By Bethany Nicole
10 Fall Festivities Sure To Give You All the Warm Fuzzies Of A Relationship (Without Having to Be In One!)
The leaves are falling, the weather is changing, and the Pumpkin Spice Lattes are making their appearance. Yes, it’s beginning to feel a lot like fall. But fall isn’t the only season that accompanies the cooler weather, those changing leaves are also a sign that Cuffing Season is upon us. Yikes. Cuffing Season is the time of year when single people begin searching for partnerships like a game of frenzied musical chairs. All in hopes of avoiding loneliness and isolation during the long winter months so sprinkled with important holidays.
But while Cuffing Season is troublesome everywhere, nowhere is it more prevalent than in star-studded Los Angeles. Between the pressure to appear glitzy, paired, and successful, and the rising cost of living alone, being single can look less glamorous than ever in LA. But the truth is that being in a relationship simply to not be alone, is even less of a good look.
So while the threat of those long, isolating, winter months and the sprawling island-like neighborhoods of LA can be daunting, we have a solution. We have compiled a list of 10 Festive Fall Activities that will be sure to give you all the warm fuzzy feels, without the complications of being in a relationship.
These are events where Angelinos can mix, mingle, and meet all kinds of people, helping to create that sense of community that keeps Cuffing Season at bay. These events will remind you that although Los Angeles may be a big city, it doesn’t mean it can’t have a small-town feel. So, let the festivities begin!
Underwood Family Farms Pumpkin Patch
Instead of picking a partner, how about picking a pumpkin? At least when you pick a pumpkin you always know you will get exactly what you want! If that’s not Underwood Farms’ motto, then it should be. This adorable little family-owned farm in Moorpark holds its very own Fall Festival, complete with hayrides, shows, games, and more! There is no way to feel blue when you are zooming across a pumpkin patch riding atop a hay bale pulled by a tractor. Plus, all of the games and shows create a sense of camaraderie sure to pull you out of any single slump you may be feeling. So check it out! Games, prizes, and pumpkins? Yes, please!
Cinespia -Cemetery Film Screenings
Get ready for one of the social events of the season! Ok, maybe at first glance sitting in a darkened cemetery preparing to watch a cult classic such as Friday the 13th, or Grease might not seem like a chance to mix and mingle, but it truly is. The well-known Hollywood Forever Cemetery plays host to Cinespia and this group always has a great movie lineup! And they usually have photo booths and games that match the movie themes so there are plenty of fun photo ops that give you an opportunity to mix and mingle. May we recommend the upcoming Ghostbusters viewing to stay in line with the spooky fall festivities? Just grab the popcorn and enjoy the show!
Picture it; a pumpkin-lined walkway, a hay maze, a pumpkin house, and a blacklight experience! Where do we sign up? Oh, and don’t forget the sprawling spread of fall-themed food and beverages. Sounds like a pumpkin patch paradise to us! This festive fall event is hosted at the beautiful Descanso Gardens located in La Canada. The Gardens are home to some of the most breathtaking fall foliage around. It’s a great opportunity to get away from the bright city lights and into spooky blacklights instead! So don’t miss your chance for friends, festivities and of course, one of the most important components of all, food.
The most Wunderbar season of all, Oktoberfest! This particular Oktoberfest is hosted by Fairplex in Pomona, the same location where the Los Angeles County Fair is held, so they’ve got room to spare! The event features Bavarian music, authentic Germain cuisine, games, prizes, and of course, beer. All the beer. Just so much beer. There is just something about all that German-themed beer, food, and music that allows people to loosen their lederhosen and make friends. And besides a little culture never hurt any of us, right? And if the Fairplex is a little too far of a commute for you, fear not, LA is host to many other Oktoberfests in various locations including some in Venice, Huntington Beach, Santa Anita, and more. While the location may differ, the theme of camaraderie is ever-present.
Take a ride on the wild side and see the beautiful Santa Monica mountains…from horseback! The Los Angeles Horseback Riding group offers horseback tours of some truly beautiful fall scenery. All of the breathtaking views, fall foliage, and fresh air with just the faintest scent of horse, are sure to help you shake off any winter worries. The rides are led in small groups which give you plenty of opportunity to cozy up to your “neigh”-bors and feel like part of the herd. Or request to be with a group handpicked by you, if there are some people you’d like to get to know better, there is no better way than on horseback overlooking the fall-colored Santa Monica mountains. Beats a boring coffee shop any day!
Dia De Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Party like it’s the day of the dead! Because it actually is. At the Dia De Los Muertos festival held at Hollywood Cemetery, the only thing spookier than being single during cuffing season…is this festival! We mean, come on, it is hosted in a literal cemetery! The event is held at the famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery and features five stages packed with Grammy Award-winning artists. But there are no guests more honored than the unseen ones, the festivities include handmade altars (over 100 of them) to pay tribute to the ancestors who have come before. The costumes are almost as creative as the altars so be sure to grab your face paint and head over to this spooky fall festival to meet some new friends, both among the living, and maybe even the dead.
84th Annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
The annual Mid-Autumn Moon (or Mooncake) Festival despite its name is actually held in mid-September, in Chinatown. The festival is a celebration of the full harvest moon and a bountiful year, two things we can all celebrate! The event hosts traditional Chinese festivities and demonstrations, and traditional Chinese dishes such as mooncakes. There are local bands, paper lanterns, and all kinds of fun and festive activities. It’s a great way to try new things and meet new people that you might not have ordinarily crossed paths with!
When on your quest for expanding your network and making friends, don’t forget those of the furry variety. Boo at the Zoo gives you a chance to get up close and personal with some of LA’s most exclusive residents, the animals of the Los Angeles Zoo. Talk about a coup! Who needs human friends when you can make the acquaintance of Phillip the giraffe, or Angela the gorilla? It kind of makes that lame guy you met for coffee last week pales in comparison huh? So why not ditch the boring second-date offer and take a walk on the wild side? Head over to this spooktacular event at the zoo where you can join in the fall festivities by dressing up and literally feeding pumpkins to wild animals.
LA Farmer’s Market Fall Festival
The LA Farmer’s Market is home to over 100 grocers, restaurants, and vendors and is the original farmers market in LA. And when we say original, we mean original, it is steeped in history and its story dates all the way back to the 1880s! Their Fall Festival is filled with live music, entertainment, and even a pumpkin patch. And of course, tons of vendors with farmers market fresh foods just right for the plucking. The LA Farmers Market is also next door to The Grove so who knows you might just even bump into a few celebrity shoppers while you’re there! It’s a great way to get to know some new friends and some old LA history.
Bonus, there are several cooking classes this season that can teach you how to convert all that fresh produce into a scrumptious fall feast! And they are another great way to meet new Angelinos and create that warm fuzzy feeling of home cooking. Plus, if you are looking for a Friendsgiving to join, a cooking class could be a great place to start, or better yet, get so confident in your culinary skills, that you can host your own! Check out EATZ, Spork Foods, and Hipcooks, for classes, and yes they all have virtual options!
The LA Beer Festival is one of the most social events of the season. Maybe it has something to do with all the beer? The festival is located at Los Angeles Center Studios downtown and the event plays host to 80 breweries and over 200 beers. That’s a lot of beer. But if you’re not a fan then, fear not, because the festival also happens to host 15 of LA’s greatest food trucks and rumor has it that this year they will have axe throwing! That’s reason enough for us. But the event also is a great way to meet other axe-loving Angelinos and to get to know and support some of the local breweries. Lots of the local breweries also host events of their own such as live music, and game or trivia nights, so it’s like birds with one stone, go to a local event to get ideas for even more local events! Win, win. Besides, it’s hard to feel alone with a fall-themed brew in your hand surrounded by other beer and food truck-loving neighbors.
So, there you have it, 10 Fall Festivities sure to make you forget all about ol’ “what’s their name” and avoid the chaos of Cuffing Season altogether. It’s a great time to just enjoy being young(ish), thriving, and part of the wonderful and inclusive experience that is Los Angeles in the fall!
