South Bay Groups Scare Up Plenty of Halloween Events for Youngsters

South Bay youngsters are invited to don their Halloween costumes and enjoy festivities planned from now until Halloween at sites near their homes and schools.

GARDENA--The Gardena Recreation Department is planning its annual Halloween Carnival for each of the city’s six parks from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Programs will include special events such as costume contests, food and game booths, free cartoon shows, pie eating, balloon bursting, bubble gum blowing, haystacks, haunted houses and entertainment for all ages.

City park telephone numbers and locations are:

Bell Park, 14708 S. Halldale Ave., 217-9557.

Freeman Park, 2100 W. 154th Place, 217-9558.

Recreation Park, 15800 S. Brighton Ave., 217-9561.

Rowley Park, 13220 S. Van Ness Ave., 217-9562.

Thornburg Park, 2320 W. 149th St., 217-9560.

South Gardena Park, 1200 W. 170th St., 217-9563.

For additional information, call 217-9537.

HAWTHORNE--Hawthorne’s annual Kids Halloween Carnival will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hawthorne Memorial Center, 3901 El Segundo Blvd. It is open to boys and girls 11 and under who are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Highlights include costume contests divided by age categories, game booths, prizes and candy.

HERMOSA BEACH--A haunted house, games, costume parade, prizes, food and other enticements are offered at the Hermosa Valley School annual Halloween Carnival, to be held from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the school, 1645 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach. For information, call 379-6884.

INGLEWOOD--Live entertainment for children of all ages will be offered by ventriloquist David and the Mother Mustard Puppets at 3:30 p.m. today in the Lecture Hall of Inglewood Library, 101 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood.

Halloween festivities come to the library’s Crenshaw-Imperial branch, 11141 Crenshaw Blvd., at 3:30 p.m. Friday when ventriloquist Ed and puppet Chester perform. For information about these free events at Inglewood libraries, call 412-5645.

The Inglewood Family YMCA, 319 E. Kelso St., will hold its annual Halloween Carnival Tuesday, including movies at 5:30 p.m. For information, call 671-7615.

LOS ANGELES--Los Angeles City recreation centers offer an array of fun-filled Halloween activities for all ages. Programs include carnivals, costume parades, haunted houses, dances and trick-or-treat villages. Harbor District recreation centers have scheduled the following:

Banning, 1331 Eubank Ave., Wilmington; 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday; carnival games, Jim Gamble puppet show, costume contest; 548-7776.

Harbor City, 24901 Frampton Ave., Harbor City; 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, after-school program only; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, preschool only; 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, carnival games, costume parade, teen-agers parade; 548-7729.

Normandale, 22400 S. Halldale Ave.; 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday; carnival games, food, prizes; 328-3689.

Peck Park, 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro; 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday; costume parade, haunted house, games, food; 548-7580.

Rancho San Pedro, 275 W. 1st St., San Pedro; 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday; carnival games, haunted house, refreshments; 548-7727.

Rosecrans, 840 W. 149th St., Gardena; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, preschool only; 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, carnival games, teen-agers dance, costume parade; information: 327-3653.

Wilmington, 325 Neptune Ave., Wilmington; 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday; carnival, haunted house, costume contest; information: 548-7645.

MANHATTAN BEACH--A haunted house at Manhattan Village will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Halloween. Also scheduled Tuesday at the village, 3200 Sepulveda Blvd., are trick or treating from 5 to 9 p.m.; Beach Cities Art-at-Your Fingertips face painting from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.; costume contest and parade at 7 p.m.; Charles the Clown from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

REDONDO BEACH--Little Goblins’ Costume Parades for children 2 to 6 are planned for 6:30 p.m. today at Redondo Beach Public Library, North Branch, 2000 Artesia Blvd., and at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Main Library, 309 Esplanade. A Halloween costume party for ages 5 through 12 will be held at the North Branch at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. All events are free. For information, call 318-0675.

Game and craft booths, refreshments, costume contest and prizes are planned for the Lincoln School Halloween Carnival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the school, 2223 Plant Ave., Redondo Beach.

Black Sparrow Hallmark’s Haunted House and scary movies from 4 to 6 p.m. daily through Halloween are among activities offered at the Galleria, 1815 Hawthorne Blvd. On Halloween, there will be trick or treating and a coloring contest.

An old-fashioned free trick-or-treat Halloween for children 2 to 8 will be held on the Redondo Pier from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Free bags will be issued for carrying the loot. Parking and security will be provided.

TORRANCE--The annual Halloween Carnival sponsored by the city of Torrance Parks and Recreation Department will be held on the tennis courts at Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd., from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Activities include a costume parade at 7 p.m., plus other contests such as dart throw, ring toss, sucker toss and old-fashioned Halloween games. Food is offered at a nominal price, and 10 carnival tickets redeemable at game booths cost $2.50. Admission is free. For more information, call 618-2930.

A number of medical facilities are joining in the effort to make Halloween safe by offering free X-raying of treats.

They include:

Manhattan Orthopaedic, 1200 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 201, Manhattan Beach, 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Centinela Hospital Airport Medical Clinic, 9601 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles; 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday; 215-6020.

Medical Center of Manhattan Beach, 2809 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday; 546-5595.

Fox Hills Medical Clinic, 6201 Bristol Parkway, Culver City; 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday; 337-1900.

El Segundo Medical Clinic, 455 Main St., El Segundo; 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; 322-1611.

Radiology Department, Little Company of Mary Hospital, 4101 Torrance Blvd., Torrance; 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday.