October is mostly about the runup to Halloween, but it’s not all ghosts, goblins and ghouls in California this month. There are numerous ways to have fun including a panda encounter in San Diego, a clam festival in Pismo Beach and a bit of horse racing at Del Mar.   Visit the Pandas  San Diego Zoo, 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego 92101  Info zoo.sandiegozoo.org  After traveling 7,000 miles from China, two giant pandas made their official debut at the San Diego Zoo on Aug. 8. Five-year-old male Yun Chuan and four-year-old female Xin Bao can be seen munching on bamboo and lumbering around Panda Ridge, a newly built habitat at the San Diego Zoo.  The bears’ home at the zoo in San Diego is designed to imitate their native terrain in China’s Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. Panda Ridge has rolling topography, tree logs, boulders, climbing structures, leafy bamboo and lush plants. It is four times larger than the zoo’s previous panda habitat.  The San Diego Zoo’s panda history dates to 1996, when China’s Wolong Panda Preserve loaned the zoo two bears as part of a collaborative conservation effort. One panda was Yun Chuan’s grandmother, who lived at the zoo for 23 years. The life expectancy of giant pandas in the wild is about 15 years, but they live much longer in captivity, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.  Between 1996 and 2019, six panda cubs were born at the zoo, including Yun Chuan’s mother in 2007. By 2019, all of San Diego’s pandas had been returned to China. In February 2024, the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the San Diego Zoo signed a cooperative agreement that resulted in the 10-year loan of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao.  There are two ways you can experience the San Diego Zoo’s giant pandas:  Get timed tickets When you arrive at the zoo, scan the ticket QR code on signs located on the main plaza and throughout the zoo. Select an available time and then head to the timed ticket line at Panda Ridge at the designated time. You can also request a timed ticket at any ticket booth window. Timed tickets are free and available at the zoo only on the day of your visit.  Head to the standby line If you don’t want to commit to a time, you can join the standby line at Panda Ridge. Panda lovers start lining up at 9:30 a.m.  Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival Oct. 19-20  500 Main St., Half Moon Bay 94019  Info hmbpumpkinfest.com  Located on the San Francisco Peninsula, the coastal town of Half Moon Bay is surrounded by pumpkin patches and has become the self-proclaimed “World Pumpkin Capital.” The 52nd annual festival celebrates with enormous pumpkins and jack o’ lanterns, a Great Pumpkin Parade, live music, pie-eating contests and seasonal craft beer.   Meet 275 of America’s top artists and craftmakers showcasing their latest work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry and fine art.  Pismo Beach Clam Festival Oct. 19-20  Pismo Pier, 100 Pomeroy Ave., Pismo Beach 93449  Info experiencepismobeach.com/clam-festival  The 78th Annual Pismo Beach Festival offers more than just mollusks: The weekend includes a clam dig and a chowder-making contest, as well as a wine and beer garden and the annual Clam Festival Parade. The Clam Festival is a free event that includes live music, local vendors and food trucks.   San Diego Spirits Festival Oct. 19-20  Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla 92037  Info sandiegospiritsfestival.com  Enjoy cocktails and works of art at the adults only 15th Annual San Diego Spirits Festival held at La Jolla’s Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Your admission for the two afternoons grants you unlimited cocktails from more than 65 brands, ranging from high-end spirits to ready-to-drink cocktails and seltzers, along with live music and entertainment as you explore the museum’s galleries.  The Breeder’s Cup is thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international event. It will be held Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar Racetrack. Photo DMTC. Breeders’ Cup Oct. 28-Nov. 2  Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar 92014  Info visitdelmarvillage.com/breederscup  This thoroughbred racing showdown, two days. 14 races, is thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international event awarding the richest purse in North America. The Breeders’ Cup returns to the Del Mar Racetrack in San Diego County with races that run Nov. 1-2.  Local festivities begin Oct. 28 with a party celebrating the post-position draw and musical events and dinners in the village of Del Mar. To watch the races, choose from different ticket options, including reserved seats in the stands, dining packages and seats on the track’s infield area known as The Beach. Premium dining packages at Del Mar Racetrack include specially curated dishes by Michelin-starred chef Curtis Stone, the event’s celebrity guest chef.   The post Fall Fun, Events and More  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.