10 Amazing Events Happening This October
October always has so much going on, from autumn celebrations to all the Halloween hijinks. And this October is no exception. We found a collection of wonderful and whimsical events across the country (and even one across the pond); some of theses truly are worth the flight if you don’t happen to live nearby.
Which of these events would YOU most want to attend?
Image via Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Bob Baker Costume Ball
Puppets! Costumes! Entertainment! And even more Puppets! The Bob Baker Fourth Annual Costume Ball will feature a special presentation of Hallowe’en Spooktacular, special guests, a DJ, and a wine & cocktail party. But leave the kiddies at home; this event is 21+.
When: October 24
Where: Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Los Angeles, CA
More info here
Image via FloridaRama
Relics & Lore
I have followed Cody Meacham’s Radley Relics for ages on Instagram. He began his career building a Radley Haunted House, an immersive walkthrough attraction. He then contributed to projects such as Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™, and Disney’s Jungle Cruise enhancements. He then pivoted and launched Radley Relics – “Hand-crafted nostalgia,” creating miniature homages to the classics like the Haunted Mansion and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. He has paused his crafting of tiny things, due to a full time gig. But now he is focused on the life-sized, returning to his Haunted House roots; he is about to open Relics & Lore, an “immersive paranormal experience.”
“Ever gone to a haunted attraction and thought, ‘damn, I wish I could hang in here and explore without being harassed ‘?” Meacham stated. “Well, that’s why we built Relics & Lore.” Sign us up!
When: October 3 – November 2
Where: FloridaRAMA, St. Petersburg, Florida
More info here.
Blasting Company – the Over the Garden Wall Band
It’s Fall, which means it’s time to watch Over the Garden Wall! But don’t just stay in your house; go out and experience the dulcet tones live and in person. From October 11 to November 11, The Blasting Company is going on tour. They will be playing their beloved soundtrack and more in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Eugene, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. While most dates are sold out, you could try the secondary market. It’ll be worth it!
When: October 11 – November 11
Where: Various
More info here
Image via Resort-O-Rama
Resort-O-Rama
Resort-O-Rama pays homage to mid-century design, style, and history. A lot is happening at Resort-O-Rama during the hotel’s three-day takeover. The lineup includes a marketplace, an art show, music, wine and cocktail tasting sessions, the “Aloha Caftan Society Stroll & Pooch Parade,” and an eclectic, utterly fascinating array of seminars led by a long list of luminaries, including Charles Phoenix and Gerald V. Casale of Devo fame. Read more in our piece here and at Resort-O-Rama here.
When: October 8 – 11
Where: Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, California
More info here
Image via Fork and Film
Hocus Pocus with Fork and Film
“Don’t just watch the movie, taste it” – that’s the tagline for Fork and Film. The dining experience synchronizes a full course meal – course by course – with a movie. “ The kitchen is working off the movie’s timeline, which means dinner has a plot,” Fork and Film states. “You’re not just sitting in the dark watching someone eat pasta or sip cocktails; you’re eating that pasta, drinking that cocktail, right alongside the characters.” For October, they are highlighting Hocus Pocus with drinks served in pumpkins and witchy takes on the plates. A delicious concept!
When: Dates vary.
Where: Dallas, Los Angeles, New York
More info here
Image via Netflix
LightBox Expo
The LightBox Expo’s main mission is to empower and educate those who are in, or hope to be in, the creative arts in entertainment. The event includes portfolio reviews, career advice panels, and wild (literally) drawing salons featuring birds of prey and zombies. But for those who aren’t artists and are just fans of the people who make the magic, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about past and future projects that we love or will love soon enough! We have our top picks here.
When: October 23-25
Where: Pasadena, CA
More info here
Image via LAIKA
Wildwood in Theaters
We are all in for a treat: LAIKA (known for animated films like Coraline and The Boxtrolls) will debut its newest feature film, Wildwood. Based on the book by Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis, Wildwood is about teenager Prue McKeel, who must rescue her baby brother, who was kidnapped by a murder of crows, and yes, adventure ensues.
When: October 23
Where: Theater’s Nationwide
More Info here
Image via Design Museum
Laika presents WILDWOOD: The Exhibition
If you want more Wildwood, The Design Museum in London (they recently hosted an epic Wes Anderson show) will host LAIKA presents WILDWOOD: The Exhibition, which will take a deep dive into the design of their new masterpiece. The show will also include elements from Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, celebrating the studio’s two decades of creating animation magic. “The exhibition will trace the development of the film from early ideas and visual research through to character and environmental design, costume, puppet fabrication, rapid prototyping, miniature set construction, animation and cinematography.”
When: October 15 – January 10th
Where: The Design Museum in London
More info here
Image via Winchester Mystery House
Festival Fright Nights at Winchester Mystery House
Festival Fright Nights haunts the Winchester Mystery House estate throughout October. The event includes four immersive festival zones featuring 13 attractions and experiences, “including haunted houses inside the historic mansion, eerie entertainment, photo ops, seasonal food and drink offerings, and mysterious encounters hidden throughout the grounds.”
You can choose from experiences such as Root of All Evil, The Final Descent, House of Spirits, a seance, and Harry Houdini presents “Do Spirits Exist?”
When: Various
Where: Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA
More info here
Image via the JimHensonExperiences
A Conversation with Brian Henson
The BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City will host a conversation with Brian Henson about the Jim Henson Company’s groundbreaking puppetry. Henson worked on projects such as Labyrinth, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Muppet Treasure Island. The presentation will be “filled with Henson history, humor, and of course puppets.”
When: Saturday, October 3
Where: BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City.
Read more here