The aquarium’s seasonal plans include the Autumn Festival cultural celebration and the Halloween-themed Scarium of the Pacific.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is gearing up for fall with two of its cornerstone seasonal events on the horizon: Scarium of the Pacific and the Autumn Festival.
An annual family-friendly favorite now in its 24th year, Scarium of the Pacific will take place Oct. 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Halloween celebration will feature various spooky season-themed entertainment including a vampire magician, a costume contest, crafts and more.
Entrance to Scarium of the Pacific is included with a general admission ticket and is free for members, plus members’ guests receive 20% off admission.
This year also marks the 22nd iteration of the Autumn Festival, which will take place on Nov. 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and celebrate a variety of Asian and Asian American cultures. The festival is free with aquarium admission.
The Autumn Festival draws inspiration from East Asian cultural celebrations such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, which is a Chinese harvest festival that takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, coinciding with the night of a full moon. It is a three-day celebration that typically falls in September and dates back over 2,000 years, with modern celebrations including hosting moon viewing parties, exchanging mooncakes and lighting paper lanterns.
The Autumn Festival at the Aquarium will showcase Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Filipino cultures through music, crafts, dance, storytelling and cultural art exhibits. According to Chelsey Coleman, Community and Events Manager at Aquarium of the Pacific, the goal of this event is for attendees to leave the festival having learned something new about the diverse communities being celebrated.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity to learn about all of these different cultures and all of these different people who are here from Long Beach and call this place home and who are our neighbors and families,” Coleman said.
Additional seasonal events at the Aquarium of the Pacific include:
Halloween Family Night – Friday, Oct. 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Families are invited to dress in their Halloween best and enjoy a night at the aquarium to take part in a scavenger hunt adventure. Families will receive a scavenger hunt map and goodie bags when they enter. Tickets are $29.96 per person and $16.95 for aquarium members.
Fright Dive – Friday, Oct. 27 from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. – The October iteration of the monthly 18+ Night Dive event will feature a Halloween theme and include cocktails, food trucks, live music and more. DJs Detroit Princess, JSTJO, Seano and ambar and bands Salton City Surf Club and Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas, will perform throughout the night. There will also be art from local tattoo artists The Raven & The Wolves. Halloween costumes are encouraged but must be family-friendly. Tickets are $64.95 for general admission and $59.95 for aquarium members, and do not include food and drinks.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way and is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more about the Aquarium of the Pacific’s upcoming events, visit their events calendar.
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