The Brief

Not sure what to be for Halloween? Pretty sure anything in Dodger Blue is a good option. Plus, Día de los Muertos is on Saturday and Sunday, and there are all kinds of events in many neighborhoods, from the annual Día de los Muertos Family Festival in Canoga Park to an event honoring pets with an ofrenda at the Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista. 

Licorice Pizza is hosting a free Vampire Time record release event on Halloween, featuring Frankie & The Studs and Ferry Townes. Or you could head to the Wiltern to catch Twin Temple with support from Midnight Cowgirls. Plus, Pixel Grip is at the El Rey, and the Genitorturers are at the Whisky. Saturday, Babymetal plays the Intuit Dome, the reunited Vivian Girls rock the Teragram, Lord Huron are on stage at the Forum and singer-songwriter Faye Webster is at Disney Hall.

Stay safe on Halloween out there!

Explore more from LAist: Read about the legendary Disney artist who created Bambi. Also, Suzanne Levy reflects on adopting Halloween traditions as a Brit in L.A., and you can grab your tickets for LAist’s next Cookbook Live with local favorite Roy Choi on Nov. 13.

Events

Ongoing
Themed Halloween Houses in Burbank 
Multiple locations 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

Take a drive through Burbank using the crowdsourced Halloween in Burbank Map to find the best decorated houses in the area for the year’s spookiest night. From the Wicked House (green and pink, of course) to the Clown House to a house where you can meet Michael Myers from Halloween, there’s something for ghosts and ghoul fans of all ages.

Friday, October 31, 5 to 10 p.m. 
Last Friday art walk + trick-or-treating
2490 Fletcher Dr., Frogtown
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

The last Friday of the month art walk just happens to fall on Halloween this year, so Frogtown Arts is kicking off a whole weekend of art-filled fall fun along the L.A. River. The pet-friendly art walk includes local art exhibits, DJs and a treasure hunt, plus trick-or-treating. And continue your weekend with Frogtown Arts – they will be hosting a Día de Los Muertos altar on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2915 Knox Ave.

Through Sunday, November 2
Littleboy/Littleman 
Geffen Playhouse 
10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood 
COST: FROM $45; MORE INFO

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Jeff Lorch

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Catch a unique play by Rudi Goblen at the Geffen Playhouse before it closes on Sunday. Littleboy/Littleman follows two Nicaraguan brothers whose ideas of how to pursue success as immigrants in America clash and come to a boiling point. The show stands out for its use of poetry, live music and ritual onstage; Thursday night’s performance will be captioned in Spanish.

Through May 2026
'Monuments' 
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 North Central Ave., Downtown L.A. 
The Brick, 518 North Western Ave., East Hollywood 
COST: ADULTS $18 (MOCA), FREE (The Brick); MORE INFO

Kara Walker's Unmanned Drone, 2023 is in the exhibit Monuments, at The Brick, a gallery in East Hollywood, Los Angeles.

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©Ruben Diaz 2025

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Courtesy MOCA Los Angeles

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MOCA and local arts nonprofit The Brick come together to put on a new exhibit called 'Monuments,' a fresh look at the hundreds of statues and shrines to the Confederacy that were toppled during the protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. LAist’s Adolfo Guzman-Lopez got a first look at the bigger-than-life-sized exhibit, which shows 10 of these monuments in a new context and a modern frame of reference. The show is a must-see and is here until the spring.

Friday, October 31, 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 
Silverlake Scream Show, Vol. 4: Camp Scream Show
Silverlake Jewish Community Center 
1110 Bates Ave., Silver Lake 
COST: $15; MORE INFO 

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Silverlake Scream Show

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Bring someone’s hand to hold and head to the Silverlake Scream Show for a Halloween night of indie horror shorts from local filmmakers. The spooky summer camp-themed night features the screening of six new films, plus a costume contest, tacos and churros, drinks and live DJ sets.

