Hey, neighbor!

Halloween is almost here, and I have two questions for you.

First, what are you dressing up as?

According to Google's Halloween trends, kids are going as Dolly Parton, adults are dressing up as everything from squishy NeeDoh toys to murderous unicorns, and apparently some poor dogs will be wearing centipede costumes.

Second, are you ready to support your local trick-or-treaters?

Here's my little Halloween plea: If you can, turn on the porch light. Hand out the candy. Make a fuss over the costumes. Welcome everyone who comes knocking, whether they're 3 or 17, dressed to the nines or wearing whatever they found at home.

No costume requirements, no age limits. Just candy and a little Halloween fun, even if it rains.

Be the house the neighborhood kids remember.

Happy Halloween, Torrance! 🎃 Enjoy it. We won’t get another Saturday Halloween until 2037.

Here's your weekly wave.

In this issue:
​🌊 Roadwork ahead, a proposed bike trail + a new Torrance surgery center
🌊 Meet the neighbor who's spent 17 years building Halloween Town in her front yard
🌊 Haunted car washes, trick-or-treating + all the weekend fun

🚧 Heads up: Roadwork ahead​
A $60 million project to repair a 50-year-old water pipeline will bring construction and lane closures to parts of Torrance and Harbor Gateway. The Metropolitan Water District is rehabilitating 3.8 miles of pipeline along Van Ness Avenue, Del Amo Boulevard and Western Avenue, with nearly a dozen work zones planned. Expect possible detours, parking restrictions and overnight work. Water service isn't expected to be interrupted, and construction should wrap up by June 2027.

🌉 Also on the roadwork front: The Vincent Thomas Bridge connecting San Pedro to Terminal Island is scheduled to close for 16 months beginning Nov. 7. If your commute takes you toward the ports or Long Beach, it's time to start thinking about another route.

🚲 A bike trail from the Transit Center to downtown?
Torrance is exploring a walking and biking route connecting the Regional Transit Center to Old Torrance, following Dominguez Street and Sartori Avenue to Torrance Boulevard. At a recent community meeting, residents favored dedicated bike lanes along Sartori over sharing the road with cars. The project is still in early planning, with no final design or construction timeline.

🏃‍♀️ 12,000 women, 13.1 miles, one big South Bay race
​Nike's After Dark Tour brought thousands of runners through Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Torrance Saturday night for a half-marathon, one of just seven events in the global series this year. Jenny Schilling took first in 1:13:29.

🦴 A new orthopedic surgery center is coming to Torrance
​Torrance Memorial and Cedars-Sinai are partnering on an outpatient surgery center near the Torrance Memorial campus. With three operating rooms, the facility will focus on orthopedic procedures that don't require an overnight hospital stay. Opening is expected in January 2027.

🌧️ A little rain prep goes a long way
​With winter storms on the horizon, Torrance is reminding residents to clear gutters, secure outdoor items and prepare for possible flooding. The city provides sandbags at the City Yard and fire stations during storms, subject to availability. See a flooded street or blocked storm drain? Call Public Works at 310-781-6900. More storm-prep tips →​

🗳️ Final reminder to vote!
​Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, but Vote Centers are already open across L.A. County. You can also return your mail-in ballot at an official drop box. Find a Vote Center or track your ballot →​

Meet Lin Tachin, who built a little Halloween Town in her North Torrance front yard.

About 17 years ago, Lin Tachin decided she wanted Jack and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in her front yard. She couldn't find them in stores, so she made them herself.

Then came the Mayor, Lock, Shock and Barrel. Her daughter loved watching her build the characters, and Lin kept adding more each year.

Today, her North Torrance yard is filled with handmade characters, lights and scenes from the movie. But the story of how Lin came to love these characters goes back much further.

Lin grew up in rural El Salvador without electricity or running water, spending her childhood playing near waterfalls and eating fruit from trees. When civil war came and her father was killed, her mother brought the family to the United States. Lin was 12.

One of 13 children, she taught herself to sew by altering hand-me-down clothes. "Whenever I needed something and I couldn't find it, then I'm like, oh, I can make it," she said.

Years later, she discovered “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and fell in love with its unusual characters.

"I've always felt like this misfit," she said. Sally, the patchwork doll who sews herself back together, became especially dear to her.

"She's a seamstress. So basically, that's how I am," Lin said. Lin builds her characters with thrifted clothing, repurposed PVC pipes and whatever materials she can find.

"I don't know what I'm doing most of the time," she said. "Just, ‘Let me figure this out.’"

She starts building in August, spends about two weeks setting everything up and somehow keeps finding room for more. This year's addition is Undersea Gal, a creature reminiscent of the monster from the Black Lagoon.

Unlike displays meant to be admired from the sidewalk, Lin's Halloween Town is made for exploring.

"I was often told, don't touch it. It's gonna break," she said. "And I'm like, well, why do you have it there then? I want to touch it."

Recently, a child accidentally broke one of the characters' hands. The parents were horrified. Lin wasn't.

"Don't worry about it. I will fix it," she said.

