Santa Anita's 19-day Autumn Meet runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, and the next live racing doesn't start until Dec. 26. The track's 1/ST equestrian operation and a touring Christmas attraction fill those eight weeks. International show jumping arrives first, then a light maze with an ice rink, and the light maze is still running when the horses return. Arcadia's busiest November events are on the infield, with no racing at all.
This weekend is the handoff.
Halloween Weekend Is the Last Racing Weekend
The 2026 Autumn Meet opened Friday, Sept. 25. Its final weekend lands on the same days as the Breeders' Cup, which this year is at Keeneland in Kentucky on Oct. 30 and 31. On both days, Santa Anita runs its own live card and also simulcasts the World Championships from Keeneland, with wagering. The simulcast page lists walk-up admission at $10, or $5 for 1/ST Rewards members, and reserved or general admission tickets from $10 to $30.
Saturday, Oct. 31, is the last day of the infield's family programming for the season. The Pumpkin Patch & Fall Fun Fest opens its infield gate at 10:30 a.m. and runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. around the center fountain, and the first race goes off at 12:30 p.m. The Fall Fun Fest Starter Pack is $27.04 with fees and includes a jumper and straw maze wristband, one ride or face painting, a pumpkin to paint, and one $5 adult infield admission. The Ultimate pack is $53.29 and adds a pony ride, train ride, face painting, and a plush horse. Parking is free at Gate 6 off Colorado Place.
Don't plan the fest for Sunday. The track's page says Sunday, Nov. 1, is cancelled and the infield will be closed that day.
Two Halloween events fall on Friday evening, Oct. 30. At The Shops at Santa Anita, the Spooktacular Halloween runs from 4 to 6 p.m. with trick-or-treating throughout the center and a costume contest at 5 p.m. at Level 1 Center Court. Downtown Arcadia's Halloween Haunting runs from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce describes trick-or-treating at participating businesses along First Avenue and Huntington Drive, plus free craft and game booths. The De La Pumpkins patch in The Shops' parking lot near Gate 8 runs through Oct. 31 and is open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Nov. 11 to 22, the Infield Hosts a World Cup
Ten days after the last race, the infield becomes a show jumping arena. The Split Rock Jumping Tour brings two back-to-back competitions: the Santa Anita CSI3* with the California Crown VIP experience from Nov. 11 to 15, and then the Santa Anita CSI5*-W from Nov. 18 to 22. The second week's headline event is the $400,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Los Angeles.
Santa Anita's event page puts the setting this way:
"Set against the backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains and on the same grounds as the 1984 Olympic equestrian events, it unites the drama of the best in sport with VIP hospitality from renowned supper club Delilah and intimate live entertainment for an unrivaled equestrian experience."
For the second week, the page promises a selection of the FEI's top 100 riders, "including most of the top 10." It also presents the series as the return of elite show jumping to Southern California ahead of the LA28 Olympic Games. Neither competition falls on a weekend alone. Each runs Wednesday through Sunday, so the weekday sessions are open to anyone whose schedule allows. Tickets are sold through Santa Anita Equestrian.
Nov. 20 Is When Everything Overlaps
Friday, Nov. 20, is the busiest day on the property in the eight-week window. That evening, three schedules overlap.
What | Where | Runs |
|---|---|---|
Santa Anita CSI5*-W, Longines FEI Jumping World Cup week | Santa Anita infield | Nov. 18 to 22 |
Enchant, opening night | Santa Anita Park | Nov. 20 to Dec. 27 |
Photos with Santa | Center Court, The Shops at Santa Anita | Nov. 20 to Dec. 24 |
On that Friday, the World Cup is in its third day while Enchant opens its 2026 season. Enchant's Los Angeles page calls this year's show "an all-new story and light maze adventure." Santa Anita's listing for the event mentions a Christmas light maze, ice skating, and seasonal entertainment. Tickets start at $29, and the price changes with the date, entry time, and demand.
The Shops at Santa Anita starts Photos with Santa that same day at Center Court. The mall's listing includes 2026 digital greeting card perks but no package prices yet. If you're going to Enchant after dark, a Santa photo earlier in the day takes care of the holiday card too.
The Arboretum Runs Its Own November
The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden isn't competing with the track for holiday-lights crowds this year. Neither its November nor its December 2026 calendar includes a holiday lights show. The Arboretum's November lineup splits the month with Santa Anita fairly neatly.
- Movies in the Garden, Friday, Nov. 6. The Book of Life screens on the lawn. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the film starts at 6:30 p.m. It lands in the quiet week between the last race and the first jumping round.
- SGV Chrysanthemum Society Show and Los Vols Holiday Craft Boutique, Nov. 7 and 8. Both run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and both are included with paid admission. Members get in free.
- Theater in the Garden, Nov. 7, 8, and 14. The Importance of Being Earnest plays from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. General chair seating is included, and VIP seats are limited.
- Kimchi Fest, Saturday, Nov. 21. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Korean cultural programming, a marketplace, and a kimchi-making workshop. Workshop ticket details hadn't been posted as of late October.
General admission is $18 for adults, $14 for students with ID and seniors 62 and up, and $8 for children ages 3 to 12. One admission on Saturday, Nov. 7, covers the chrysanthemums, the craft boutique, and the play. Kimchi Fest on Nov. 21 falls on the Saturday of World Cup week. If you're planning one full Arcadia day, you could spend the morning at the Arboretum and the afternoon on the infield.
Where to Eat Between the Infield and the Garden
The newest places to eat on the Santa Anita side of town are both at The Shops at Santa Anita, 400 S. Baldwin Ave. The Pasadena Star-News reported that Chubby Don opened Aug. 19, serving Japanese-style donburi, charcoal-grilled burgers, and skewers. The Arcadia Quill reported that Bacio di Latte opened Sept. 3 near the food court entrance.
On Nov. 7 and 8, Yamanaka Kakigori returns to The Shops from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Promenade Valet Area. That's the same weekend as the chrysanthemum show, which makes shaved ice and flowers an easy Saturday pairing.
The month wraps up on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28, with the 3rd Annual Merry Market on Montecito. The Arcadia Chamber says it will fill the RT Rogers Brewing Co. parking lot with local vendors and artists. Hours haven't been posted yet. Enchant is in its second week by then, so you could do the market by day and the light maze at night.
Dec. 26, Racing and Lights Share the Grounds
The winter meet opens Dec. 26, 2026, and runs through April 4, 2027, according to BloodHorse's racing-meets calendar. Enchant's last night is Dec. 27. So racing never fully hands the grounds over. On the day after Christmas and the day after that, Santa Anita runs live races and a Christmas light maze at the same time.
Santa Anita's December event calendar was still empty as of late October, so more dates may be added around Enchant before the winter meet starts. The structure of the eight weeks is already set. Racing stops on Nov. 1, show jumping takes the infield Nov. 11 to 22, Enchant runs Nov. 20 through Dec. 27, and racing returns Dec. 26.
If you live in Arcadia and are thinking about selling in the new year, The Berns Team can time your launch around this local calendar. Start your 10 Day Blitz by requesting a free home valuation, and we'll show you which weeks put the most attention on a new listing.
