The middle weekend of October sits nicely on the LA County coast. Saturday can be a free opera on the Santa Monica Pier, a costume paddle in King Harbor, or pie in Malibu. Sunday is a walk on the sand between two South Bay piers. Downtown Long Beach studios, and the last jazz weekend on Catalina, cover the rest.
Carmen on the Santa Monica Pier (Saturday)
This is the one to circle. LA Opera’s 13th Opera at the Beach puts opening night of Carmen on a giant screen at the pier, live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. It is free. You do not need a ticket.
Gates open at 4 p.m., with crafts, balloon art, face painting, local performers, giveaways and food vendors before the show. The broadcast starts at 6 p.m. LA Opera says it runs about three hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission, in French with English and Spanish subtitles. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Rihab Chaieb sings Carmen, and Joshua Guerrero sings Don José.
Bring a blanket or a low lawn chair, and a layer for after dark. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed. Large coolers, canopies, tents, sun umbrellas, pets and outside alcohol are not. There is a bag check. Signing up is optional, but LA Opera asks guests to register at LAOpera.org/Beach for parking notes and a free gift. The lot they name is at 1550 Appian Way. A parking price is not on the opera page. You can also take the Metro E Line to Downtown Santa Monica Station and walk to the pier.
Witches on King Harbor (Saturday morning)
The 7th annual South Bay Witches Paddle runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Redondo Beach Harbor Adventures and Olympus Board Shop host it. There is no fee to paddle. If you need one of their boards, a valet rental is $46.64.
Launch at the hand launch behind Seaside Lagoon. Park in the Ruby’s, Seaside Lagoon and Captain Kidd’s lot. Afterward, the gathering is at Riviera Mexican Cantina. The page does not list an age rule or a time for that stop. Details are on witchespaddle.com.
Pie in Malibu (Saturday)
Malibu United Methodist Church holds its pie festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 30128 Morning View Drive. Homemade pies, baking and eating contests, music, games and kids’ activities fill the campus. The current page does not say what it costs to walk in, so this story doesn’t call it free. RSVP is optional on the church site.
Pier to pier (Sunday)
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk leaves the Manhattan Beach Pier, turns at the Hermosa Beach Pier, and comes back, about 3.4 miles. The money goes to the Friendship Foundation, public education and a college scholarship program.
Check-in is at 8 a.m. in the lower lot off Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Stage entertainment is at 8:30, the ceremony at 9, and the walk at about 9:30. Pumpkin races are at noon, and Manhattan Beach Boulevard closes from the pier to Manhattan Avenue while they run. The City of Hermosa Beach calendar lists a shorter window. These times follow the organizer.
Registration is $30 before Sunday and $35 that morning. That includes a T-shirt and a swag bag while supplies last. Day-of tables open at 8 a.m. in the same lot. If you already registered, early pickup is Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the stores on the walk site. The pages don’t say whether you can walk the strand without registering, so don’t treat it as a free stroll. Leashed dogs are welcome. Water is free at both piers. Bring a bottle.
A free shuttle runs from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. out of Northrop Grumman lot “R2,” One Space Park Drive in Redondo Beach, and Kinecta Federal Credit Union, 1440 Rosecrans Avenue in Manhattan Beach. Lots are free if space is left. Drop-off is in front of the Vons on Valley Drive, just past Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Shuttle loops are about 15 to 20 minutes. The organizer’s page is skechersfriendshipwalk.com.
Downtown studios, and the last JazzTrax weekend
The Long Beach Open Studio Tour’s downtown weekend is 1 to 5 p.m. both days. It is free and self-guided. The map is at lbopenstudiotour.com. Look for the lawn signs, and buy from the artist if you want to.
Catalina JazzTrax, the 39th festival, closes Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 15–18, in Avalon. Thursday is outdoors at Descanso Beach Club, Blake Aaron at 6 p.m. and the David Benoit Trio at 7:30. Friday through Sunday the shows move indoors to the 1929 Avalon Ballroom. Saturday includes Adrian Crutchfield at noon and the Fattburger Band at 7 p.m. Sunday includes 3rd Force at 7 p.m. and a David Sanborn tribute at 9. Seating is reserved. Thursday is a separate ticket from the Friday-through-Sunday series, and prices are not printed on the schedule. Day-trippers can see Saturday or Sunday and still make the 11:30 p.m. Catalina Express back to Long Beach. There is no late boat Thursday or Friday. Saturday’s after-party at Descanso runs until 1 a.m. with no ticket required. The lineup is on jazztrax.com/schedule.
Putting a day together
Witches at 10, pie if you are already on PCH, then Carmen at 6 is a full Saturday without leaving the county. Sunday is the walk, with studios open until 5 if you still want to look at art.
King Harbor Yacht Club’s His n’ Hers double-handed race is also Sunday, Oct. 18. The club calendar confirms the date only: no start time, and no note on where to watch.
If you are planning the weekend before this one, the Oct. 10–11 food weekend is already up, and the Oct. 2–4 coast roundup is still there for what just passed.
Details can change. Please confirm times, prices and parking on each official site before you go.