Events on the Hill
The Peninsula keeps time by tradition — whale festivals in spring, horse shows in fall, garden lights in winter. Here's the year as locals live it, plus every calendar worth bookmarking for exact dates.
On the calendar now
Vote centers are open through Election Day, Tuesday, November 3
The Hill's six vote centers are open 10 am–7 pm through Monday, November 2, and 7 am–8 pm on Election Day: Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd (open since October 24), and, since October 31, Fred Hesse Community Park, Dodson Middle School, Malaga Cove (300 Paseo Del Mar), Rancho Del Mar High School and First Baptist Church of Palos Verdes. You can still register same-day at any of them. Mail ballots count if postmarked by November 3 and received within seven days, or dropped in a box by 8 pm; on October 28 the county warned that ballots mailed this late may not be postmarked in time. Find the nearest center at locator.lavote.gov.
Library greens: harvest weeks at Malaga Cove (November 2–7) and Miraleste (November 16–21), and a plant swap on November 16
Harvest Week at Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, offers lettuce, bok choy and basil grown in the branch's hydroponic farm machine, November 2–7 during open hours. Peninsula Center Library's free plant swap is Monday, November 16, 5:30–6:30 pm in the Purcell Room, 701 Silver Spur Rd: bring labeled houseplants, cuttings, seeds or succulents and take one home; no registration. Miraleste Library, 29089 Palos Verdes Dr E, holds its Harvest Week November 16–21 (lettuce, kale, parsley and basil). Greens are first come, first served while they last; bring a bag if you can.
Land Conservancy walks, a native plant sale and volunteer mornings, November 4–21
Bob Shanman leads the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy's free 1st Wednesday bird walk on Wednesday, November 4, at 9 am from the White Point Nature Education Center, 1600 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro; binoculars provided. On Saturday, November 7, naturalists lead the 1st Saturday guided nature walk at 10:30 am at George F Canyon Nature Preserve, 27305 Palos Verdes Dr E (park in the dirt lot on the west side of PV Drive East, about 400 feet south of PV Drive North, and meet at the Stein Hale trailhead; RSVP on the listing), and volunteers restore habitat for the endangered Palos Verdes blue butterfly at the Agua Amarga Reserve, 9 am–noon (students may receive service hours). On Sunday, November 8, volunteers plant native shrubs and pull invasive weeds at White Point Nature Preserve, 1600 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, 9 am–noon. Saturday, November 14 brings a Veterans Day nature walk at White Point at 9 am, with a stop at a former WWII gun emplacement; a native plant sale at George F Canyon's Stein Hale trailhead, 10:30 am–noon; and a volunteer morning on the 22-acre upper Alta Vicente Reserve restoration site, 9 am–noon. A volunteer morning at George F Canyon is on Saturday, November 21, 9 am–noon. Sign up for volunteer days on the Conservancy's calendar.
Library book sale at Peninsula Center November 6–8, and a donation day November 14Library book donation day at Peninsula Center, November 14
The Peninsula Library Friends Foundation's first-weekend sale in the Peninsula Center Library parking garage, 701 Silver Spur Rd, runs Friday through Sunday, November 6–8, 10 am–4:30 pm. Peninsula Center takes donations of books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl records only on its second-Saturday donation day, November 14, 10 am–noon, in the library's parking garage; books must be in good condition, and magazines and loose-leaf binders aren't accepted.
PV Writes Together: author workshops on November 6, 7 and 21an author workshop on November 21
Van Hoang, author of the Girl Giant middle-grade books and the adult novel The Monstrous Misses Mai, talks about traditional publishing, and participants practice a query letter, in "Traditional Publishing 101," Friday, November 6, 6–7:30 pm at Malaga Cove Library, for teens and adults. Marie Chan's workshop on researching and writing a family biography, from oral interviews to archives, runs Saturday, November 7, 10:30 am–noon at Malaga Cove Library, for teens and adults. Local author Wayne Kalayjian (Saving Michelangelo's Dome) talks about writing nonfiction history, finding an agent and putting together a book proposal on Saturday, November 21, 10–11:30 am in Peninsula Center Library's Community Room; the library district lists it for teens and adults.