Through Saturday, November 1
Haunted Heck 
2250 E. 15th St., Downtown L.A.
COST: FROM $12; MORE INFO

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Haunted Heck

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Haunted Heck takes a fresh look at the haunted house trope with a 26-room immersive experience that’s all 1990’s themed, complete with a karaoke bar (get your best Courtney Love impression ready) and ‘90s drink prices — this may be the only $4 beer in all of L.A. Built entirely by local artists and scare actors, the event is part haunted house, part art installation, all emo.

Saturday, November 1, 12 to 8 p.m.  
Midcity Mercato Block Party 
5640 W. Adams Blvd., West Adams
COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

For the fourth year running, MidCity Mercado will celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in West Adams with a free block party featuring food trucks, art installations and a banging music lineup that includes Latin Grammy-nominated artist Danny Lux and a long roster of Latin and regional Mexican performers.

November 1-2, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Porchfest
Multiple locations throughout L.A.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

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Porchfest L.A.

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Boston suburb Somerville famously hosts a big Porchfest every year — when homes open their stoops to local bands, and residents and visitors walk around, drinks in hand, listening to the free jams and taking in the community vibes. The concept kicked off in L.A. last year. This time around, it expands to new neighborhoods, including East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Mar Vista and Culver City. More than just music, the event also showcases local clowns, comedians and storytellers.

Outdoor Pick

Saturday, November 1, 8 a.m.
Los Muertos 5K
Historic Olvera St., Downtown LA
COST: $65 TO REGISTER TO RUN; MORE INFO

Run off all those Snickers bars from trick-or-treating at the Los Muertos 5k. It’ll get your blood moving, plus you can see downtown on foot and honor loved ones lost on the Day of the Dead at the same time. This annual tradition brings together family and friends for a fun run that starts on historic Olvera Street, goes through lower Chinatown, and then moves to Alameda Street toward Los Angeles State Historic Park. The events include face painting and music, and there will be a post-run celebration.

Viewing Pick

Through Monday, Nov. 3
American French Film Festival
DGA Theater Complex 
7920 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
COST: VARIES, FREE ADMISSION FOR DGA AND WGA WEST MEMBERS; MORE INFO

An LAist screening pick.

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Noom Peerapong

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via Unsplash

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Put a little ooh la la in your Halloween weekend and catch one of the many French films playing at the American French Film Festival at the DGA. There are dozens of shorts, narrative features and documentaries to choose from, plus Happy Hour conversations with filmmakers.

Dine & Drink Deals

Sunday, November 2, 4:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.
DTLA Día de los Muertos celebration
Grand Central Market 
317 South Broadway, Downtown L.A. 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

Catch a free screening of Pixar’s Coco courtesy of Grand Central Market, and sweeten the afternoon with churros and hot chocolate from the El Moro churro cart, which will be right outside the market from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. There will also be a living altar inspired by the monarch butterfly, mezcal and beer on offer, plus dance and music performances.

Through Sunday, November 2, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Halloween Gwishin (Ghost) Dinner
Openaire at the LINE Hotel 
3515 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown 
COST: $65; MORE INFO

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Brooke Olsen for Openaire

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Michelin-starred Chef Josiah Citrin is hosting a special Halloween-themed, two-course “ghost dinner” at his Openaire space at the LINE Hotel. Featuring fall favorites like mushroom and truffle soup and cider-glazed pork chop, you’re sure to feel warm and cozy, if not particularly scared.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Since 1977, Richard Santillan has been to every Opening Day game at Dodger Stadium. 

“The tradition goes from my father, to me, to my children and grandchildren. Some of my best memories are with my father and children here at Dodger Stadium,” Santillan told The LA Local, smiling under the shade of palm trees near the entrance to the ballpark Wednesday morning. He was there to protest the team less than 24 hours before Opening Day.

Santillan, like countless other loyal Dodgers fans, is grappling with his fan identity over the team’s decision to accept an invitation to the White House and owner Mark Walter’s ties to ICE detention facilities.

