Frightfully "Fintastic" Fishy Fest

Get into the spirit of the season on October 25th and 26th at Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium with a "fintastic" Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. The Aquarium, beach level at the Santa Monica Pier, has spooky, family friendly activities planned both days from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Come in costume or choose from a variety of gently used goblin garb available at the Aquarium, courtesy the city's second annual Halloween costume swap, sponsored by Santa Monica's Resource, Recovery & Recycling division and the Fairview Branch Library. Learn illuminating facts about ocean animals in the glow-in-the-dark deep-sea laboratory, take a tour through the marine animal graveyard and create colorful Dia de los Muertos crafts and masks. Both days will feature a family-friendly, bioluminescent deep-sea experience at 1:30 p.m. Face painting and spooky story times are scheduled throughout the weekend as well.

All ghosts and goblins are invited to join a 3 p.m. parade on Sunday Oct. 26th, stepping off in front of the Aquarium at 1600 Ocean Front Walk. The spooky procession will make its way along the Pier to gather tricks and treats from Pier businesses. Shark-themed Sunday will also feature spine-tingling facts about these misunderstood marine creatures and a 3:30 p.m. feeding at the shark exhibit.

More information is available by calling 310-393-6149 or check out a detailed listing of the weekend's events athealthebay.org. Children under 13 are admitted free with an adult; for all others, admission is $5; groups of 10 or more, the entry fee is $3 per person, regardless of age.