Catch the Halloween Spirit in Lompoc, California

Fall is in the air. Pumpkins are ripe for picking. And trick or treating is on the horizon. To celebrate the season, here are four favorite fall activities to lift your Halloween “spirits” in October:

Pick your Own Country Pumpkin

Experience some country fun at an all-natural, two-acre Pumpkin Patch at Rancho San Julian where two longtime friends, Elizabeth Poett-Campbell and Katie Hames, grew pumpkins from seeds, starting this past spring.

The Pumpkin Patch is open daily from 3 to 6 pm through October or until the pumpkins are gone. Up to 17 varieties are available for purchase, from small to large, cooking to ornamental. You’ll find Rancho San Julian about 11 miles south of Lompoc, off of scenic Highway 1 at 6000 San Julian Road. Admission is free.

Vote for Your Favorite Scarecrow

The Fourth Annual Lompoc Valley Scarecrow Fest will take place from October 16 to 31, featuring 20 scarecrows on display around town at local businesses and offices.

Visitors and locals are encouraged to vote for their favorites in a variety of categories: Scariest, Most Humorous, Best Recycling, Best Business Theme, Most Traditional and Most Original.

Tour a “Haunted” California Mission

Some folks say La Purisima Mission in Lompoc is haunted. Accounts over the years from park rangers, volunteers, tour guides, and visitors describe eerie whispers, indistinct shapes, cold drafts and even death chants. Others describe having seen more vivid images and scenes. La Purisima Mission was once featured in an episode of the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures

Dating back to 1787, the Mission was once home to the Chumash people and Spanish settlers.  It’s possible, some say, that these paranormal occurrences are due to the restless spirits of the many Chumash people who perished at La Purisima.

Whether it’s truly haunted or not, La Purisima Mission is a great place to visit. It’s open seven days a week, and you’re free to tour on your own from 9 am to 5 pm, or a take guided tour at 1 pm (Wednesdays through Sundays, starting at the Mission Visitor Center).

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Trick or Treat in Old Town

Head to Old Town Lompoc for some Halloween fun on Saturday, October 28, when more than 30 Lompoc businesses and organizations will be participating in Lompoc’s Old Town Trick or Treat. Festivities take place from 2 to 4 pm on ‘H’ and ‘I’ streets as well as Centennial Park with trick or treating, face painting and carnival games.

All activities are free to children 12 and under accompanied by an adult. The event is presented by the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Shop Lompoc Shop Small and the City of Lompoc Recreation Division.

PLAN YOUR VISIT