October 2026 Kid-Friendly Activities for Riverside Families

eventsOctoberautumn
Written By Kelly S

Fall is in full swing, and this October in Riverside is going to be so fun for kids! October has tons of family-friendly activities, from fall festivals and library storytimes to trunk-or-treats and pumpkin patches.

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Kelly, a local mom of four here in Riverside, and I love helping families find fun things to do in Riverside together. I've pulled together all the kid-friendly events happening in October in the Riverside area - from library storytimes and park events to festivals and special events - into one list so it’s super easy to find what’s going on every day in Riverside, and you don’t have to go hunting for things to do in Riverside with your kids!

A couple of quick notes: I do my best to keep this list accurate, but always recommend double-checking with the host before you head out… a quick look at their website or social media can save you a wasted trip. You can click on each event title for more info and details.

Have an event I missed? Submit it here. Looking for another month? I'm publishing guides for all of 2026 — find them all here.

Here’s what’s going on in Riverside in October!

Thursday, October 1, 2026 Kids Activities in Riverside

Friday, October 2, 2026 Fun Things to Do in Riverside with Kids

Saturday, October 3, 2026 Family Fun in Riverside

Sunday, October 4, 2026 Riverside Activities for Families

  • 🥕 Tyler Galleria Farmers Market | 8:30am-1pm | Tyler Mall parking lot by Barnes & Noble

  • 🍊 Free Outdoor Tours at Citrus State Historic Park | 10am | Citrus State Historic Park | Tours are free, parking $7 per car

  • 🌿 UCR Botanic Gardens Kids’ Activities |  10am Storytime for ages 3–8; 11am-1pm Origami for ages 4+ | Free admission, parking $2/hr | we made origami pinwheels a few weeks ago and the teacher was so kind and gentle

  • 🆓🎳🎈 Family Fest at Lucky Strike Moreno Valley - free bowling! | 11am-2pm | Lucky Strike Moreno Valley | Free fun for the whole family with a free game of bowling, $10 arcade cards for kids 16 and under, passed apps, DJ entertainment, face painting, balloon art, and gift card giveaways. (This is in MoVal - the Riverside location has a similar event on October 10).

  • First Sundays is back! This is a free, family-friendly monthly event in Downtown Riverside… quite a few museums, the library, etc. put on special events. We went last May before they took a break for the summer and really enjoyed it!

  • 🎃🧡 TEENS: Pumpkin Fest Craft Workshop | 1-3pm | Michaels Craft Store |  Ages 13+ | Purchase a craft pumpkin and decorate using their free provided supplies, with inspiration ideas on hand. These workshops are teens and adults.

  • 🎭🎶🧏‍♀️ Seussical Jr. | 2pm | The Box Theater | ASL interpreted performance (today’s show only). General admission $22, $25 at the door. Kid-friendly community show.

  • 🎻🎶 CBU Camerata & Symphony Orchestra Concert | 6pm | Immanuel Lutheran Church | My music-loving tweens enjoyed this concert last year, and I even saw a sweet little baby in the audience! It’s free to attend, so you could always try it out and leave early if your kids are bored or fussy.

Monday, October 5, 2026 Family-Friendly Fun in Riverside

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Things to Do with Kids in Riverside

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Riverside Fun for the Whole Family

Thursday, October 8, 2026 Family Fun in Riverside

Friday, October 9, 2026 in Riverside with Kids

  • 🆓🎨 Mommy and Me Drop-In Sensory Playtime | 9am-2pm | Bourns Family Youth Innovation Center | Ages 2-6. Fun space, sensory toys, hands on activities.

  • 🆓📖 Preschool Storytime | 9:30am | Ameal Moore Nature Center

  • 🆓🧱 Lego Club | 10am-12pm | Orange Terrace Library

  • 🥕 Farmers Market | 10am-3pm | Farmhouse Collective |

  • 🍊 Free Outdoor Tours at Citrus State Historic Park | 10am | Citrus State Historic Park | Tours are free, parking $7 per car

  • 🆓📖 Bilingual Storytime | 11am | Arlanza Library

  • 🆓📖 Baby Bee Storytime | 11am | Arlington Library

  • 🆓🐾🎃 Trunk or Treat 2026 | 2-6pm | Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley | Music, games, vendors, candy, and free adoptions all day. Personal pets not allowed.

  • 🆓♟️ Chess Club | 3-5pm | Orange Terrace Library

  • 🆓📖 STREAM | 3:30pm | Casa Blanca Library

  • 🆓🎃🎃 Pumpkin Patch | 4-8pm | The Grove Community Church | Free admission, games and activities for kids. (We went a couple years ago - it was very crowded. Plan to spend awhile finding parking, and be aware they may run out of pumpkins.)

