Things to Do in Joshua Tree This Week: Oct. 26–Nov. 1, 2026

Updated Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, 8:10 AM PT 

It's Halloween week in the Morongo Basin, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026 is the big day. Free afternoon fun starts at Halloween on Mane Street in Pioneertown and with trick-or-treating at Art Queen's HalloQUEEN in downtown Joshua Tree. That evening the Morongo Basin's biggest Trunk or Treat fills Copper Mountain College (free, 6–8 PM). The night brings four bands at Halloween at Más o Menos (donation tickets, 21+) and Jesika von Rabbit at the Haunted Masquerade ($15 and up). Twentynine Palms throws its free Halloween Bash on Friday, Oct. 30 (6–8 PM). Tuesday, Oct. 27 is a fee-free entrance day at Joshua Tree National Park for U.S. citizens and residents. sunn O))) play Joshua Tree Retreat Center on Wednesday, Oct. 28 ($45 plus fees). The weather is warm and sunny early in the week and cooler by the weekend. Daylight saving time ends at 2 AM Sunday, Nov. 1.

Below is everything we confirmed this morning on the organizers' own pages, day by day, plus the weather and park notes you'll want before you drive in. For the full list, including shows further out, see our Around town events calendar.

What's the weather in Joshua Tree this week?

It starts warm and calm, then cools off for Halloween. The National Weather Service forecast for the town of Joshua Tree calls for sunny highs of 79°F Monday and 78°F Tuesday and a mostly sunny 77°F Wednesday, with lows near 57°F. Twentynine Palms runs a few degrees warmer, about 82°F Monday and Tuesday. Winds stay light, around 5 mph.

Clouds build Wednesday night. Thursday is partly sunny (75°F), and Friday cools to 70°F with a low near 52°F. Halloween Saturday is mostly sunny with a high of 65°F in Joshua Tree and 69°F in Twentynine Palms. Sunday isn't in the seven-day forecast yet. Trick-or-treaters and concertgoers will want a warm layer after dark. There were no active weather alerts for Joshua Tree or Twentynine Palms this morning.

Is anything closed in Joshua Tree National Park?

The National Park Service still lists Geology Tour Road as temporarily closed after heavy rain and flooding, and asks drivers to use caution on all other park roads. Parts of the West Side Loop trail in the Black Rock area are closed for trail repairs, with reopening estimated for November. Hikers and riders can bypass the closure on connector trails along Black Rock Canyon. The Oasis of Mara Trail is still closed past the oasis after earlier flood damage. NPS also warns that some third-party hiking apps give inaccurate trail and safety information, and it recommends the official NPS app. Check the park's alerts and conditions page the day you go.

Monday, Oct. 26: Hey Arnold at Pappy's

• The Music of Hey Arnold with composer Jim Lang and the PS 118 AllStars, plus a guest appearance by show creator Craig Bartlett, at Pappy & Harriet's, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pioneertown. Doors 8 PM, show 9 PM. It's sold out; the ticket page has a waitlist.
• Desert Bingo at Red Dog Saloon, 53539 Mane St., Pioneertown, 6–9 PM, free, according to the Pioneertown Gazette listing.

Tuesday, Oct. 27: free park day and Fastball

• Fee-free entrance day at Joshua Tree National Park for Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. The National Park Service says that starting in 2026, free entrance on these days is for U.S. citizens and residents only. Nonresidents pay the regular entrance fee and any nonresident fees. Expect busier trailheads and entrance lines.
• Fastball at Pappy & Harriet's. Doors 8 PM, show 9 PM, all ages, $25 ($31.86 with fees).

Wednesday, Oct. 28: sunn O))) and a mask-making workshop

• sunn O))) with Black Mountain Duo and Leila Bordreuil, presented by Sister Midnight and Desert Daze at Joshua Tree Retreat Center, 59700 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree. Doors 7 PM, show 7:30 PM. General admission is $45 plus a $7.85 service fee.
• Mask Making: Folklore & Papier-Mâché Workshop, Wednesday and Thursday, 5–8 PM each evening, in The Annex Ballroom behind Giant Rock Meeting Room, 1131 Old Woman Springs Rd., Yucca Valley. Lorry Stone (Dyrt Witch) and Kari guide you through making a folklore-inspired mask in time for Halloween, drawing on woodland creatures and desert spirits. You can attend one evening ($50–$60 sliding scale) or both ($80). Children with a parent are $20.
• Cardinal Bloom at Pappy & Harriet's. Doors 8 PM, show 9 PM, all ages, $18 ($23.32 with fees).

Thursday, Oct. 29: country at Pappy's

• Jay Webb with Lil Man J at Pappy & Harriet's. Doors 8 PM, show 9 PM, all ages, $21 ($27.72 with fees).
• Night two of the mask-making workshop at Giant Rock Meeting Room (see Wednesday).

