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How Southern California casinos are celebrating Halloween

October 18, 2023

Halloween can be associated with classic concoctions ranging from wicked witches’ potions to the creepy creations of mad scientists like Doctor Frankenstein. Still, this year’s Halloween cocktails at Southern California casinos could easily be among the most frightful.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California mixologists Tiffany Ten-Napel, Alexa Arenz and Grace Skarra, casino operations manager of beverage and slots, worked together to craft this year’s spooky cocktails at the Valley Center property.

The effort resulted in three Halloween cocktail specials, including the Nightmare on Bourbon Street, La Bruja and the Forbidden Potion. The cocktails include candy eyeballs, a black salted rim and a vile of mystery liquid that changes the drink’s color. Although these specialty drinks aren’t brewed over a cauldron, altar or made with any sacrificial elements, they are still shrouded in the eeriness and style that reminds adults that Halloween is just as much their holiday as it is for the kids.

The Witches Brew is among the spooky cocktails served through Halloween at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. (Courtesy Pechanga Resort Casino)

The Poison Appletini is among the spooky cocktails served through Halloween at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. (Courtesy Pechanga Resort Casino)

The Witches Brew is among the spooky cocktails served through Halloween at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. (Courtesy Pechanga Resort Casino)

The Witches Brew and Poison Appletini are among the spooky cocktails served through Halloween at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula. (Courtesy Pechanga Resort Casino)

Nightmare on Bourbon Street, the Forbidden Potion and La Bruja are among the spooky cocktails that Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center will serve through Halloween. (Courtesy Harrah’s Resort Southern California)

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“For Halloween, we like to have our little menu because all of us here are huge Halloween fanatics,” Skarra said. “We’re all infatuated with Halloween and love taking it to the next level.”

Among this year’s spooky cocktails at Southern California casinos, other activities will include costume contests, live music, and Halloween bites and game promotions. Here are the casinos that are celebrating Halloween this year. Be sure to check the dates of the events, promotions and specials as they vary.

Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City

68960 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. 800.514.3849. aguacalientecasinos.com.

Halloween Bash: The Halloween party returns at the Agave Caliente Terraza with live music from the LA Allstars on Saturday, Oct. 28. In addition, the casino will host a costume contest where winners can receive up to $1,000. Registration for the costume contest is from 7-9 p.m. The winners will be announced at 9:30 p.m., and another round of free play winners will be announced at 10 p.m. To be eligible to win, participants must be present and ACE Club members. The 21-and-older event runs from 7 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., and is free for ACE club members or $10.

Food and Drinks: Food specials at 360 Sports include Shrimp Diablo Tacos or Vampiro Birria Tacos ($18) along with Tito’s Spicy Bloody Mary, Blood Orange Sangria ($7 each) and red beer ($5). Available all day on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs

401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 888-999-1995. aguacalientecasinos.com.

Food and Drinks: Halloween specials on the casino floor feature Halloween Candy Old Fashioned and Purple Poison cocktails ($10 each) and festive caramel apples ($5) at Java Caliente Café. Available all day on Oct. 31.

Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage

32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995. aguacalientecasinos.com.

Food and Drinks Specials: At 360 Sports, guests can purchase Halloween-themed hot wings ($19-$37) and the Wicked Rye ($8) on the casino floor. The Pívat Cigar Lounge will also offer draft beers for $4 when guests purchase a cigar. All day on Oct. 31.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

84-245 Indio Springs Parkway Indio. 800-827-2946. fantasyspringsresort.com.

Drinks Specials: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will serve a Black Widow cocktail with Gray Goose Vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and blue curacao for $12. It will be served at POM, JOY, Springs Bar, LIT Lounge and Twelve now through Halloween.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: The chocolate shop will serve Halloween-inspired treats and feature several spooky chocolate-covered apples, including the Frankenstein Apple, made with a green apple dipped in green confection, candy corn buttons, and candy eyes.