  • 🛍️🍔 The Patio Market | 5-9pm | Sandals Church Woodcrest | Community event with local vendors and food.

  • 🎭🎶 🌴Seussical Kids | 5:30pm | The Box Theater | General admission $15, $18 at the door. Kid-friendly community performance.

  • 🎭🔍 TEENS: Clue Theatre Performance | 7pm | CBU Wallace Theatre | Comic mystery based on the board game. Tickets required, rated “T for Teen.”

Saturday, October 10, 2026 for Families in Riverside

Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Riverside This Weekend

Monday, October 12, 2026 for Family Fun in Riverside

Today is Indigenous People’s Day/Columbus Day - some city and county services may be closed.

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 with the Kids in Riverside

Riverside Public Library locations closed today.

  • 🆓🤺🌮Taco Tournament Tuesday | 6:30pm gates open, 7:00pm joust begins | 634 River Dr in Norco | Joust show (knights on horses), with pizza and tacos for sale. free admission and free parking. Arrive early - space is limited and this event has gotten popular!

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 in Riverside for Kids and Families

  • 🍓County of Riverside Farmers Market | 8:30am-1:30pm | Corner of Lemon and 10th Street, Downtown Riverside

  • 🆓🎨 Mommy and Me Drop-In Sensory Playtime | 9am-2pm | Bourns Family Youth Innovation Center | Ages 2-6. Fun space, sensory toys, hands on activities.

  • 🆓📖 Preschool Storytime | 10am | La Sierra Library

  • 🆓📖 Preschool Storytime | 11am | Eastside Library at Lincoln Park

  • 🆓📚 Family Storytime | 11am | Casa Blanca Library

  • 🆓📚 Toddler Play | 11am | Arlanza Library

  • 🆓🦴 Fossil Day | 2:30-4:30pm | La Sierra Library | Calling all fossil lovers! It’s National Fossil Day we’re excited to talk fossils! Big fossils, small fossils, broken fossils, perfect fossils – we love them all! Join us as we talk about what fossils are, why we love them, what they tell us, and why they’re useful! Free and family-friendly.

  • 🆓🎨 Crafting Corner | 3pm | Main Library

  • 🆓🐾Pawsitive Readers Program | 3:30-4:30pm | RCDAS Shelter in Jurupa Valley

  • 🆓📖 Twilight Tales | 5pm | Main Library

  • 🆓🏙️ Riverside 2050 Community Open House | 6-7:30pm | Riverside Municipal Airport | Explore stations at your own pace on Riverside's general plan update. This event is geared towards adults but would be a great way to involve your children in local issues and share the perspective of families with the city.

Thursday, October 15, 2026 Riverside Fun for the Whole Family

Friday, October 16, 2026 Family Activities in Riverside

Saturday, October 17, 2026 Kids Activities in Riverside

  • 🚗☕ Cars and Coffee Corona | 7:00-9:00am | Dos Lagos, Corona | Largest weekly car show in the Inland Empire.

  • 🆓🏃 Ryan Bonaminio Parkrun | 7:30am | Ryan Bonaminio Park, Mt. Rubidoux | Weekly 5K walk/run, all ages & fitness levels welcome

  • 🆓🌿 Lawn Bowling | 8am - 10am | Fairmount Park | all ages welcome

  • 🍓Downtown Riverside Farmers Market | 8am-1pm | Main Street at 10th in Downtown Riverside (by City Hall)

  • 🌱🆓🧤 VOLUNTEER: IE Waterkeeper Coastal Cleanup – Martha MacLean Park | 9:00am (arrive 8:45am) | Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park | Clean up the Santa Ana River by picking up trash. Children welcome with a parent, sign-up online in advance.

  • 🛍️🎨 Woodcrest Market Collective 9am - 1pm | outside Woodcrest Public Library | Twice-monthly local market featuring live music, fresh finds, local shopping.

  • 🆓🥾 Family Hike | 9-10am | Ameal Moore Nature Center

  • 🆓📖 Family Storytime | 9:30am | Main Library

  • 🆓 🔨✈️🚒 Lowe's Kids Club: Firefighting Plane 10am-1pm | Lowe's | Free, registration required

  • 🆓📚 Storytime at the Frugal Frigate | 10-10:30am | The Frugal Frigate children’s bookstore in Redlands

  • 🆓🎃 Halloween Fest Kids’ Activity | Michaels Craft Store | 10am - 12pm | Ages 4+ | Crafts, games, giveaways, and trick-or-treating.

  • 🆓🌎🎁 Shake or Treat | 10am-2pm | San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands | Wear your costume, come for treats, learn about earthquakes! Takes place outdoors in the Museum's parking lot, free to all attendees. You’ll need a ticket to go into the museum ($5-12/person).

