Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District’s annual Big Scare returned to Swim Beach Park this October, and this year’s event brought out a strong crowd for several nights of Halloween fun.
This year’s theme, The Curse of Shadows Cove, turned the park into a pirate-themed haunted attraction filled with handmade sets, eerie lighting, costumed characters, skeletons, shipwreck-inspired scenes, and plenty of surprises along the way. District staff put a lot of work into creating the experience, and it showed. From the entrance to the final scenes, the attraction had the feel of something built specifically for the community rather than a typical one-night Halloween setup.
Families, kids, teens, and adults came through throughout the event, many in costume, and the turnout reflected how much Big Scare has grown into a local tradition. The crowds were especially noticeable during the busier evenings, with lines stretching through the park as guests waited their turn to enter Shadows Cove. For many families, the event was one stop in a full week of Halloween activities taking place throughout Big Bear Valley.
Big Scare has always been about giving the community something fun and memorable to do close to home, and this year’s event continued that tradition in a big way. Staff not only developed the pirate theme and built out the attraction, but also spent weeks preparing the site, decorating, organizing volunteers, and creating the characters and scenes that brought Shadows Cove to life each night.
The event also tied into the broader Halloween season across the valley, alongside community carnivals, pumpkin patches, trunk-or-treat events, and other local activities. Together, those events gave residents several opportunities to celebrate the season and helped create the kind of community atmosphere that makes fall in Big Bear feel special.
Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District would like to thank the staff, volunteers, and community members who helped make this year’s Big Scare a success. The turnout, creativity, and energy around The Curse of Shadows Cove made it one of the standout community events of the season, and planning is already giving everyone something to look forward to next Halloween.
