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Every fall, Kennedy Plaza trades its everyday rhythm for the scent of kettle corn and cinnamon, the creak of a hay wagon and the golden light of a Long Beach autumn. Just blocks from a boardwalk quieting down for the season, the plaza fills instead with hay bales, string lights and the low hum of a community settling into its favorite time of the year. Now in its 28th year taking place on Oct. 10 - 11, 2026, the Long Beach Fall Festival transforms the plaza into the South Shore’s favorite fall stage.
The festivities don’t end with food. At the heart of it all sits a pumpkin patch stocked with thousands of pumpkins waiting to be chosen, one included with every wristband. Around it, the plaza unfolds into a small carnival of its own; Enter a world of nostalgia and fun on a carousel ride, embark on a wagon-ride, absorb the crisp autumn air on a Ferris wheel offering the best seat in town for the changing leaves, the boardwalk skyline and a glimpse of the bay beyond. There's a lineup of rides built for smaller thrill-seekers, from the pumpkin bounce house to the Kids’ Korner. A giant slide and a set of swinging chairs, giving kids of every age a reason to run from one end of the plaza to the other before doubling back for another turn.
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Almost 50 years ago, Long Beach families started a tradition that still opens the festival weekend; at noon on Saturday, the City of Long Beach Department of Parks and Recreation leads its Kids Halloween Costume Parade from the Recreation Center to Kennedy Plaza, where the best-dressed goblins, princesses and superheroes collect their treats and their trophies, cheered on by parents, grandparents and neighbors lining the route. It's a short walk, but for the kids marching it — and the crowd watching them go by — it might as well be a red carpet.
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The plaza’s second act belongs to the grown-ups. Local vendors line the “Vendor Village” with baked pies, breads and handmade crafts, while food stalls carry the weekend into international territory. Guests 21 and older can settle in at the Food & Wine Tent for tastings from Beach Liquors and small plates from Long Beach’s own restaurants.
Feel like stepping into the festivities? Listen in as a local band transforms the open-air plaza into a showcase of musical talent, filling the atmosphere with live acoustics and joy. Browse around the countless selections of different artisan goods or wind down with an array of wine tastings and samplers. Whether it's a first visit or a 28th, the festival has a way of turning strangers into neighbors for an afternoon. Festivities go from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.
Know Before You Go
Admission to the festival is free, and the event goes on rain or shine. Individual attractions run $4 each, or guests can buy a Pay-One-Price wristband – $30 for one day, $50 for both which covers the carousel, Ferris wheel, giant slide, pumpkin bounce house, swinging chairs, Kids’ Korner, hay wagon rides and the Army Truck Ride. Plus popcorn, photos, live entertainment and bowling. Extra pumpkins cost $3 for a small and $5 for a large.