  • 🛍️🎃 STEAM Saturdays: Paper Bag Monsters | 10am - 3pm | San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands | Museum tickets required, $5-12/person.

  • 🍊 Free Outdoor Tours at Citrus State Historic Park | 10am | Citrus State Historic Park | Tours are free, parking $7 per car

  • 🎃🧑‍🤝‍🧑 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Fiesta | 12-10pm | St. Thomas the Apostle Church | Live entertainment, games, raffles, and local vendors.

  • 🎃👻 Canyon Crest Towne Centre Halloween Event 2026 | 1-7:30pm | Canyon Crest Shopping Cener | costumes, dog show, games, treats, magic, and more!

  • 🎭🔍 TEENS: Clue Theatre Performance | 2pm and 7pm | CBU Wallace Theatre | Comic mystery based on the board game. Tickets required, rated “T for Teen.”

  • 🎵💚👑 Shrek the Musical Jr. | 2pm and 7pm | Box Theatre

  • 🆓🎲 TEENS: D&D | 3-5:45pm | Casa Blanca Library

  • 🆓♟️ Chess Club at Lincoln Park | 3pm | Eastside Library at Lincoln Park

  • 🆓🎃🚂 Harvest Haunt at the Railway | 4-9pm | Southern California Railway Museum | Live entertainment, costume contest and treat trail, vendors, food, and train/trolley rides. Free admission for everyone; train rides cost money (unless you’re a Perris student/resident).

  • 🎃🚜 Boo-Rupa | 4:30-10pm | Rancho Jurupa Regional Park | Sleepy Hollow-inspired hayride, family games, trunk-or-treating, and Halloween fun for all ages. There is generally a per-person entrance fee to Rancho Jurupa… check their web site/social media for details on the exact pricing for that day. You may be able to get in free with the RivCo Parks pass from the library if you’re lucky!

  • 🆓✈️🍬 Planes-N-Treats | 5-10pm | Riverside Airport Café | Bring the whole family for an evening filled with candy, planes, family fun, and more. FYI, last year’s event had huge lines (I heard some families waited 2-3 hours!) Be prepared for a wait, and I’d try to get there as early as you can.

  • 🎹👻 Spooky Music: Organ Concert | 5pm | First Congregational Church | Get ready for some eerie tunes and spooky vibes played live on the organ, including Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor plus music from The Phantom of the Opera, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Interstellar, and Star Wars. Tickets $30. (Probably best for older kids/teens who like music!)

Sunday, October 18, 2026 Fun Things to Do in Riverside with Kids

Monday, October 19, 2026 Family Fun in Riverside

  • 🆓🎨 Mommy and Me Drop-In Sensory Playtime | 9am-2pm | Bourns Family Youth Innovation Center | Ages 2-6. Fun space, sensory toys, hands on activities.

  • 🎶 🆓 Free Carillon (Bell Tower) Recitals | 12pm | UCR, Riverside | Free (free parking provided)

  • 🎷🎺 RCC Jazz Big Band Concert | 7pm | RCC Coil School for the Arts Concert Hall | Everyone needs their own ticket, including children.

  • 🆓❄️ Snow Day Registration Opens | If you're planning ahead for the holidays, registration opens today for Snow Day at Bordwell Park on December 5. They bring in pretend snow for sledding, it's $2 per child. This event usually sells out!

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Riverside Activities for Families

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Family-Friendly Fun in Riverside

Thursday, October 22, 2026 Things to Do with Kids in Riverside

Friday, October 23, 2026 Riverside Fun for the Whole Family

Saturday, October 24, 2026 Family Activities in Riverside

  • 🚗☕ Cars and Coffee Corona | 7:00-9:00am | Dos Lagos, Corona | Largest weekly car show in the Inland Empire.

  • 🎗️🩷 Pink on Parade | 7:30am-12pm | Ryan Bonaminio Park | Family- and pet-friendly breast cancer awareness walk; choose a 5k (Mt. Rubidoux) or 1.7k Family Fun route. Includes vendor expo, family fun zone, food/drink, survivor pavilion, and classic car show. $$ registration required.

  • 🆓⚽ El Protector Youth Soccer Clinic | 8am-1pm | Villegas Park | Free soccer clinic with parent workshops and lunch for youth. Registration required — fills up fast.