Friday, Oct. 30: Twentynine Palms Halloween Bash and goth night

• Twentynine Palms Halloween Bash, 6–8 PM, Freedom Plaza, 73551 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Twentynine Palms. The City of Twentynine Palms Parks & Recreation puts on this free night with Trunk or Treat, games, prizes, and music. Costumes are encouraged, though the city asks that people skip masks (Z107.7 News).
• DJ Evening Advice at Más o Menos, 66031 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree, 8 PM.
• DESIRE with MOTHERMARY and Johnny Jewel, Pappy & Harriet's official Halloween party. Doors 8:30 PM, show 9:30 PM. It's sold out; the ticket page has a waitlist.
• Luna Negra presents The Void, a goth night at The Tiny Pony Tavern, 57205 29 Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley, 10 PM–1:30 AM. Free, 21+, costumes encouraged (Gazette listing).

Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween across the basin

Daytime:

• The 29 Palms Farmers Market runs downtown 8 AM–1 PM.
• Halloween on Mane Street, 3–4:30 PM, Pioneertown Film Museum, 53641 Mane St., Pioneertown. Friends of Pioneertown host this free afternoon of costumes, treats, and spooky decorations on the Old West movie-set street. The organizer's Eventbrite page lists 3–4:30 PM, while some other listings show a later costume parade, so check the page before you go.
• Art Queen Halloween Spooktacular (HalloQUEEN), 3–7 PM, 61855 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree. Free trick-or-treating, a fire-engine display (3–5 PM), pumpkin painting (4–7 PM), crafts, and a costume parade at 6 PM with DJ Brett (Gazette listing).
• Halloween at Red Dog Saloon, 53539 Mane St., Pioneertown, from 4 PM.

Evening:

• Trunk or Treat, 6–8 PM, Bell Center at Copper Mountain College, 6162 Rotary Way, Joshua Tree. The 29 Palms Farmers Market and CMC Athletic Boosters bill it as the biggest Trunk or Treat in the Morongo Basin. It's free, food trucks open at 5 PM, and free movies play in the Community Room.
• Halloween at Más o Menos, 6–11:30 PM, 66031 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree. Desert Friends, Mojave Grey, Friends Of, and Tin Angels play, with the Fuzzy Dice DJs, Friendo Burger, and a costume contest. Donation tickets, 21+.
• The Black Angels: Passover 2026 Tour with GHOSTWOMAN, presented by Desert Daze, Sister Midnight, and KCRW at Joshua Tree Retreat Center. Doors 6 PM, show 7 PM. It's sold out; only resale tickets remain.
• Haunted Masquerade, from Mojave Beach Productions at Coyote Run Studio, 3625 Porter Blvd., Joshua Tree, 8–11:30 PM. Doors open at 8 PM and bands start at 8:30: Jesika von Rabbit, LANDROID, and Carnal Circus, followed by the SunTribe DJs. Tickets are $15 and up on Eventbrite.

Late:

• Agriculture with Pure Hex and Purest Form at Pappy & Harriet's. Doors 8:30 PM, show 9 PM, all ages, $25 ($31.86 with fees).
• Halloween party with DJ HiiiRuM and a costume contest at The Tiny Pony Tavern, 10 PM–1:30 AM (Gazette listing).

The sun sets at 5:53 PM on Halloween, and the waning moon doesn't rise until after 11 PM, so early evening is dark.

Sunday, Nov. 1: Día de los Muertos, science, and a dog costume contest

Clocks fall back an hour at 2 AM, and the sun now sets at 4:52 PM PST.

• Science Sunday with Ranger Kaeliegh, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, 50048 29 Palms Hwy., Morongo Valley. These are family education programs; drop by the Education Center any time between 9 AM and noon.
• Cyanotype Sunprinting Workshop, 10 AM–noon, Desert Rose Studio, 61884 Commercial St., Joshua Tree. Photographer Rose Cefalu leads this Desert Institute class in cyanotype sun printing, making two to five blue-toned prints on textiles such as scarves and tote bags. $40, and no park entry is needed.
• Talus Caves Field Experience for Families, 10 AM–2 PM, Hidden Valley Nature Trail in Joshua Tree National Park. $40. Guide Stephen Fredericks leads families through the boulder caves. It's for ages 8 and up, kids under 12 need an adult, and it involves rock scrambling.
• Farm-to-Table Fundraising Brunch, 11 AM–2 PM, Joshua Tree Arts & Ecology Center, 6836 Mount Lassen Ave., Joshua Tree, with a Día de los Muertos altar. Single tickets are $250.
• Día de los Muertos with DJ Frescuh, noon–4 PM, from White Label Vinyl at Corner 62, 73552 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Twentynine Palms. Galaxy Pies brings pan dulce, and Very Very pours drinks (Gazette listing).
• Fourth Annual Dog Halloween Costume Contest at The Tiny Pony Tavern, Yucca Valley. Sign-ups at 12:30 PM, contest at 1 PM, free (Gazette listing).