More than 30 people joined Santillan on Wednesday morning for a press conference held near 1000 Vin Scully Drive to convey a message directly to the team. 

“We are demanding the Dodgers stop participating in funding of inhumane treatment of families and do not go to the White House to celebrate with the criminal in chief,” Evelyn Escatiola told the crowd. “Together, we have the power to make a change.”

Escatiola, a former dean of East Los Angeles College and longtime community organizer, urged fans to flex their economic power by “letting the Dodgers know that we do not support repression.”

Jorge “Coqui” Rodriguez, a lifelong Dodgers fan, spoke to the crowd and called on Dodgers ownership to divest from immigration detention centers owned and operated by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Jorge Coqui H Rodriguez speaks at a press conference outside Dodger Stadium on March 25, 2026, to demand the Dodgers not to visit the White House following their 2025 World Series win.

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J.W. Hendricks

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The LA Local

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In a phone interview a day before the protest, Rodriguez told The LA Local he did not want the Dodgers using his “cheve” or beer money to fund detention centers. 

“They can’t take our parking money, our cacahuate money, our cheve money, our Dodger Dog money and invest those funds into corporations that are imprisoning people. It’s wrong,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez considers the Dodgers one of the most racially diverse teams and said the players need to support fans at a time when heightened immigration enforcement has become more common across L.A.

The team’s 2025’s visit to the White House drew ire from the largely Latino fan base, citing the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on immigrants. 

In June, the team came under further scrutiny when rumors swirled online that federal immigration agents were using the stadium’s parking, which immigration authorities later denied in statements posted on social media accounts.

The team again came under fire after not releasing a statement on the impacts of ICE raids on its mostly Latino fan base at the height of immigration enforcement last summer. The team later agreed to invest $1 million to support families affected by immigration enforcement.

When he learned the Dodgers were pledging only $1 million to families in need, Rodriguez called the amount a  “slap in the face.” 

“These guys just bought the Lakers for billions of dollars and they give a million dollars to fight for legal services? That’s a joke,” Rodriguez said. “They need to have a moral backbone and not be investing in those companies.”

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershawsaid last week that he is looking forward to the trip.

“I went when President [Joe] Biden was in office. I’m going to go when President [Donald] Trump is in office,” Kershaw said. “To me, it’s just about getting to go to the White House. You don’t get that opportunity every day, so I’m excited to go.”

The Dodgers have yet to announce when their planned visit will take place. 

Santillan sometimes laments his decision to give up his season tickets in protest of the team. His connection to the stadium and the memories he has made there with family and friends will last a lifetime, he said. On Thursday, he will uphold his tradition and be there for the first pitch of the season, but with a heavy heart.

“It’s a family tradition, but the Dodgers have a lot of work to do,” he said.

A local favorite mom-and-pop bookshop in Eagle Rock is facing displacement due to a steep rent hike. The owners say theirs is just one of several small businesses along Eagle Rock Boulevard struggling to keep up with lease increases.

Over the past 19 years, many in the neighborhood have come to love READ Books for its eclectic collection of used titles and shop dog Florence.

Co-owner Jeremy Kaplan said it’s been a delight to grow with the community over the years.

“Like seeing kids come back in, who were in grade school and now they’re in college,” Kaplan said.

But the building where Kaplan and wife Debbie rent was recently sold, and the rent increased by more than 130% to $2,805 a month, Kaplan said. He told LAist it was an increase his small business simply could not absorb.

Kaplan said he originally was given 30 days notice of the rent increase. After some research, assistance from Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office and some pro-bono legal help, Kaplan said he pushed back and got the 90-day notice he’s afforded by state law.

California Senate Bill 1103 requires landlords to give businesses with five or less employees 90 days’ notice for rent increases exceeding 10%, among other protections.

Systems Real Estate, the property management company, did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

What can small businesses do? 

