On the Eastview side of Rancho Palos Verdes, Halloween week works as one event split across two days. On Thursday, October 29, kids decorate pumpkins at Eastview Park, and the City has asked whether it can show those pumpkins at the Howl-O-Ween Dog Paw-Rade at the same park two days later. Plan for both days as a pair, and keep an eye on any rain late in the week.
Everything below comes from the City of Rancho Palos Verdes calendar and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy's October lineup.
Thursday's pumpkins are Saturday's decorations
Pumpkin Decorating runs Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Eastview Park, 1700 Westmont Drive. The City times it for right after school. Each child gets a pumpkin plus stickers, paint and glitter. Pumpkins are free, first come, first served, and there are only so many, so getting there close to 4 p.m. matters more than usual.
The listing is clear on one point:
This is not a carving event.
The same listing hopes to show the pumpkins "at our upcoming HOwl-O-Ween Parade on October 31st," with each family's permission.
So a family dropping in Thursday afternoon is also decorating Saturday's party. If your kids want to see their pumpkin on display, say yes when staff ask, then come back Saturday morning with the dog in costume.
Saturday at the dog park, if the grass is dry
The Howl-O-Ween Dog Paw-Rade runs Saturday, October 31, from 10 a.m. to noon. The calendar puts it at the Eastview dog park, describes it as the park's annual Howl'oween party, and promises a costume parade, a photo booth and a goodie bag for every dog in costume.
The dog park is newer than many neighbors may assume. The City's own photo gallery dates its ribbon cutting to December 7, 2017. At the time, the Daily Breeze reported that it would have separate areas for small and large dogs and would be the city's second dog park, after Rancho Caninos opened in 2012. The 9.9-acre park around it has a playground, picnic tables, a walking path, a permanent restroom, an on-site parking lot and a water fountain for dogs. Dogs must be leashed anywhere outside the enclosures, and that rule still applies when the whole park is full of costumes.
Now the catch. The City's dog park page says the dog park closes every time it rains and stays closed for 48 hours after the last rainfall. Since the parade is listed at the dog park itself, rain any time from Thursday's pumpkin session through Friday could bring that rule into play by Saturday morning. If the sky turns gray late in the week:
- Call Recreation and Parks at 310-544-5269 or email [email protected] before you put the costume on the dog.
- If the Eastview enclosures are closed, the City's usual suggestion is Rancho Caninos Dog Park at 30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, next to Ken Dyda Civic Center.
- The rest of Eastview Park, including the walking path, is open to leashed dogs outside the enclosures.
A second parade starts at 11
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is holding its own Halloween Dog Parade the same Saturday at 11 a.m. at White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 W. Paseo del Mar in San Pedro. Palos Verdes Pulse's roundup of the Conservancy's October events invites costumed dogs to strut.
The two events overlap, since the Eastview Paw-Rade runs until noon. A dog that handles crowds well might make both with an early start. A dog that tires quickly will do better at one. White Point also works as a calmer backup if Eastview is closed after rain.
According to the Conservancy's education page, the White Point Nature Center sits in a renovated former military building on a restored 102-acre preserve. Inside are a native plant demonstration garden and multimedia exhibits covering local cultural and natural history from the Pleistocene to today. You reach it from Western Avenue, parking is free, and the trails are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Nature Center itself is open Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so it will be open after the parade. Families can borrow nature backpacks during those hours.
From Friday to Halloween, day by day
The pumpkin-to-parade stretch comes at the end of a full week of local listings. Here is everything from this Friday through Halloween:
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 23, 10–11 a.m. | Coffee with the Mayor | Eastview Park |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 8–11 a.m. | Drive-Thru Shredding Event | Ken Dyda Civic Center, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.–noon | Native plant sale, "Welcome Wildlife Home" | White Point Nature Education Center |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 11–11:30 a.m. | Guided native plant garden tour | White Point Nature Education Center |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 9 a.m.–noon | Alta Vicente Reserve volunteer day | Alta Vicente Reserve |
| Sun., Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Prepared Peninsula Expo | 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates |
| Tue., Oct. 27 | Palos Verdes Pastoral, "Garden Nocturne" | Terranea Resort |
| Thu., Oct. 29, 4–6 p.m. | Pumpkin Decorating | Eastview Park |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 9:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Abalone Cove Reserve restoration volunteer session | Abalone Cove Reserve |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 10 a.m.–noon | Howl-O-Ween Dog Paw-Rade | Eastview dog park |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 11 a.m. | Halloween Dog Parade | White Point Nature Preserve |
Two of these make Eastview Park the center of the week. Coffee with the Mayor on Friday morning is at the same park, so it's an easy chance to see the grounds eight days before the parade. The Saturday, October 24 plant sale at White Point lets you visit the second parade's site a week early. Pulse describes it as California native plants with expert tips on gardens that support butterflies, birds and bees. The garden tour runs during the sale. Pulse notes that registration for guided walks goes through the Conservancy's calendar.
The Abalone Cove session on Halloween morning overlaps both parades. It's billed as habitat restoration on a coastal reserve, and students can earn community service hours. Sign up through the Conservancy's VolunteerHub. For a household with a teenager who needs hours and a younger child who wants the parade, Saturday morning can split two ways.
The Tuesday dinner is the dressiest night of the week. The Conservancy's Palos Verdes Pastoral at Terranea serves a sustainable menu outdoors at sunset. Individual tickets went on sale October 1, and Pulse warns that seating is limited and sells out quickly.
A treat stop on Western Avenue
Before or after either Eastview day, The Terraces at 28901 S. Western Avenue is close by. Its directory lists Crumbl Cookies, All About Poke and El Pollo Loco, so a cookie after Thursday's pumpkins or a poke bowl after Saturday's parade is a short trip.
One date already set for December
Registration for Breakfast with Santa opened October 12. The event is Saturday, December 12, at Hesse Park, and the City's registration page has times and details. After the painted pumpkins, that's the next date to add to the family calendar.
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