

Musical Artist Lizzo in Los Angeles.

(Ian Spanier/For The Times)

Today’s great photo is from Ian Spanier at the home of musical artist Lizzo, who readies a defiant new album, “Bitch,” and insists her comeback isn’t a climb — she’s already standing.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Hailey Branson-Potts, staff writer
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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