All Things Wicked & Wonderful at the South Coast Botanic Garden
*The event has already taken place on this date: Wed, 11/30/2022
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
Diabolical and Misunderstood Plantings in the Garden Graveyard
October 1-November 30
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
While the Garden is usually known for its beautiful pops of color, we’re going to the dark side for our Diabolical and Misunderstood plantings! Our Garden Graveyard will be located in garden beds across from the Spider Pavilion and will include plants that are not only dark in color, but have dark reputations as well. While many of these plants are maligned for being toxic or deadly, it’s not always the case. Come learn about these Diabolical and Misunderstood plants and be wowed as you truly see the Garden in a whole new way. Included with General Garden Tickets, which are free for Members and up to $15 for non-members.
Witch Hunt
October 1-30
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Head out on an adventure in search of a wicked witch who’s been lurking around our 87 acres! Grab a map at the Garden’s entrance and you’ll be led on a hunt to various spooky areas of the Garden where we think she may be hiding. Be on the lookout for signs of the witch, and maybe even the witch herself! Included with General Garden Tickets, which are free for Members and up to $15 for non-members.
Spider Pavilion
October 1-November 30
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
While hundreds of butterflies have been fluttering about our pavilion for the past few years, a new arthropod will be calling the area home as hundreds of spiders take over the pavilion from October 1 through November 30. Much like SOAR, guests can purchase an additional timed ticket to enter the pavilion for 30 minutes to be surrounded by orb-weaving spiders like Trichonephila clavipes (golden silk orb-weaver), Argiope aurantia (yellow garden spider), Gasteracantha (spiny orb-weaver), Leucauge (orchard spider) and Araneus (Angulate orbweavers). While these spiders will be living freely in the pavilion, there will be some additional tarantulas inside glass cases. The Emergence Chamber will be turned into our Spider Wall that will educate guests about the brown widow, which was “discovered” in Torrance in 2003 as an invasive species on the West Coast. Tickets to the Spider Pavilion are an additional $5/Member and $7/non-Member.
Howl-o-ween Costume Contest
October 30
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
October’s Dog Walking Hours are happening so close to Halloween, we’ve decided to up the ante. We invite you AND your four-legged friend(s) to come to the Garden dressed in costume for our Howl-o-ween Costume Contest. Take a picture of you and/or your pup dressed in costume in the Garden on October 30 and post it on Instagram using hashtag #SCBGCostumeContest and be entered to win 2 tickets to our upcoming light exhibit (more info on that to come soon!). Tickets for dog walking hours are same as General Admission (free for Members and up to $15 for non-members), plus $5 per dog.
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.