Spooky Slots: Guests who earn 40 points in casino credits on Oct. 31, can enter a slot tournament to compete for their share of $5,000 in free play. Players can enter up to two times in the tournament as long as they earn 80 points on Halloween. The tournament runs from 4- 9 p.m. and is only open to those 21-and-older.

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Harrah’s Resort Southern California

777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com.

Drink Specials: The Valley Center casino will serve spooky cocktails through October. Drinks include the Nightmare on Bourbon Street made with a Garrison Brothers bourbon whiskey, apple cider, garnish cinnamon, whistle pig maple syrup all served in an Old Fashioned Cup ($17), a Forbidden Potion made with Belvedere, pineapple juice, blue Curacao, garnished with a mystery “poison “ test tube consisting of capsulated charcoal infused with a sour apple shot) all served in a Martini Cup ($17), and La Bruja made with 818 Blanco tequila, agave syrup, pomegranate juice, and lime juice, with a black salt rim, garnished with a lime and candy eyeball ($14).

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com.

Social Media Costume Contest: The casino will host a Halloween costume photo contest on its social media, where a winner will receive a one-night stay and dinner for two at the Good Times Café. Participants can post their Halloween costume image, use the hashtag #MORONGOHALLOWEEN and tag @MorongoCasinoResort to enter to win from Oct. 25-29 and rally their votes from Oct. 25-31. A winner will be drawn from the top 10 most liked posts and announced on Wednesday, Nov. 1. Participants need to tag a friend, like, and save the Halloween costume contest post on the casino’s Instagram bio.

Casino Morongo Bingo and Costume Contest: Located next door to Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, the property will host a bingo night of 30 Games with a $1,000 prize each. In addition, a costume contest will award $500 to each contestant who dresses as the best Jack and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” film. $500 will also be awarded to the guest with the scariest costume. Doors open at 3 p.m., and the first bingo game starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28.

Drink Specials: Spooky cocktails through Halloween include an Autumn Punch with vodka, pineapple juice, spiced rum, and grenadine, served over ice and garnished with a cherry ($9.50) and a Zombie Shot with vodka, lemon juice, melon liquor and a splash of Starry ($9.50).

Pala Casino Spa and Resort

11154 Highway 76, Pala. 877-946-7252. palacasino.com.

Mummy Point Multiplier: On Friday, Oct. 27, the casino will allow privileges card members who use their card in any video reel slot machine to earn 2x points from 6-7:59 p.m., 3x points 8 p.m.-9:59 p.m. and 4x points 10-11:59 p.m. This promotion excludes table games, keno, video poker and e-table games.

Pechanga Resort Casino

45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. 877-711-2946. pechanga.com.

Halloween Bash at Kelsey’s: On Saturday, Oct. 28, the Temecula property will host a party at Kelsey’s featuring a live DJ and a costume contest that will award up to $1,000 in gift cards and prizes. Tickets for the contest are $20 on the casino’s website and $25 at the door. No mask, heavy face paint, real or simulated weapons, simulated live nudity or body paint allowed. Guests must be 21-or-older to enter.

Drink Specials: Through Halloween, the casino bars will serve the Poisoned Appletini, made with simple syrup and lemon juice, served with a cherry and grenadine float that sinks to the bottom of the martini glass ($12-14) and the Witches Brew made with vodka, rum, gin, blue curacao, chambord, homemade simple syrup, lemon and cranberry juices, all served over ice with a black rock salt rim ($14-$16).

Yaamava’ Resort & Casino

777 San Manuel Blvd, Highland. 800-359-2464. yaamava.com.

Halloween Trivia Night: Halloween enthusiasts can test their knowledge at the 909’s trivia night on Oct. 31. First place will receive $3,000, second place will receive $1,500 in free play, and third place will receive $500 in free play. 7-9 p.m.

Halloween Haunt on the Pool Deck: The casino will host a Halloween party with music, food, prizes, and a costume contest with a chance to win up to $1,500 in free play. Tickets are $30. 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 31.

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