At 7 a.m. this Saturday, before any costume shows up on Main Street, swimmers will line up on the sand beside Huntington Beach Pier for a race that was supposed to happen in June. The City of Huntington Beach calendar lists the 75th Annual Pier Swim for October 31, 2026, from 7 to 11 a.m. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the surf moved one of Surf City's oldest summer traditions onto that same morning.
That gives the day an unusual order. It starts in the ocean, moves inland to Bella Terra and Old World by midday, and ends downtown after sunset.
| Time on Saturday, Oct. 31 | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| 7 to 11 a.m. | Huntington Beach Pier | 75th Annual Pier Swim |
| 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Old World Village | Oktoberfest all-ages session |
| 1 to 5 p.m. | Bella Terra | Boo Bash and Trick-or-Treat |
| 4 to 7 p.m. | Main Street | Surf City Spooktacular |
| Evening | Pete's Sunset Grille, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach | Pete's Spookeasy |
| 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Old World Village | Oktoberfest 21+ session |
How a June Swim Ended Up on Halloween
The Pier Swim was first set for June 13. That week, big surf hit Orange County's beaches, and Daily News of Open Water Swimming reported that the race was moved to Saturday, August 29. It now appears on the city calendar for Halloween morning.
Huntington Beach wasn't the only pier swim hit by the surf this year. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in September that big surf canceled the Oceanside Pier Swim, which about 500 people had been expected to enter for its 97th running. The same story said Newport Beach's Pier to Pier Swim, set for July 19, was called off when swells were forecast to reach 10 feet. It also confirmed that the Huntington Beach race had been rescheduled because of high surf. Of those three summer races, Huntington Beach's is the one still on the calendar this fall.
The race is old enough to explain the effort to save it. When the Orange County Register covered the 70th swim in 2021, it described a tradition that began as a race for local children. Race director John Valinsky told Daily News of Open Water Swimming that Huntington Beach lifeguard Gene Belshe started it as a kids' race. He said it now has 16 age divisions, plus a Legends Division added about ten years ago for swimmers over 65.
"The swim around the pier attracts up to 300 people; about half are local and half come from all over the place," Valinsky told the same outlet. He also said that even when waves don't cancel the race, lifeguards still help up to 50 swimmers who get pulled through the pier.
Voice of OC has described the course as about half a mile around the pier, starting on the north side. The Union-Tribune's Oceanside story shows how quickly a forecast can cancel a race like this, so check the city calendar Friday night before setting an alarm to watch.
Spectators get a different version of the pier than the one they see the rest of the year. The pier got a new colored-light system in May 2026, and Visit Huntington Beach says it can be used for holidays and events. At 7 a.m., though, the pier is lit by the morning sky, with swim caps rounding its far end.
Midday Moves Inland
By the time the last swimmers come out of the water, Old World Village's Saturday Oktoberfest session is already open. The 49th Oktoberfest runs on select dates from September 12 to November 8. Old World lists Halloween as a regular Saturday session, all ages from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 21 and over from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. The schedule doesn't list a separate Halloween theme, so Saturday is a regular Oktoberfest day that happens to be full of costumes.
Bella Terra fills the early afternoon for families. Its events page lists Boo Bash and Trick-or-Treat from 1 to 5 p.m. on October 31. That gives kids a few hours of trick-or-treating between a morning at the beach and an evening downtown.
Main Street Takes the Handoff at Dusk
The Downtown Huntington Beach Business Improvement District lists Surf City Spooktacular on Main Street for Saturday, October 31. The BID's vendor page gives the hours as 4 to 7 p.m. The same page lists 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in its street-closure notes, so check the BID site before heading out.
The vendor schedule supports the evening hours. Vendor setup starts at 2 p.m., all vehicles have to be off Main Street by 3 p.m., teardown can begin at 7 p.m., and vendors must clear the street by 8 p.m. so it can reopen. Plan around Main Street being closed to cars from mid-afternoon until about 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Two downtown openings from the past few months are a short walk from the event. Visit Huntington Beach announced The Kickstand Soda Shop, a dirty-soda shop, for an October 9 opening. The city's business update page gives its address as 150 5th St., #B110. Pasta Viva, which Visit Huntington Beach lists as opening in August 2026, is at 303 3rd St. Both addresses are a block or two off Main, close enough for a stop before or after the costumes.
After Dark, Two Ways to Finish
Once Main Street reopens, the day ends either near the water or back inland.
Near the water, Pete's Spookeasy has been running at Pete's Sunset Grille inside the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. The Hyatt's events listing shows it running from September 28 through October 31. Visit Huntington Beach says it runs through November 2. Halloween night falls within both dates. Reservations through Tock are open to parties of one to eight. The Hyatt lists Pete's bar hours on Fridays and Saturdays as 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Inland, Old World's 21+ session runs until 1 a.m. That makes Old World the last stop on a day that began at the pier at 7 a.m.
Halloween Week Starts Tonight
This post goes up on Thursday, October 29, and two Halloween-week events happen tonight.
- Library-Wide Halloween Trick-or-Treat starts at 5 p.m., according to the city calendar.
- The 34th Annual Oktoberfest hosted by the Huntington Beach Host Lions Club runs from 6 to 10 p.m. at Old World.
So the library event covers younger kids early in the week, and Thursday night at Old World gives adults a Lions Club evening before the Saturday crowds arrive.
What Comes After the Costumes
Oktoberfest keeps going for another week after Halloween, ending November 8. Then the downtown calendar moves straight to the holidays. Bella Terra lists its Tree Lighting for November 20. Downtown's Magic on Main Street is on Tuesday, November 24, from 4 to 7 p.m., the same hours the BID lists for Spooktacular. The 15th Annual Huntington Beach Turkey Wobble starts on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, at the Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard entrance, with 5K and 10K waves beginning at 7 a.m.
If Saturday's trip from the pier to Main Street has you wondering what your own home near downtown would sell for this fall, West Life Realty can give you a clear, discreet answer. Get Your Instant Home Valuation, and we'll follow up with the local context behind the number.
