Various Halloween Events To Be Held Around County

SAN DIEGO -- Spooky events will be held around San Diego on Friday to mark All Hallow's Eve, better known as Halloween.

The biggest Halloween spectacle is being held in downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, where thousands of costumed revelers are expected to take part in the annual "Monster Bash."

The 21-and-over party, which runs from 6 p.m. until midnight between Seventh Avenue and Market Street, features entertainment on a "Day of the Dead Stage," a costume contest and beer gardens.

Thousands are also expected in Hillcrest for the 16th annual "Nightmare on Normal Street" Halloween party.

The event, which gets under way at 7 p.m. on Normal Street, between University Avenue and Blaine Street, includes costume contests, food, festivities and other entertainment.

A number of family-oriented Halloween events are also going on around the San Diego region earlier in the day.

Costumed kids will join colorful Sesame Street characters for trick-or-treating at SeaWorld during the park's "Spooktacular" Halloween event.

A humongous pumpkin, named "Dow Jones," will be dropped from a University of California, San Diego dorm midday during the university's annual Muir College "Monster Pumpkin Drop" event and barbecue.

The Salvation Army Kroc Center's "Boo Bash!" begins at 5 p.m. with children's activities, pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating and games.

The San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation will hold Halloween festivals at community centers in Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley, with carnival games, food and costume contests.

A "Hallopalooza" Halloween festival will be held in Tierrasanta, with trick-or-treating for children, entertainment and games.

There will also be trick-or-treating for a cause at all seven Westfield Centers locations in San Diego County. The "Scare Away Hunger" Halloween event will benefit the San Diego Food Bank.