Buy Or Sell SoCal Homes
Temecula Valley Events, October 2026
Everything happening in Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee this month, from the corn maze that runs all thirty one days to the concerts on the winery lawns. 21 events in all, listed day by day.
This Month, Day by Day
21 eventsWine Country · Runs All Month
Big Horse Corn Maze
October 1 through 31
A working corn maze in wine country, open into the evening on weekends. Bring closed shoes and something warmer than you think you need for after sundown.
Temecula wine country · visittemeculavalley.com
Temecula · Runs All Month
Peltzer Pumpkin Farm and Harvest Festival
Daily, October 1 through 31
The big one. Pumpkins, a farm midway, tractor rides and enough photo backdrops to fill a phone. Weekday mornings are a completely different experience from Saturday afternoon.
40275 Calle Contento, Temecula · peltzerfarms.com
Temecula · Runs All Month
Temecula Halloween home decorating display
Through October
The city puts out a map of the houses that go all in. A free evening with the kids that costs nothing but gas.
Neighborhoods across Temecula · temeculaca.gov
Temecula
Old Town Temecula Outdoor Quilt Show
Saturday
Hundreds of quilts hung from the storefronts down Old Town Front Street. It photographs beautifully and it is free to walk through.
Old Town Front Street, Temecula · oldtowntemecula.org
Wine Country
Chris Botti, Champagne Jazz Series
Saturday evening
Thornton's Champagne Jazz series is the long running one in the valley, played on the lawn with the vines behind the stage.
Thornton Winery, 32575 Rancho California Road · visittemeculavalley.com
Wine Country
Boney James and JJ Sansaverino, Champagne Jazz Series
Sunday afternoon
The Sunday half of the same weekend at Thornton. Bring a jacket, the lawn cools off fast once the sun drops behind the ridge.
Thornton Winery, 32575 Rancho California Road · visittemeculavalley.com
Wine Country
Rhythm on the Vine, Brian Simpson with Jessy J and Ilya Serov
Sunday evening
South Coast's concert series, on the lawn behind the resort.
South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, 34843 Rancho California Road · visittemeculavalley.com
Temecula
35th Annual Monte Carlo Extravaganza
Wednesday, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
The Temecula Valley Chamber's casino night fundraiser. A business crowd, but a friendly one, and a decent way to meet people if you are new to the valley.
Temecula · members.temecula.org
Murrieta
Murrieta Rod Run cruise night
Friday, 4 to 8 pm
The Friday warm up, with cars rolling through and vendors, music and food set up. 1980 and older only.
Historic downtown Murrieta · murrietarodrun.com
Temecula
Battle of the Burgers at Pechanga
Saturday
Restaurants compete, you eat burgers and vote. There is not much more to explain.
Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula · visittemeculavalley.com
Murrieta
Murrieta Rod Run show and shine
Saturday, 8 am to 3 pm
More than six hundred classic cars parked up downtown. Proceeds go to Oak Grove Center, which funds arts, music, culinary and autism programs for at risk kids in Murrieta.
Historic downtown Murrieta · murrietarodrun.com
Wine Country
Will Downing and Marion Meadows with Alex Bugnon
Saturday evening
Champagne Jazz again at Thornton, and one of the stronger bills of the season.
Thornton Winery, 32575 Rancho California Road · visittemeculavalley.com
Wine Country
Rhythm on the Vine, Kalapana
Sunday evening
Island sound on the South Coast lawn. This one tends to draw a crowd that has been coming for years.
South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, Temecula · visittemeculavalley.com
Menifee
Fall Festival at Mt. San Jacinto College
Saturday, 4 to 8 pm
The city's fall community night on the Menifee campus.
Mt. San Jacinto College, Menifee · cityofmenifee.us
Wine Country
Everclear with Eve6, Rhythm on the Vine
Sunday evening
A nineties bill on a winery lawn, which is a better combination than it sounds.
South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, Temecula · visittemeculavalley.com
Temecula
Starlight Bizarre Halloween Night Market
Friday, 4 to 9 pm
Temecula's Halloween night market, with makers, food and costumes very much encouraged. Free to walk in.
Promenade Temecula, 40820 Winchester Road · visittemeculavalley.com
Temecula
Our Kids Rock Gala and Auction
Saturday evening
The Boys and Girls Club of Southwest County's annual fundraiser at Pechanga, themed Welcome to the Jungle this year.
Pechanga Resort Casino, Temecula · members.temecula.org
Murrieta
Dark in the Park concert and laser light show
Late October, confirm the date with the city
A free Halloween night with the Monster Mash House Band, a laser show and food vendors. One of the better free family nights in the valley.
City of Murrieta · murrietaca.gov
Menifee
Dia de los Muertos at Mt. San Jacinto College
Saturday, 4 to 8 pm
Live entertainment, a catrina contest, traditional arts and crafts and food vendors, plus a community altar you can add to or bring your own.
Mt. San Jacinto College, Menifee · cityofmenifee.us
Wine Country
Todd Rundgren, Rhythm on the Vine
Late October, confirm the date
Closing out the outdoor concert season at South Coast before the weather turns.
South Coast Winery Resort and Spa, Temecula · visittemeculavalley.com
Temecula
Temecula Halloween Carnival and Old Town trick or treat
Saturday, confirm the time with the city
Carnival games and a costume contest at the Civic Center Quad and Town Square Park, with first responders handing out candy at the police substation and Fire Station 12, and Old Town merchants doing the same.
Civic Center Quad and Old Town Temecula · temeculaca.gov
Looking ahead to November
Save the date- The De Portola Wine Trail Harvest Celebration is set for November 7.
- Peltzer opens its ice rink in early November and runs it through the holidays.
- Old Town starts its holiday season in early December with the Holiday Taste of Old Town and Santa's Electric Light Parade.
- Clocks go back on November 1, so Old Town evenings start feeling like winter about two weeks earlier than the weather suggests.
Questions people ask about October 2026
What is happening in Temecula in October 2026?
Old Town has the Outdoor Quilt Show on October 3, the Monte Carlo Extravaganza on October 7, Battle of the Burgers at Pechanga on October 10, the Starlight Bizarre Halloween night market on October 23 and the Halloween Carnival with Old Town trick or treat on October 31. Peltzer Pumpkin Farm and the Big Horse Corn Maze both run the whole month.
What free family events are there in Temecula Valley this October?
The Old Town Temecula Outdoor Quilt Show on October 3, the Murrieta Rod Run on October 9 and 10, the Fall Festival in Menifee on October 17, the Starlight Bizarre night market on October 23, Dia de los Muertos in Menifee on October 24 and the Temecula Halloween Carnival on October 31 are all free to attend. The city's Halloween home decorating display map is free as well.
Are Temecula wine country events family friendly?
Mostly not. The concert series at Thornton Winery and South Coast Winery are 21 and over, as are most tasting room events. Peltzer Pumpkin Farm and the Big Horse Corn Maze are the family options in wine country. Several wineries are cashless and some restrict outside chairs, so check the venue page before you go.
When is the Murrieta Rod Run in 2026?
Friday October 9 and Saturday October 10. Cruise night runs Friday from 4 to 8 pm and the show and shine runs Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm in historic downtown Murrieta. The show is limited to 1980 and older cars, more than six hundred are expected, and funds raised go to Oak Grove Center.
Is Temecula Valley cheaper than coastal San Diego County?
Home prices in Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee have generally run well below comparable coastal North County San Diego, which is why buyers relocating from the coast and buyers using a VA loan often look inland. What the difference is for a specific home depends on the property, the neighborhood and the day, so the honest answer is that it is worth running the numbers on both rather than assuming.
How long does it take to drive from Temecula to San Diego?
Roughly an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes to central San Diego on the 15 outside of peak traffic, and closer to forty five minutes to inland North County. Southbound mornings and northbound evenings on the 15 are the slow windows, and October weekends around wine country events add time on Rancho California Road.
What is there to do in Menifee in October?
Menifee runs a shorter calendar than its neighbors. The Fall Festival at Mt. San Jacinto College on October 17 and the Dia de los Muertos celebration on the same campus on October 24 are the two city events, both from 4 to 8 pm and both free. The city tends to post later than Temecula and Murrieta, so check again in late September.
Curious what living out here actually looks like?
Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee each have their own rhythm, and a weekend spent at a couple of these tells you more than a week of scrolling listings. A lot of families looking at the valley are comparing it against the coast, and the honest answer usually comes down to the specific house and the specific commute.
Happy to walk through what to expect, set up a private home search site so new places find you, or pull an equity report if you are wondering where your current home stands. No pressure either way.
Kyle@BuyOrSellSoCal.com
Lauren@BuyOrSellSoCal.com
Buy Or Sell SoCal Homes
Dates and times come from the organizers and they do change. Confirm on the event's own site before you drive. If something is missing from this list, send it over and it goes in next month.