Lin spent years working with children in special education, and she wants every visitor to feel comfortable exploring, without worrying about making a mistake.

Throughout the year, she collects little toys and light-up trinkets for visiting children. Families return year after year, and schools have brought children with special needs to explore the display. One visitor thanked her for including a character in a wheelchair.

"I want them to feel the joy that I feel when I build them," she said. "I wanted to share that same joy with the neighbors."

On Halloween night, Lin brings out a fog machine, plays the movie and hands out candy to roughly 300 visitors. Then the characters get a Thanksgiving makeover before the yard transforms again for Christmas.

She's lived in her North Torrance home for 20 years and loves the way neighbors look out for one another. This year, when a tree removal delayed her setup, people started asking if everything was okay.

They were waiting for Halloween Town.

And Lin was happy to bring it back.

THREE MORE THINGS

🎃 Her favorite character: Sally, of course. She was the first doll Lin ever really connected with.

🧵 Where she keeps everything: Bins in the garage and larger characters along the side of the house. "This year, it looks like I'm gonna have to get a rental storage unit," she said.

📸 A note for visitors: Come take pictures! There's a chair for posing with the characters, and Lin loves that families have even used the display for Christmas photos. Little ones are welcome to explore.

​Connect with Lin Tachin. Want to visit Halloween Town? Hit reply and I’ll send you the address.

Next week, meet a Torrance Vietnam veteran who is helping keep the stories of fellow veterans alive.

PASS THE TIDE 🌊 Know someone who’d like a little more Torrance in their inbox? Hit forward + invite a neighbor.

🍽️ Must Try Torrance Bakery | Ghost Pumpkin Drip Cake | My youngest turned 4, and we celebrated with this adorable Halloween cake from Torrance Bakery. White cake, orange buttercream filling—a dream. Pretty perfect for a Halloween party, too. ​The Find →

🎶 On Repeat “This Is Halloween” from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” | Is there a better song for the final countdown to Halloween? A little spooky, a little silly and impossible not to sing along to. ​Hit Play →​

🏡 Eye Catching 4831 Sharynne Ln. | Move in just in time to join Torrance's beloved Sleepy Hollow Christmas lights tradition! This four-bedroom home has plenty of potential; just don't forget to budget for holiday yard decor. ​Let's Go →

Need a little more Halloween? From a haunted car wash to 10,000 glowing pumpkins, here are four ways to get your thrills around the South Bay. Choose your scare level accordingly.

🚗 A haunted car wash in San Pedro. Yes, really. Lucky 7 Car Wash turns its wash tunnel into a spooky drive-through with neon lights, jump scares and plenty of foam. A little Halloween thrill without leaving the car. Thursday–Saturday, 6–9 p.m., through Oct. 31.

🎪 A forgotten circus in Hermosa Beach. Not Shockboxx has transformed into a haunted art experience with eerie installations, live performers and a twisted circus maze. Choose your scare level from 1 to 3, depending on how brave you're feeling. Final night Friday, Oct. 30, 6–9 p.m.

🚂 All aboard the haunted caboose. The Lomita Railroad Museum is inviting brave visitors to climb aboard the Curse of the Red Caboose, a spooky walk-through horror attraction with frights lurking inside. It’s free, recommended for ages 13 and up, and happening Halloween night only from 6–10 p.m.

🎃 10,000 glowing pumpkins in Palos Verdes. South Coast Botanic Garden has transformed into a Halloween wonderland, with a mile-long trail of illuminated jack-o’-lanterns, larger-than-life pumpkin displays and plenty of photo opportunities. There’s also a Fun Zone with slides, a bounce pad and s’mores stations. A fun option for families who prefer their Halloween magic without the jump scares.

Found something delightfully Torrance this week? Hit reply and send it our way!

​Feature your event. | Suggest an event.​

There's something especially fun about trick-or-treating when the whole neighborhood gets in on it.

On Halloween afternoon, Riviera Village in Redondo Beach is closing South Catalina Avenue to cars and welcoming costumed kids (and grown-ups!) for an afternoon of candy and costumes.

Local shops will be handing out treats, and you can wander from storefront to storefront without worrying about traffic. Stick around for dinner at one of the Village's restaurants afterward.

Saturday, Oct. 31 | 3–6 p.m. | Riviera Village, Redondo Beach

Tonight!
​Nearby: Manhattan Beach Civic Center – Halloween Trunk-or-Treat at 5 p.m. Trick-or-treat your way through creatively decorated police, fire and city vehicles, collecting candy along the way. Costumes encouraged, and tacos available for purchase. Enter the upper parking lot from 15th Street between Valley Drive and Highland Avenue.

Friday, October 30
​Torrance-South Bay YMCA – Halloween Costume Parade at 11:30 a.m. Little ghosts, superheroes and princesses can show off their costumes in a parade around the YMCA, collecting candy along the way. Plus, activities and community booths in the lobby. Open to all kids ages 12 and under.

Del Amo Fashion Center – Mall-O-Ween Trick-or-Treat at 4 p.m. Kids 10 and under can trick-or-treat their way through participating stores, collecting free candy along the way. Costumes encouraged, but no masks allowed.

