Long Beach transformed 3rd Street into a haunting landscape for community members to show off frightening costumes, vend spooky art and headbang to a performance by musical guest “Pimp Bizkit” at the Long Beach Fright Fest on Oct. 25.
A large crowd enjoys the performance by “Pimp Bizkit”, a Limp Bizkit tribute band, during their set on 3rd Street in Long Beach, California on Oct. 25, 2025. The event was held to cater to all ages and was notable for one of the first that allowed public drinking on the streets, contrary to the usual practice in Long Beach. (Dom Maddan)
The Halloween event was tailored for people to celebrate “Halloweekend,” from families with children to bar crawlers drinking until last call to costumed adults looking to dance to the blaring music.
Bassist Curt Remmington, left, and vocalist Sean Giebetz, right, of Limp Bizkit tribute band “Pimp Bizkit” perform during their set at the Fright Fest on 3rd Street in Long Beach, California on Oct. 25, 2025. The event was held to cater to all ages and was notable for one of the first that allowed public drinking on the streets, contrary to the usual practice in Long Beach. (Dom Maddan)
People wearing costumes filled the street with iconic horror and pop culture characters such as Spongebob, Beetlejuice and most of the Teen Titans, plus Batman.
An anonymous Art the Clown snuck up on unsuspecting attendees throughout the day with prop weapons.
Alongside the spooky costumes were the art pieces and merchandise sold by various small pop-up businesses in the area.
The event was put on by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance as one of the first “EZ Sip Zone” events, a new initiative of events put on by the city that allows drinking in public places.
In this case, there were various “Spookeasys” that encouraged those 21 and over to enjoy a drink while enjoying the festivities alongside other nearby bars like BabyBros Pizza that sponsored the event.
This is the second in what is promised to be a long line of these community events for Long Beach that encourage drinking but with an atmosphere for all.
A performer clad in a skeleton bodysuit from the “Aerial Butterflies”, a local aerial arts school in Long Beach performs acrobatic feats in front of a crowd on 3rd Street in Long Beach, California on Oct. 25, 2025. The event was held to cater to all ages and was notable for one of the first that allowed public drinking on the streets, contrary to the usual practice in Long Beach. (Dom Maddan)
There was something for everyone in the booths lining the street, from t-shirts and sweaters with iconic horror characters on them sold all around to one-of-a-kind terrifying zombie-themed handmade “La-Boo-Boos” sold by horror specialists Spoopy Ghouls.
Leather and Linoleum, a candle business based in Long Beach, were one of the many pop-up stands at the event.
Jenna Konovalov, the owner, makes all her candles homemade and specializes in fall scents such as Pumpkin Chai.
“We want to support the community, we live in Long Beach so we want to support small businesses, including ours,” Konovalov said, on her business being represented at the event.
Though costumes and art were at the center of the event, performances were also an aspect that were appreciated by attendees.
A masked costumer on stilts frightens other attendees at the Fright Fest on 3rd Street in Long Beach, California on Oct. 25, 2025. The event was held to cater to all ages and was notable for one of the first that allowed public drinking on the streets, contrary to the usual practice in Long Beach. (Dom Maddan)
Throughout the night, members of the aerial arts academy Aerial Butterflies, who were dressed in skeleton bodysuits, performed showcases of acrobatics to excited onlookers using silk blankets as their only harnesses in the air.
On the other end of the street, self proclaimed “premier Limp Bizkit tribute band,” “Pimp Bizkit” performed covers of the iconic rock group’s most famous hits such as “Break Stuff,” “Fast Lane” and “Take a Look Around” with the same amount of gusto and performance as the eponymous band.
Vendors from the pop-up jewelry stand DarxDecor proclaimed that the event was a success and enjoyed the event both for business and for leisure.
“This was absolutely the coolest,” said Rosie Henriquez, one of the vendors from DarxDecor.
“Spookiest event I’ve ever been to! The costumes are great,” Stephanie Aguirre, another vendor from DarxDecor, said
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