"Follow Miguel on his colorful adventure in a story full of music, heart, and family." That's how the Encino Neighborhood Council describes its free outdoor screening of Pixar's Coco, set for this Saturday, October 10, at Encino Park. The council bills it as a way to "celebrate Spooky Season with your neighbors." Three weeks after the screening, Los Encinos State Historic Park, home of the original eight-room de la Ossa Adobe just off Balboa Boulevard, holds its own Día de los Muertos on October 31 and November 1.
This year the calendar lines up. October 31, 2026 is a Saturday, so Halloween and the first day of Día de los Muertos fall on the same day. In Encino, almost everything planned for that weekend is public and happens at three places: the Encino Community Center, the Los Encinos adobe and the Sunday farmers market on Victory Boulevard. October here is a month of civic events, and it builds to one full weekend.
Saturday, October 10, on Ventura Boulevard
The screening takes place at Encino Park, 16953 Ventura Blvd. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 7. The council's listing calls the first hour time to "arrive, get settled, check out our free activities." Food truck partners will sell tacos, burgers and hot chocolate.
The first 400 guests get free popcorn and everyone gets candy. The listing also invites people to come in costume, so the screening works as a warm-up for the end of the month. Bring blankets or low chairs. The council suggests a sweater "just in case, but you probably won't need them!"
The event is free. The council asks guests to reserve a ticket through its event page so it can plan, but says an RSVP is not required and walk-ups are welcome.
Sunday, October 18, at the adobe
The middle of the month belongs to Los Encinos State Historic Park, the same grounds that host Día de los Muertos two weeks later. California State Parks describes the site as the village of Siutcanga. Its exhibits trace the farming and ranching of Rancho El Encino's successive owners, including Mission Indian, Mexican Californio, French and French Basque families.
Heritage Days runs on Sunday, October 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. State Parks says it shows "what life was like on a 19th Century Mexican rancho through live history demonstrations." That includes a working blacksmith forge and old-fashioned games, and the event is free. It's a monthly series. The 2026 schedule lists two more dates after October: November 22 and December 20.
October 18 is also a good day to learn the park's logistics before the busier weekend at the end of the month:
- Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Parking: There is no lot. State Parks directs visitors south on Balboa to Moorpark Street, one block before Ventura Boulevard, to park on the street and enter through the gate. Residential street parking is limited to two hours, and entry is free from either Ventura Boulevard or Moorpark Street.
- Dogs: Allowed.
- Contact: The park says its on-site phone lines have been having technical problems. Email [email protected] instead.
The street parking matters more on October 31 and November 1, when the Día de los Muertos crowd arrives on a holiday weekend.
Saturday, October 31, on Balboa Boulevard
Halloween morning centers on the Encino Community Center, 4935 Balboa Blvd. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks runs Haunt on the High Seas there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Its flyer lists costume contests for all ages, game booths and moon bounces, sweets and treats, and arts and crafts.
The Encino Neighborhood Council's 3rd Annual Doggy Costume Contest takes place at the same address at 1:30 p.m. Entry is free, but spots are limited and the council asks owners to register early through its contest page. The contest falls inside the festival's 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. window. The listings don't say whether the two are run as one event, so treat them as separate.
The same Saturday is also the first of Los Encinos' two Día de los Muertos dates.
The full weekend, in order:
| Day | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 31 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Haunt on the High Seas Halloween Festival | Encino Community Center, 4935 Balboa Blvd. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | 1:30 p.m. | 3rd Annual Doggy Costume Contest, free, registration required | Encino Community Center, 4935 Balboa Blvd. |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | See park listing | Día de los Muertos | Los Encinos State Historic Park, entrance on Moorpark St. |
| Sun., Nov. 1 | 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | Encino Farmers Market | 17400 Victory Blvd. |
| Sun., Nov. 1 | See park listing | Día de los Muertos | Los Encinos State Historic Park |
One correction for anyone working from paper schedules: the community center's fall program PDF lists a "Women's & Halloween Carnival" on "Saturday, November 1st." November 1, 2026 is a Sunday. The center's own Halloween flyer puts its festival on Saturday, October 31, so plan around the flyer.
Sunday, November 1, from Victory Boulevard back to the adobe
Sunday starts at the Encino Farmers Market, 17400 Victory Blvd., open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Neighborhood Council's calendar calls it year-round, rain or shine. Earlier this season the market also hosted a ONEgeneration Touch A Truck event on September 19. That event is over, but it shows the market lot is also used for community events.
The second day of Día de los Muertos at Los Encinos follows. So far, State Parks has posted only the name and the two dates, with no hours, program or admission details. Until that changes, check the Los Encinos park page or email the park for times. Don't count on calling, since the phone lines have had problems.
So the month opens with a free costume-friendly movie night on Ventura Boulevard and closes with two days of Día de los Muertos at the rancho grounds. In between, Heritage Days brings visitors to the same grounds, and the Halloween festival and dog contest fill Saturday at the community center on Balboa.
The boulevard in between
Away from the civic events, Ventura Boulevard has a few new spots for the in-between hours. Handel's Homemade Ice Cream is open at 16545 Ventura Blvd. Its grand opening on July 16 included a ribbon cutting with the local Chamber. It's the newest dessert stop on the boulevard, an easy detour after a movie night or a costume morning.
A little east, the old supermarket space at Encino Marketplace has a new name on it. On September 23, 818 News Diary reported that Whole Foods signs had gone up at 16325 Ventura Blvd., between Havenhurst and Libbit avenues. The space was a Ralph's and later an Amazon Fresh. The Marketplace website lists Whole Foods as "coming soon," and no grand-opening date had been announced as of that report. Back in June, What Now Los Angeles had described the project as early-stage. For now, the signs are up and no opening date has been set.
After October
The calendar keeps going after November 1. The Encino Community Center's fall session began on October 4, with classes and sports at 4935 Balboa Blvd., so the building where the Halloween festival takes place also runs a weekly schedule through the season. Heritage Days returns to Los Encinos on November 22 and December 20, from 1 to 3 p.m., with the forge running again. The farmers market on Victory runs every Sunday morning, year-round.
At Landon Realty Group, we follow Encino's community calendar as closely as its sales. A home a short drive from the adobe, the community center and the Sunday market is part of what we account for when we value an Encino property. If you'd like to know what your place near Balboa and Ventura is worth this fall, schedule a valuation & strategy session with Jennifer and her team.