Katy Geissert Library – Paper Mosaic Sugar Skull Craft at 4:30 p.m. Create a colorful sugar skull using paper mosaics while learning about the art and traditions of Día de los Muertos.

VEFA Gallery – Roustan Halloween Bash at 6 p.m. South Bay artist Roustan celebrates his new body painting and photography book with an art exhibition, costume contest and an all-vinyl DJ set by Thes One of People Under the Stairs.

Smog City Brewing – Halloween Party, live music at 6 p.m. Break out your Halloween costume and head to the taproom for spooky decorations, black lights and live music from the band Sonic.

Nearby: Freeman Park – Halloween Haunted House at 6:30 p.m. Brave a free neighborhood haunt in Gardena, complete with a haunted house, games, activities and Halloween treats. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

North + West High Schools – Friday Night Football at 7 p.m. The regular season wraps up with North hosting Torrance in a crosstown rivalry game, while West takes on El Segundo. One last Friday under the lights before playoffs begin!

West High School – Haunted House Maze at 7:30 p.m. Brave the annual haunted maze put on by West High’s dance team, with pizza, popcorn, candy and other treats available for purchase.

Nearby: Common Space Brewery – Noche de Perreo Halloween Party at 8 p.m. I Love Micheladas takes over the Hawthorne brewery for a Halloween night of dancing, with Que Madre and Maiden México. Costumes encouraged!

Saturday, October 31 🎃
​Nearby: Sapphire Street Beach – Waves of Recovery Halloween Surf at 9 a.m. Surfing in costume? Now that’s a California Halloween! Head to Redondo Beach for free surf lessons for all skill levels, with wetsuits provided. Plus, candy, food and Halloween activities.

Dave & Buster’s – Boo Bash at 10 a.m. Start Halloween with a pancake breakfast, then stick around for a costume contest, scavenger hunt, coloring and Monster Mash music. The Boo Bash Combo includes a $10 Power Card and three hours of unlimited play on select arcade games.

Madrona Marsh Preserve – Nature Walk at 10 a.m. Take a closer look at the plants and wildlife that call the marsh home on this docent-led walk. Great for families and curious nature lovers of all ages. Meet at the Nature Center.

Del Thorne Park – OPEN HOUSE Crafty Meetup at 11 a.m. Bring your knitting, painting or whatever craft you’re working on for a laid-back Halloween afternoon in the park. The folks behind OPEN HOUSE Creative Fest will have supplies to share, too. Pack a picnic, bring the kids or just come hang out.

Torrance Art Museum – B-LA-M Special Event at 12 p.m. A global art exchange comes to Torrance! Explore contemporary works by artists from Los Angeles and Berlin as part of a three-year project connecting artist-run galleries across LA, Berlin and Mexico City.

Nearby: Downtown El Segundo – Halloween Frolic at 12 p.m. The 300 and 400 blocks of Main Street turn into a Halloween carnival with bounce houses, games, crafts, music and food. Come in costume for the contest at City Hall Plaza starting at 12:20 p.m.

Southeast Library – Masks and Monsters at 2 p.m. Little monster makers can design, build and decorate their own silly or spooky monster masks to take home.

Mom Said Yes Pizza – Straight Outta Torrance Halloween Show at 8:30 p.m. Spend Halloween night with local cover band Straight Outta Torrance, playing everything from rock and pop to funk and hip-hop. Costumes welcome, pizza available and plenty of familiar songs to sing along to.

Sunday, November 1

⏰ A little bonus: Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Nov. 1, so don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep (or at least the idea of it, parents).

Nearby: South Coast Botanic Garden – Last Chance for Dogtoberfest. It’s the final day of this dog-friendly Oktoberfest celebration, with German music, Bavarian food, games, dog races and a biergarten. Bring your pup!

Nearby: Gardena City Hall – Día de los Muertos Celebration at 5:30 p.m. Honor and remember loved ones at this community celebration featuring traditional altars and a chance to reflect on cherished memories.

All weekend
​Nearby: Promenade PV – Halloween Carnival Friday through Sunday. Three days of carnival rides, games and treats, with extra Halloween fun on Saturday! Trick-or-treat throughout the mall, brave the haunted house, enter the costume contest and snag free cotton candy. Friday 5–9 p.m., Saturday 12–9 p.m. and Sunday 12–8 p.m.

Nearby: Queen Mary – Dark Harbor. Six haunted mazes, roaming monsters and carnival rides turn the historic Long Beach ship into a Halloween nightmare. New this year: blacklight bumper cars, an alien abduction ride and four secret speakeasies.

Weather Forecast? A little rain won’t scare us.
☁️ Fri 62°/72° Cloudy
🌧️ Sat 64°/70° Showers
🌦️ Sun 61°/71° AM Showers

⚠️ King tide alert: High tides have already caused flooding near the Redondo Beach Pier, and a coastal flood advisory remains in effect through Friday at 2 p.m. Watch for flooding in beach parking lots, bike paths and waterfront walkways, especially around high tide.

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