  • 🍓Downtown Riverside Farmers Market | 8am-1pm | Main Street at 10th in Downtown Riverside (by City Hall)

  • 🆓🌿 Lawn Bowling | 8am - 10am | Fairmount Park | all ages welcome

  • 🆓📖 Family Storytime | 9:30am | Main Library

  • 🆓📚 Storytime at the Frugal Frigate | 10-10:30am | The Frugal Frigate children’s bookstore in Redlands

  • 🆓🕷️👻 Chenille Stem Ghost or Spider Kids Craft Workshop | 10am - 12pm | Michaels Craft Store | Ages 4+ | Make a plush spider or ghost using chenille stems.

  • 🕸️🎨 STEAM Saturdays: Watercolor Spider Webs | 10am - 3pm | San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands | Museum tickets required, $5-12/person.

  • 🍊 Free Outdoor Tours at Citrus State Historic Park | 10am | Citrus State Historic Park | Tours are free, parking $7 per car

  • 🆓⚽⚾ Ontario Sports Empire Grand Opening | 10:30am-4pm | Ontario Sports Empire | Free grand opening with a ribbon cutting, youth clinics (baseball, football, soccer), home run derby, field goal challenges, kids zone, live music, and pro athlete meet & greets.

  • 🤟📖 Signing Storytime: "Monster Hands" | 10:30-11:30am | San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands | Storytime with basic ASL signs, plus an art project

  • 🆓🎨🪟 Stained Glass Art | 11am-3pm | Lakeshore San Bernardino | Kwik Stix craft event.

  • 🆓🐐🎃 R'Garden Fall Festival | 11am-5pm | R'Garden at UCR | Petting zoo, pumpkin patch, Entomology zoo, Trunk or Treat, food vendors, and games. Free and open to the public; registration required for free parking. Note - this is not at the popular UCR Botanic Garden, but rather the smaller nearby community garden at UCR.

  • 🎵💚👑🧏‍♀️ Shrek the Musical Kids | 11am | Box Theatre | ASL interpreted.

  • 🆓 🎃 5th Annual Anti-Human Trafficking Walk for Youth & Harvest Fest | 11am-3pm | Riverside City Hall | This free, family-friendly event brings youth, families, and community together to raise awareness about human trafficking. In addition to the walk, there is a Harvest Fest and Halloween experience — costume contest, candy, pumpkins and fall activities, live entertainment, food, and resources.

  • 🆓🎳🎈 Family Fest at Lucky Strike Norco | 11am-2pm | Lucky Strike Norco | Free fun for the whole family with a free game of bowling, $10 arcade cards for kids 16 and under, passed apps, DJ entertainment, face painting, balloon art, and gift card giveaways. Note: this is only the Norco location!

  • 🆓🚪🏛️ TEENS: Riverside Doors Open | 1-5pm | Downtown Riverside | Free access to historic sites not normally open to the public, part of the City's 8th annual Doors Open event. I haven’t seen specifics yet but guessing this is geared towards adults and teens who enjoy history.

  • 🎵💚👑 🧏‍♀️ Shrek the Musical Jr. | 2pm (ASL) and 7pm | Box Theatre | 2pm show is ASL interpreted

  • 🆓🎬 Family Movie Matinee: Scooby Doo on Zombie Island | 2pm | Arlanza Library

  • 📖👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Community in Conversation, Family Edition: Treasure Island: Runaway Gold | 3-4pm | Cellar Door Bookstore | Family book discussion of Jewell Parker Rhodes's modern-day Treasure Island story.

  • 🆓🎬 Family Movie Night | 3pm | La Sierra Library

  • 🆓♟️ Chess Club at Lincoln Park | 3pm | Eastside Library at Lincoln Park

Sunday, October 25, 2026 Kids Activities in Riverside

Monday, October 26, 2026 Fun Things to Do in Riverside with Kids

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 Family Fun in Riverside

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 Riverside Activities for Families

Thursday, October 29, 2026 Family-Friendly Fun in Riverside

Friday, October 30, 2026 Things to Do with Kids in Riverside

Saturday, October 31, 2026 Halloween Fun for Families in Riverside

Happy Halloween!

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Hi - I'm Kelly! I'm a mom of four kids here in Riverside, and I created Riverside Fun Kids to help local families find fun, simple, and affordable things to do in our city.

From free events and kid-friendly activities to the best playgrounds, libraries, and museums, I'm here to help you make the most of life in Riverside.

I’m so happy you’re here! You can find me on Instagram @RiversideFunKids!

Kelly S

Hi, I’m Kelly! I’m a Riverside mom of four, and I started Riverside Fun Kids because I’m always looking for honest, practical info about fun places to go and things to do with kids in the Riverside area, and I’m guessing other parents are too! We’re a homeschooling family and love visiting parks, libraries, museums, hiking trails, and other places around Riverside and all over Southern California. Follow along on Instagram @RiversideFunKids for more Riverside family adventures!

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