It will be another spooktacular Halloween in Point Loma and Ocean Beach as things go bump in the night throughout coastal neighborhoods.

PIRATE HOUSE

In what has become a family tradition, Alexandra Watkins and Glenn Millar at 1835 Venice St. in Point Loma go all out transforming their front and backyards into something truly “otherworldly.” Their annual Halloween display features animatronic characters including pirates, eerie twins, and spooky banjo players. “New this year is a towering pumpkin scarecrow gourd monster,” said Watkins adding, “He speaks several ‘corny’ phrases and has life-like animated arm movements. If you get too close, its motion-sensor activation will cause it to start talking with you.”

There are other animatronic scary wonders too. “We have this dog that jumps out and barks and terrifies people as you walk by,” noted Watkins. “Even our dog is afraid of it. Also, we have this ghoulish girl in a swing hanging from one of our trees. She’s freaky-looking. Probably, years from now, she’ll be the one kids will remember and think that she was real.”

Of how their buccaneer “adventure” began, Watkins and Millar, who owns a handyman business, brought home a crow’s nest, which languished in their backyard for over a year until he bought some animatronic pirates to put out front. Long story short, the pirates and the crow’s nest were made for one another, which led to them together in a display with pirate Arrrrghtie becoming a crowd favorite and a year-round display staple. Their residence is now known as the “pirate house.”

Best of all, noted Watkins, their elaborate Halloween display has become a center of attention and the talk of the town. “This time of year, people bring their kids every night just to see it again and again until we take it down the first weekend in November,” she said.

FRIGHTENING FLICK

Ocean Beach Rec Center is hosting a scary movie night on Friday, Oct. 25 at Ocean Beach Elementary School field at 4702 Newport Ave. behind the school, and next to the recreation center. The movie will be “Hotel Transylvania II,” an animated monster comedy starring Adam Sandler, Mel Brooks, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, and Selena Gomez. The movie will begin 15 minutes after sunset, with pre-movie activities starting around 4:30 p.m. “We will be having snacks, games, crafts, and more as well for the pre-show activities,” said Daniela Hernandez Oaxaca, OCA assistant center director. “We will have a jumper for the kids as well as free giveaways for the Halloween season. So bring your beach chairs and picnic supplies down to have fun for the whole family and a chance to try out the kids Halloween costumes a week early.

MONSTER BASH

Loma Portal Elementary School will be holding its free annual Halloween celebration on campus at 3341 Browning St. on Friday, Oct. 25 from 5-8 p.m. The haunting happenings include food, treats, a bounce house, an obstacle course, pony rides, a petting zoo, and face painting. “We’ll be having fun at LPE with our Haunted Hallway, games, prizes, and yummy food,” said event spokesperson Laureene Buck about the school tradition that started in 2008 as a fundraiser and has just grown ever since. “We will also have various artists doing face painting, caricature drawing, and balloon art.”

Loma Portal Elementary School’s Dad’s Club handles the haunted portion of the event, which began in the school’s auditorium and has since shifted to a hallway. Monster Bash is adult as well as kid-friendly every year.

HALLOWEEN AT THE STATION
Liberty Station’s family-friendly Halloween celebration kicks off in Ingram Plaza with live entertainment, a Hollywood car show, inflatable obstacle courses, crafts, and trick-or-treating from noon-4 p.m. on Oct. 27. Arrive in your most elaborate costume and participate in the contest within one of the five categories: ages 0-6, ages 7-15, ages 16-plus, pet costumes, and group costumes. Special prizes will be awarded. This event is in partnership with the Rotary Club and Feeding San Diego to participate in the Uniting to Combat Hunger Food Drive. Liberty Station is asking attendees to support by donating nonperishable food items.

BOO! BY THE BAY HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL
Over 100 vendors will swarm the lawn at Ski Beach Park, within Mission Bay Park, from noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 26. From spooky performances to seasonal food and drink selections, the green will be filled with entertainment for everyone. Experience the immersive haunted maze of true terrors from Fright for Future. Enjoy the spooky season while also making an effort to divert waste from landfills at this zero-waste event. Two free parking lots will be available near Ski Beach Park.

SEAWORLD SPOOKTACULAR
Fridays through Sundays until Nov. 3, set sail on the all-new pirate-themed Halloween adventure featuring more trick-or-treating stations than ever before. Head to the pumpkin patch and enjoy the festivities during this daytime event. Entrance is included with park admission.

THE HAUNTED TRAIL AND THE EXPERIMENT MAZE
The 3,500-square-foot eXperiment Maze at Balboa Park is home to “Fairy Tale Freaks” like “Moldy Locks” and her three man-eating bears through Nov. 2. Also, the mile-long Haunted Trail features a “foggy ghost-filled graveyard” and “chainsaw laden barn.” Upgraded tickets are available for shorter wait times. Parking is free.

GASLAMP GHOST TOURS
Walk around downtown San Diego looking into the dark history, true crime, and haunting ghost stories that permeate the Gaslamp District. The tour is around two hours and participants will walk a total of 1 1/2 miles to over 30 locations.

BALBOA PARK HALLOWEEN SYMPHONY
The annual San Diego Youth Symphony Halloween Concert returns to Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion at 2 p.m. with Raul Prieto Ramirez at the organ. The Overture Strings, Symphonic Strings, and Concert Strings orchestras are set to perform for a special Halloween concert experience.

HALLOWEEN AGLOW
On Oct. 25-26 from 6-8:30 p.m., Birch Aquarium transforms for one weekend to hold a family-friendly Halloween event with trick-or-treating, live music from Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters, games, and more. The “Living Light Experience” shows the ocean’s bioluminescence and fluorescence. Be sure to wear an ocean-themed costume. Advance registration is required, and ticket prices differ for members and the general public.

TRICK-OR-TREAT ON INDIA STREET
Little Italy’s India Street will be swarmed by candy-seeking monsters from 3:30-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 as the Halloween tradition continues. Families can stop at businesses for trick-or-treating. The neighborhood will be decked out with a giant 13-foot “Nightmare Before Christmas” Jack Skellington and large pumpkin stacks in the Piazza della Famiglia. Maps of participating businesses will be available at the Piazza on India and W. Date Street.

MV TRICK-OR-TREAT

Mission Valley open-air shopping center invites children and their families to visit participating stores to collect Halloween candy (while supplies last) from 3-6 p.m. on Oct, 31. Each participating store will be marked. The Trick-or-Treat event is free with no pre-registration. For more information, visit mission-valley.com/events.

HALLOWEEN

Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve or All Saints’ Eve is a celebration observed in many countries on Oct. 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints’ Day. One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which is believed to have pagan roots. Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants took many Halloween customs to North America in the 19th century. Then, through American influence, various Halloween customs spread to other countries by the late 20th and early 21st century.

DAY OF THE DEAD

Día de los Muertos is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1-2 and is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed. It has a much less solemn tone than Halloween and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased.