This Halloween, the gorgeous town of Carmel will ring in its 110th birthday with another rendition of its festive annual Halloween parade and plenty of trick-or-treating!
It’s an ideal way to experience one of California’s most picturesque small towns during the fall.
Here’s what to know about this year’s event.
110th City Birthday Party and Halloween Parade
On Friday, October 30, 2026, Carmel will mark its 110th anniversary with a lively Halloween celebration. The festivities kick off at 4:30pm on Mission Street and Sixth Avenue, proceeding south on Junipero Street, then right onto Ocean Ave, and down to Monte Verde Street.
Locals and visitors alike will come out to enjoy the charming procession, featuring city officials, special guests, costumed dogs, whimsical floats, and hundreds of creative Halloween costumes.
After the parade, you can explore the surrounding boutique shops or head to Devendorf Park for trick-or-treating and more 110th birthday festivities.
A brief history of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea became an official town on October 31, 1916, so Halloween is its birthday. Back then it was a small artists’ colony of about 450 people, with residents including writers like Sinclair Lewis, Mary Austin, George Sterling, Jack London, and Robinson Jeffers. The town still keeps its old-world character today and is known for having no traffic lights and no parking meters.
In the 1920s, designer Hugh Comstock built a set of whimsical “fairytale cottages.” Twenty-one of them survive around town. They look especially charming when decked out for Halloween or the winter holidays.
Clint Eastwood is Carmel’s best-known resident. He served as mayor from 1986 to 1988 and still owns the historic Mission Ranch, a short drive from downtown.
Whether you visit during Halloween for the parade and trick-or-treating, or during the winter holidays when the town sparkles with festive lights, Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of California’s most magical small towns to experience.