Nadia Segura, directing attorney of the Small Business Program at pro bono legal aid non-profit Bet Tzedek said California law does not currently allow for rent control for commercial tenancies.

Outside of the protections under SB 1103, Segura said small businesses like READ Books don’t have much other recourse. And even then, commercial landlords are not required to inform their tenants of their protections under the law.

“There’s still a lot of people that don’t know about SB 1103. And then it’s very sad that they tell them they have these rent increases and within a month they have to leave,” Segura said.

She said her group is seeing steep rent hikes like this for commercial tenants across the city.

“We are seeing this even more with the World Cup coming up, the Olympics coming up. And I will say it was very sad to see that also after the wildfires,” Segura said.

Part of Bet Tzedek’s ongoing work is to advocate for small businesses, working with landlords who are increasing rents to see if they are willing to give business owners longer leases that lock in rents.

What’s next 

After READ Books posted about their situation on social media, commenters chimed in to express their outrage and love for the little shop.

While he looks for a new spot, Kaplan says he’s forming a coalition of local businesses and activist groups to see what can be done to help other small businesses facing similar displacement. He wants to address the displacement issue for businesses like his, which have made Eagle Rock the distinctive neighborhood that it is today.

Owl Talk, a longtime Eagle Rock staple selling clothing and accessories in a unit in the same building as READ Books, is facing a “more than double” rent increase, according to a post on their Instagram account.

Kaplan said he’s been in touch with the office of state Assemblywoman Jessica Caloza and wants to explore the possibility of introducing legislation to set up protections for small businesses like his, including rent-control measures or a vacancy tax for landlords. Kaplan said he also reached out to the office of state Sen. Maria Durazo.

By his count, Kaplan said there are about a dozen businesses within surrounding blocks that are at risk of closing their doors or have shuttered due to rent increases or other struggles.

When READ Books was founded during the Great Recession, Kaplan said he knew it was a longshot to open a bookstore at the same time so many were struggling to stay in business.

“It was kind of interesting to be doing something that neighborhoods needed. That was important to me growing up, that was important to my children, that was important to my wife growing up,” Kaplan said.

“And then somebody comes in and says, ‘We’re gonna over double your rent.”

Topline:

Frozen budget: Most of the city’s Bureau of Street Lighting budget comes from an assessment that people who own property illuminated by lights pay on their county property tax bill. The amount people pay depends on the kind of property they own and how much they benefit from lighting. A typical single-family home currently pays $53 annually, and in total, the assessments bring in about $45 million annually for the city to repair and maintain streetlights. Changing the amount the Bureau of Street Lighting gets from the assessment requires a vote among property owners who benefit from the lights.

Ballots: L.A. City Council’s vote gives city staff the green light to prepare and send out those ballots. Miguel Sangalang, who oversees the bureau, said at a committee meeting earlier this month that he expects to send out ballots by April 17. Notices about the ballots will be sent out prior to the ballots themselves.

Near unanimous vote: L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was the only “No” vote Tuesday, saying she wanted to see a more current strategic plan for the bureau. Sangalang said the bureau developed a plan in 2022 that lays out how money will be spent. Councilmember Imelda Padilla was absent for the vote.

Vote count: Votes will be weighted according to the assessment amount. Basically, the more you’re asked to pay yearly to maintain streetlights, the more your vote will count. Ballots received before June 2 will be tabulated by the L.A. City Clerk.

How much more money: According to a report, the amount needed in assessments from property owners to meet the repair and maintenance needs of the city’s streetlighting in the next fiscal year is nearly $112 million.

Use of the money: Sangalang said at a March 11 committee meeting that the extra funds would be used to double the number of staff to handle repairs and procure solar streetlights, which don’t face the threat of copper wire theft. That would all potentially reduce the time it takes to repair simple fixes down to a week. Currently, city residents wait for months to see broken streetlights repaired. The assessment would come with a three-year auditing mechanism.