Halloween Hoopla

Weekend Picks: San Francisco Halloween Hoopla Festival, Martinez Halloween Trunk-or-Treat Spooktacular, Haunted Sutter’s Fort and Spookomotive Train in Sacramento

October 26, 2017

So many Halloween activities along the Capitol Corridor! Enjoy a Halloween Hoopla in San Francisco, trunk-or-treat in Martinez, feel chills at Sutter’s Haunted Fort, and ride the Spookomotive in Sacramento.

Halloween Hoopla Festival & Costume Parade: 10/29, San Francisco

Bring children 10 and under to the 17th Annual Halloween Hoopla in Yerba Buena Gardens on Sunday from 12 to 2pm. Participate in unique crafts and Halloween-themed activities, enjoy live musical performances, and show off your costume in a parade. Entry is free to everyone, which makes it a great Sunday afternoon event!

Getting there? Take the train to the Richmond or Oakland Coliseum Station and transfer to BART. Exit the Powell St. station and walk five minutes to Yerba Buena Gardens. Discount BART tickets are available for purchase in the Café Car.


Halloween Trunk-or-Treat Spooktacular: 10/29, Martinez

The 8th annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat Spooktacular is happening this Sunday in historic Downtown Martinez. Bring the kiddies in costumes between 10am and 2pm to collect candy and treats among the decorated car trunks and shops lining downtown Martinez. Treat bags will be handed out to Trunk-or-Treaters in the Main Street Plaza. From there, stroll along the 500, 800, and 900 blocks as they will be filled with Trunk-or-Treat cars and peruse the Farmer’s Market, which will participate on the 600 and 700 blocks of Main Street.

Getting there: Take the train to the Martinez Station, which is just a short stroll from downtown.


Haunted Fort: 10/28 – 10/29, Sacramento

Bring your little ghosts and ghouls to the family-friendly Halloween event being held at the Haunted Fort at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park this weekend. From 6:30 to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, you’ll be able to explore the dimly-lit Fort at your own pace; interact with knowledgeable docents in period attire sharing scary, spooky, and sometimes disturbing details of pioneer life in the 1800s. Participate in fun and interactive stations set-up throughout the Fort and be entertained by a number of talented performers from the B Street Theatre Company.

Getting there: Take the train to the Sacramento Station, which is just a short walk from the museum.


Spookomotive Train: 10/28 – 10/29, Sacramento

Bring the whole family and join the “skeleton” crew at the annual Spookomotive Train Ride in Old Sacramento this weekend at the California State Railroad Museum. From 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, ride the diesel-powered train whimsically decorated for the season with spiders, cornstalks, scarecrows, skeletons, bats, and spiders while listening to Halloween stories along the levees of the river. This weekend’s special theme will be witches and wizards, so grab your wand and cast a magic spell to help the good witch break the evil curse and save the train! On the return trip, rock to the music of creepy, crawly Halloween songs. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or day of at the Ticket Office on Front Street between J & K streets.

Getting there: Take the train to the Sacramento Station, which is a five-minute walk from the museum.

Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy Alice Lin