October in Surf City: What's Happening in HB

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And we're back with another episode of Unlocking Huntington Beach. What's going on? My name is Lane Stone, and we have another good one for you today. And today's episode is all about October in beautiful Surf City, USA, Huntington Beach, California. So let's get into it. October is one of my favorite times around the city. The weather is still good, the summer crowds have settled down a bit, and there's actually quite a bit happening. And us locals, we get to take our city back. This week I've got three things for you. I've got Chili at the beach on Main Street, our Following event at Central Park, and Oktoberfest at Old World. And I did a little digging into Old World because I realized I knew the place, I knew Oktoberfest, but I didn't know the whole story of how a Bavarian village ended up next to the 405 in Huntington Beach. But we'll get into that, and I want to finish with a piece of old Huntington Beach that I think is pretty incredible. Now let's get started.

Chili at the Beach 2026 on Main Street

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So if you're downtown on Sunday, October 11th, you're probably going to smell this before you see it. Chili at the Beach is back on Main Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., taking over the first three blocks downtown. It's basically a giant neighborhood chili competition. You've got different contestants serving their recipes, people walking around tasting and voting, plus live music, vendors, and activities for the kids. You don't actually need a ticket to come down and enjoy the event. It's free to attend. If you want to participate in the chili tasting, that's when you need a wristband. The tasting tickets are currently around $16, including the fee, and a portion of those ticket proceeds actually benefit the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. I like events like this because Main Street feels completely different when they close it down and everybody can just walk around. And I know there are people who take chili very seriously. So if you think you found the winner, make sure you vote. Again, Chili at the beach, Sunday, October 11th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main

Fall-O-Ween at Huntington Central Park

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Street. The following Saturday after the chili cook-off is going to be on October 17th, and that's going to be Falloween. And we're going to be taking over Central Park. And this one I'm personally inviting you to because the Sackenstone team, my real estate team, is helping sponsor it. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Thomas Ridley bandstand in Central Park. And if you have younger kids, this is probably one of the easier Halloween events to do because there's a lot happening in one place. And I promise you it's going to be an amazing time. We do it year after year and it grows year after year. There's going to be trick-or-treating, games and crafts, bounce houses, food trucks, stage entertainment, and photo booths. Some of the activities are free. And there's also a $10 wristband for the fun zone. And there's plenty of activities in the fun zone. So here, listen up. If you comment following, I'll cover your wristband for the event. So if you're listening and watching this, that's your opportunity to get a free wristband for the fun zone. And yes, of course, costumes are absolutely encouraged. Again, yours truly, myself. We will be out there. So if you come by and say hi, I always enjoy getting to meet people who watch the show because most of the time I have no idea who's actually on the other side of this camera. Again, it's going to be Saturday, October 17th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Central Park. Come with a costume, come with a smile, have fun, and I'll

Oktoberfest at Old World Huntington Beach

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see you there. Now moving on to the next segment, we're going to be talking about Oktoberfest at Old World. So if you've lived here for any amount of time, you probably know Old World. You drive down Central Avenue, turn in, and suddenly there's cobblestone walkways, German buildings, murals, and a giant maypole sitting a few hundred yards from the 405. It's such a strange little pocket of Huntington Beach that I wanted to know why it was there. It turns out there's a pretty good story behind it. Old

How a Bavarian Village Ended Up Next to the 405

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World was created by Joseph and Dolores Bischoff. Joseph came to the United States in 1952 as a tailor. He eventually started buying and fixing up properties, and in the 1960s, he helped create Alpine Village in Torrance. Then in the 1970s, he found nine acres of land here in Huntington Beach and decided to build another European-style village. Joseph and Dolores modeled the Old World after Oberomagau, a Bavarian village in Germany, and they really committed to it. They built shops with homes above them, brought in lanterns for the cobblestone streets, added a church, restaurant, market, gathering hall, and covered the buildings with hand-painted murals depicting scenes from Europe. Old World Village officially opened in the 1970s, and Oktoberfest has been associated with the property basically from the beginning. Old World's own history dates its Oktoberfest tradition to 1977. So when we talk about Oktoberfest at Old World, we're talking about something Huntington Beach families have been doing for nearly 50 years.

Old World Oktoberfest 2026: Wiener Dog Races & More

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The 2026 Oktoberfest runs from September 12th through November 8th, Wednesday through Sunday. You've got German food, imported German beer, live bands coming from all over Germany, dancing, games, and of course the chicken dance. And Old World has also become known for the Wiener Dog races, which might be one of the most random traditions we have in Huntington Beach, but we love them and we love seeing them. I think Old World is worth seeing even outside of Oktoberfest. Walk through there during the day and actually look at the buildings and murals. It makes a lot more sense once you know somebody intentionally built this little piece of Bavaria here. The Bischoff family is still carrying it on today. Joseph passed away recently in 2025, but his children and grandchildren continue operating Old World and its events. So the next time you're doing the chicken dance with a beer in your hand, at least you now know why that place

1990s Halloween in HB: The Newland Barn Haunted House

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exists. Now, keeping with the theme of history, I found something that some of you who grew up in Huntington Beach might actually remember. Back in the 1990s, and really that wasn't that long ago. Come on now. Back in the 1990s, the Newland barn hosted a Halloween event for local families. If you don't know the Newland property, it's off Beach Boulevard, and the Newland House dates all the way back to 1898. Now that's the real 90s, right there. It's one of the oldest surviving homes in Huntington Beach. But in the 90s, the 1990s, Halloween there was a lot less about the history and a lot more about the kids running around the barn. In 1994, the Huntington Beach Community Women's Club, along with the local scout troops, put on a non-scary haunted house at the Newland Barn. There were carnival games, Halloween activities, and it was specifically designed so younger kids could enjoy it without being terrified. Proceeds even benefited Project Head Start, and Halloween events continued popping up around town throughout the decade. The old Huntington Beach Mall had trick-or-treating costume contests and its own haunted house. In 1997, they actually had separate hours for little kids before opening the scarier version later in the

HB Halloween Traditions, Then vs. Now

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evening. By 1999, that same mall was hosting a much bigger haunted attraction called Dark Wrath Keep inside an old bank building. So Halloween in Huntington Beach has changed quite a bit over the years, but I like that one part really hasn't. A lot of these events were simply local organizations finding a place where families could get together, let the kids dress up, play some games, and celebrate Halloween. And that's pretty much what we're still doing with Halloween today. Different location, different name, probably much better bounce houses. But the idea hasn't changed much at all. If you grew up here in the 80s or 90s and remember one of these Halloween events, send us a message. I'd love to know what Halloween in Huntington Beach looked like when you were a kid.

October Event Recap + Share Your Old HB Memories

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So there you have it. Now you have a couple busy weekends coming up. You have Chili at the beach on October 11th, Falloween on October 17th, and Oktoberfest at Old World running through November 8th. So if you end up at Halloween, come find us and say hello. And if you grew up in Huntington Beach, I actually want your help with something. What's an old Huntington Beach tradition, restaurant, event, or place that you remember that isn't around anymore, and I want to share it on the next episode? Send it to us. I love doing digging on this stuff. And I'm gonna leave you with what I do each and every week. Do good. Huntington Beach deserves it, and I'll see you on the next one.