LOS ALAMITOS, CA — The fall season is now here, along with many activities to take part in. Fall is a favorite season for many people, inspiring food choices, fashion, and spooky activities. Fall is the season for harvesting, leaves changing color, temperatures cooling down, and hot chocolate. The season itself is only beginning, and there is so much Griffins can participate in to make it the best it can be!

Baking

Fall is a great season for many reasons, including making delicious treats and trying out new recipes. The season brings numerous baking recipes to choose from, like cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, cookies, apple pie, and pumpkin pie. 

Although baking is a year-round activity, Griffins can find recipes specifically to celebrate fall. Fall recipe ideas can be found on Pinterest, YouTube, cookbooks, and other social media platforms. Baking is the perfect opportunity for family and friends to work together to make a delicious dish. Ending a fall day with a hard-earned treat can make this season even better!

Pumpkin carving

Pumpkin carving, designing and carving drawings onto a pumpkin, has been a fun activity associated with October for centuries. Carving pumpkins with family or friends is a staple Halloween pastime. There are also lots of jack-o’-lantern designs online to inspire different looks for a pumpkin.

If you don’t know how to carve a pumpkin, there are tutorial videos online like this Pumpkin Carving Tutorial that can help. Now that fall is here, many stores are selling pumpkins, such as Pavilions, Vons, Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, and local pumpkin patches like Pa’s Pumpkin Patch in Long Beach.

“It gives the vibes of fall,” said Riley Mitchell, a freshman, ”and it’s a really fun activity to do with friends and family.”

Pumpkin carving is a great way to personalize your Halloween decorations. This fall tradition is a creative way to express yourself as an artist through your pumpkin masterpiece!  

Autumnfest

Autumnfest is an annual event at St. Hedwig Catholic Church and has been running for over 30 years. Multiple students this year attended and made fun new memories with friends and family. 

“It was a lot of fun,” said Victoria Troncoso, “and I went with a lot of friends, which made it more fun.” 

Autumnfest is a popular attraction because of its mazes, rides, food trucks, and games. fun activities and happy memorable activities. This year’s Autumnfest was Sept. 29, 30, and Oct. 1, but it’s an exciting fall activity for Griffins to attend in the future!

Haunted car wash

This October, haunted car washes are taking over, delivering unique haunting experiences just by sitting in your vehicle. Haunted car washes are seasonal car washes for Halloween, giving their customers a spooky show while getting their car washed! Multiple car washes across California offer their haunted car wash in October.

Big Wave Car Wash in Anaheim is holding its own haunted car washes throughout October. Big Wave’s tickets are currently $20, offering the unique experience of going to a car wash with a frightening twist. Many other car washes have haunted car washes, making this a perfect fall activity for the season. With scary themes and fun surprises, a haunted car wash can offer many fun memories and experiences for this fall.

Knott’s Scary Farm

Fall is starting, but that also means it is spooky season! Knott’s Scary Farm is an annual event taking place from Sept. 21 – Oct. 31 this year. Southern California’s longest-running and scariest Halloween theme park, Knott’s Scary Farm is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This Halloween theme park originated from the idea of Knott’s Berry Farm’s “Ghost Town” section,  and Knott’s decided it would be a good idea to expand it for Halloween. 

Overall, not only are fall activities fun and entertaining, but they are also great for physical and mental health. Getting outside and moving is a crucial opportunity to boost students’ fitness and happiness. When we do what we love with the people we love, it helps us to enjoy life more. Enjoy the fall season, Griffins!