As we hurtle toward Halloween, Los Angeles creeps even closer to the dark side. This week, there’s more pumpkin carving than a bad-good 80s slasher film, zombies are hitting the beach, and if you’re into bloody hits like us, you can enjoy some pig’s blood in your ice cream and a prom date with Carrie. Too soon for Halloween? (Are you OK, should we send help?) Check out the indie gamer scene at USC then hit up a good ol’ fashioned block party on Fairfax or in Sherman Oaks. Whatever your choice, Juicy J demands that you #MustBeNice. Check out his tunes in Hollywood tonight! It’s all happening, Los Angeles!
Thursday, October 13
Salt & Straw Now Scooping in DTLA
LA’s favorite Portlandian, Salt & Straw, opens its fourth LA location today bringing their chef-driven creamy brilliance to the DTLA Arts District. No surprise, they’re stepping up their game with plans to host a series of community events including further collaborations with local producers on ridiculously delicious new flavors like their LA-specific Avocado & Strawberry Sherbet or Black Olive Brittle & Goat Cheese. For October, sample the Halloween-inspired Dracula’s Blood Pudding (with real pig’s blood!) or Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Sherbet.
Deets: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily; Salt & Straw DTLA;
Read more about chief flavor-maker Tyler Malek’s ice cream adventures in our Citizine feature, HERE ...
Dracula’s Blood Pudding. Image courtesy of Salt & Straw
Juicy J Live At OHM Nightclub LA
Wiz Khalifa’s label fires off a night of syrup-thick production. Beloved Taylor Gang rapper Juicy J hits OHM tonight for a live set that will feature jams from his latest mixtape, #MustBeNice. The southern rap royalty will have you feeling loose and wavy. Expect a night of no holds barred raps and a crowd fired up for good time
Deets: 9 p.m. - 3 a.m.; OHM Nightclub; 21+ to drink, 18+ to enter; RSVP to secure HERE and pay at the door for $25 until 11 p.m.
Image courtesy of @juicyj
Thursday, October 13 - Sunday, October, 16
Pumpkin Patch at Platform
This one takes the candy apple for coolest pumpkin patch in town. Every day through the 31st of October, Platform will host arts and crafts, a candy store, a hay maze and cornhole. On weekends, expect face painting, a petting zoo and the added bonus of a kids tattoo parlor (how very LA … ). Smorgasburg will be curating the delectables for the foodie parents and foodie offspring, too!
Deets: Weekdays: noon - 6 p.m, Weekends: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Platform; FREE until October 20th then $5 on weekdays and $10 on weekends (includes five tickets.) More info HERE.
After you pick the perfect pumpkin, pop into The Shop Curve x Tom Dixon. While you're at it, check out founder of Curve's guide to LA HERE ...
Image courtesy of @platform_la
Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns
Speaking of pumpkins, no matter how good your doorstep Jack is looking right now, these ones are guaranteed to put your carving skills to absolute shame. Rise of the jack O'Lanterns is the big leagues of pumpkin carving as carvers spend 15-20 hours per pumpkin, which in millennial-attention-span-minutes chalks up to an approximate lifetime. Come see the thousands of mind-blowingly carved, illuminated pumpkins on a scenic walk through the convention center set to a haunting musical score. Costumes welcome.
Deets: 10 a.m. - 10:15 p.m.; LA Convention Center; Adults $26, kids (3-12) $22; Tickets and more info HERE. Pro Tip: Check out Goldstar for discounts.
Image courtesy of The Rise
Friday, October 14
Carrie 40th Anniversary Screening & Prom
You better start looking for your dream 1970s prom dress or vintage blue tuxedo—prom night with Carrie is only one day away! Come see Brian De Palma’s iconic bloodbath of a film, based on Stephen King’s epic novel. You’ll begin your evening with a screening of the cult classic and finish in the lobby with the prom of 1976 that includes a costume contest, “Bloody Carrie” cocktails, a photo booth and a live DJ. Some original cast and crew will also be on site. All proceeds will directly benefit weSPARK’s cancer support programs.
Image courtesy of MGM
Friday, October 14 - Sunday, October 16
Snorkel Dreams Underwater Gallery
This event merges SoCal’s love of water with art like no other. Presented underwater in the (heated) Annenberg pool, Machine Project presents Snorkel Dreams: A Guide to Art Underwater. Bring your own snorkel set or borrow one of theirs and prepare yourself for paintings, ceramics, photographs, video, blown glass, and a lone sunken mannequin. It’s a free event, but reservations are highly recommended as this might be the closest you’ll ever get to Atlantis.
Image courtesy of Machine Project
The great zombie invasion of Long Beach has arrived. A jam-packed three days of pre-Halloween joy, Zombie Fest promises an “invasion of undead music, guts, blood, horror and more.” There’s a 3500 sq ft haunted maze with a Zombie Outbreak Interactive Scare Zone, workshops, exhibits, a mobile escape room, zombie dance contests (yaaas!) and about another 100 crazy things to partake in. If zombies don’t fill you with glee, then just watch the daily zombie walk through the picturesque Shoreline Village and let us know if you're not a convert yet.
Deets: Friday, 5 - 10 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 2 - 10 p.m.; Rainbow Lagoon Park; Tickets: 1-day pass, $13; 2-day pass, $18; 3-day pass, $20 HERE
Image courtesy of Michael Wada
IndieCade Festival 2016
The IndieCade Festival is the largest event for celebrating independent game development in the nation. More than 200 games are carefully selected to be showcased for this event, which is, in essence, gamer heaven. You can meet the developers, explore exhibits, attend conference sessions and workshops, and play till your thumbs go numb. For game developers, there’ll be the usual IndieXchange Summit with masterclasses and meetings as well as a brand new think:indie Summit for deeper collaborations around topics. Game on!
Deets: Thursday: IndieXchange Summit only, Friday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday: 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; USC School of Cinematic Arts; Various tickets are available beginning at $25 HERE
Image courtesy of IndieCade
Saturday, October 15
Art of the Halloween Mask Exhibit
Halloween has a long, freaky history and if you dig that kind of thing, then this is your Halloween event. The Art of the Halloween Mask exhibit will showcase a collection of vintage Halloween masks dating back to the 60s, alongside the modern masters of mask production. Plus, it's at Lethal Amounts, a super dope store in DTLA that loves LA almost as much as we do.
Image courtesy of Lethal Amounts
Fairfax Block Party
This go-around, the Fairfax Block Party is celebrating the arrival of the Dew NBA 3X tournament, which is an invite only 3-on-3 national touring basketball tournament that celebrates art, culture and hoop dreams. Lucky for us, the last stop on their nationwide tour is La La Land, so they’re ready to celebrate all things Los Angeles. The block party, presented by Greenlabel, will feature food, hoops, live performances from HBK Gang’s IAMSU!, rising LA artist Jerreau, and DJ sets from Kittens and Gianni Lee. They’ll also have tons of giveaways on deck with free gear from Crooks & Castles, DOPE and Pink Dolphin.
Image courtesy of Greenlabel
Sunday, October 16
The Annual Sherman Oaks Street Fair
The Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce is throwing a block party on Sunday with an expected turnout in the tens of thousands range. There will be over 200 vendors, a classic car show, food trucks and it wouldn’t be October if there weren’t an Oktoberfest thrown in as well. Music from classic supergroup The Empty Hearts, surf tunes from John Blair & the Trespassers, Monkee’s covers from Pleasant Valley Sunday and Beatles covers should keep things jumping throughout the day.
Deets: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; The Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce, Ventura Blvd between Van Nuys & Kester; FREE; More info HERE
