By Rebekah Green
In anticipation of Halloween, CSUSM, as well as the surrounding communities of San Marcos and San Diego, are holding a number of events and festivals throughout the month of October. Halloween fun is just around the corner with these exciting events:
The LGBTQ Pride Center is hosting its first annual Gender Bender Ball on Friday, October 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The idea: guests can arrive dressed as any gender they want. The event will be held at the San Marcos Community Center (located at 3 Civic Center Drive in San Marcos). The ball will also feature star-studded guests such as Morgan McMichaels and Sonique of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and world-famous Cher Impersonator Chad Michaels. Tickets are $5 and are available from Oct. 4 through 8, Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday/Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the ASI Business Office (located at Commons 203).
Breakfast with the Littlest Pumpkin is another event also taking place at the San Marcos Community Center and is fun for children and adults. The breakfast is on Oct. 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Adult admission is $5. Children age ten and younger are $4. Kids can enjoy 25-cent carnival games. The event encourages attendees to show up in costume.
The Grand Fall Festival is on Oct. 10 at Via Vera Cruz between Grand Avenue and San Marcos Boulevard. Similar to Oktoberfest, the festival will have a Beer Garden, vendors, entertainment and a place for kids to have fun.
The Del Mar Scream Zone is back for Halloween with attractions like the Haunted Hayride and the new House of Horror. Dates for the Scream Zone vary by week and can be found at the Scream Zone website (http://www.sdfair.com/screamzone/home.html), but will be open the whole last week of the month from Oct. 24 to 31. Times vary from Fridays and Saturdays (7 p.m. to midnight) and the remaining opening days (from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.). Prices are different individually according to which attractions are visited, and all three (The Chamber, House of Horror and Haunted Hayride) are priced at $27.99.
Other attractions throughout San Diego County include:
– The Haunted Hotel: The longest running haunted house in San Diego (since 1993). The Haunted Hotel guides visiting ghouls through themed rooms, such as the Clown Asylum, and down a terrorizing elevator descent with chainsaw-wielding zombies. General admission is $15 and is open from Sept. 24 to Oct. 31, Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
– The Haunted Trail: A mile long trail of terror through Balboa Park. Trek through abandoned shacks and an eerie school bus, all while being chased by, what else, chainsaw-wielding zombies. General admission is $15, and the event is open Sept. 24 to Oct. 31, Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 11:45 p.m., and Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.