What's coming next week?

Pappy & Harriet's has Southern Culture on the Skids on Monday, Nov. 2 (show 9 PM, $25) and Big Freedia on Tuesday, Nov. 3 (show 8 PM, $42). On Friday, Nov. 6, Paul Cauthen plays with The Wilder Blue (show 7 PM, from $41). The Yucca Valley Film Festival runs Nov. 4–8. On Saturday, Nov. 7, the 29 Palms Art Gallery opens the juried Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition (free, through Nov. 29). The same day, JTNPA hosts the free Desert Discovery Day at Freedom Plaza (10 AM–1 PM, registration required), and Sky's The Limit holds its New Moon Night Sky Program (5:30–7:30 PM, $25 per vehicle). The Joshua Tree Half Marathon is an evening race that same Saturday. Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, is the next fee-free park day. Dates, prices, and ticket links are on our Around town calendar.

Stop by while you're in town

We're on Highway 62 at 61716 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree. Shop hours are Monday–Friday 12–5 PM and Saturday–Sunday 8 AM–5 PM. On Halloween, we're open from 8 AM, a few blocks from HalloQUEEN, so come by for a souvenir, a sticker for the water bottle, or a warm layer for the cool night. Everything in the shop is also at jttradingpost.com.

FAQ

What's happening in Joshua Tree for Halloween 2026? Saturday, Oct. 31 brings free daytime events at Halloween on Mane Street in Pioneertown (3–4:30 PM) and Art Queen's HalloQUEEN in Joshua Tree (3–7 PM), plus the free Trunk or Treat at Copper Mountain College (6–8 PM). At night, Más o Menos hosts four bands (6–11:30 PM, 21+) and Coyote Run Studio has the Haunted Masquerade (8–11:30 PM). Twentynine Palms holds its free Halloween Bash on Friday, Oct. 30, 6–8 PM.

Is Joshua Tree National Park free on Oct. 27, 2026? Yes, for U.S. citizens and residents. Tuesday, Oct. 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday, is an NPS fee-free entrance day. Starting in 2026, nonresidents pay the regular entrance fee and any nonresident fees on these days.

When does daylight saving time end in 2026? At 2 AM on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Clocks fall back one hour, and sunset in Joshua Tree moves from 5:53 PM on Halloween to 4:52 PM PST on Sunday.

What will the weather be on Halloween in Joshua Tree? NWS forecasts a mostly sunny Saturday with a high near 65°F in Joshua Tree and 69°F in Twentynine Palms, after a 70°F Friday. Evenings get cool, so bring a layer for trick-or-treating and outdoor shows.

Are the Black Angels and sunn O))) shows sold out? The Black Angels (Saturday, Oct. 31) is sold out, with resale only. When we checked this morning, sunn O))) (Wednesday, Oct. 28) still had general admission tickets at $45 plus fees. Both shows are at Joshua Tree Retreat Center.

Sources

Checked the morning of Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026 PT:

• Pappy & Harriet's See Tickets event pages (Hey Arnold, Fastball, Cardinal Bloom, Jay Webb, DESIRE, Agriculture, Southern Culture on the Skids, Big Freedia, Paul Cauthen)
• Sister Midnight ticket pages: sunn O))) and The Black Angels
• National Park Service fee-free days
• Giant Rock Meeting Room live music (Mask Making workshop)
• Z107.7 News: Twentynine Palms Halloween Bash and the City of Twentynine Palms
• Copper Mountain College: Trunk or Treat
• Eventbrite organizer pages: Halloween on Mane Street, Halloween at Más o Menos, and Haunted Masquerade
• Red Dog Saloon events
• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: Science Sunday
• Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park Association: Cyanotype Sunprinting, Talus Caves for Families, and Desert Discovery Day
• Joshua Tree Arts & Ecology Center brunch tickets
• Pioneertown Gazette events (Desert Bingo, Luna Negra, Art Queen HalloQUEEN, DJ HiiiRuM, Día de los Muertos with DJ Frescuh, Dog Costume Contest)
• Yucca Valley Film Festival program, JTNP Art Exposition, Sky's The Limit New Moon program, and Vacation Races Joshua Tree
• National Weather Service forecast for Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, plus active alerts (none this morning)
• Joshua Tree National Park alerts and conditions, National Park Service
• U.S. Naval Observatory sun and moon data

Hi-Desert Field Desk is JT Trading Post's events and guides desk in Joshua Tree. We check every date, price, and closure against official sources the morning we publish.