Vincent Thomas Bridge: 16-month closure from 12:01 am Saturday, November 7
Caltrans' October 22 release set the 16-month closure of the Vincent Thomas Bridge (State Route 47) in San Pedro to begin at 12:01 am on Saturday, November 7, to replace its deck, with reopening targeted for early March 2028; it lists detours mainly on Interstates 110 and 710, State Route 103 and Harry Bridges Boulevard. Before then, Caltrans scheduled five overnight closures of northbound SR-47 between Harbor Boulevard and Ferry Street, Sunday night through Friday morning, November 1–6, 10:45 pm–6:45 am, with traffic detoured via Pacific Coast Highway to SR-103; it says the schedule is subject to change (Oct 30 notice). Caltrans' project page has email and text alerts and detour maps. Our summary →
Hands-on workshops at South Coast Botanic Garden, November 7–22
Make a cornucopia centerpiece from garden plant material on Saturday or Sunday, November 7–8, 10:30 am–noon or 2–3:30 pm ($45 members, $59 non-members). Fill two simmer-pot jars, one to keep and one to give, on Saturday, November 14, 10:30 am–noon or 2–3:30 pm ($40/$54). Build a pressed-flower lantern on Saturday, November 21, 10:30 am–noon or 2–3:30 pm ($45/$59). A Parent & Me DIY fossils session, tied to the garden's dinosaur exhibit, runs Sundays, November 15 and 22, 10–11 am and 1–2 pm ($10 members, $20 non-members, per fossil; adult chaperones need a garden admission ticket). Non-member workshop tickets include garden admission. 26300 Crenshaw Blvd.
Library art: a wildlife photography show at Malaga Cove, and the Community Art Show reception November 13
Photographs by Redondo Beach wildlife photographer Nanci Lewis hang at Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, through November 28 during library hours, with a reception Saturday, November 7, 3–6 pm in the Gallery & Garden. The Palos Verdes Library District's 2026 Community Art Show, with paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media by local artists, opens with a reception Friday, November 13, 6–8:30 pm in the Peninsula Center Library foyer, 701 Silver Spur Rd; everyone is invited. The district suggests checking its calendar before visiting.
Quarterly Nature Preserve public forum — Monday, November 9, 6 pm, Hesse Park and Zoom
Rancho Palos Verdes says its quarterly forums give updates on Palos Verdes Nature Preserve projects, maintenance, operations and public use, and that the city and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy use them to gather public input. The November 9 forum meets in the Fireside Room at Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd (the city's calendar lists 6–8 pm). To watch or take part on Zoom, or to leave a pre-recorded voice comment, fill out the city's form at rpvca.gov/participate. The city says the agenda will be posted on its forum page; questions to trails@rpvca.gov.
RPV's Veterans Day breakfast — 9–11 am, Ken Dyda Civic Center
Rancho Palos Verdes' annual ceremony with the presentation of colors, the national anthem, a keynote speaker and an outdoor breakfast. Free for veterans who live in any of the four Peninsula cities; $10 per guest, cash only at the event. The city has extended registration: RSVP online by Wednesday, November 4 (city notice); the flyer has a "Register here" QR code.
Veterans Day closures: RPV City Hall and all three libraries
Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall is closed to the public on Wednesday, November 11; parks keep their regular hours, and trash collection and street sweeping don't change. In Rancho Palos Verdes, construction work on the holiday needs a special construction permit, obtained by November 9; minor repairs, maintenance and landscaping that don't otherwise need a building permit aren't prohibited. All three Palos Verdes Library District branches are closed that day (district calendar).
"Wayfarers Chapel: A Vision to Rebuild" — a free talk at Hesse Park, 4 pm
Lectures with Lianne hosts Robert Carr, the chapel's interim administrative director, on its history, its preservation challenges and the plan to rebuild and reopen at the prospective Alta Vicente site. Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd.
Tinker Bell's Neverland light trail at South Coast Botanic Garden, November 13 – January 3
The holiday light trail at the garden, "Tinker Bell's Neverland: An Illuminated Adventure," runs 5:30–8:30 pm nightly from November 13 through January 3, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, per the organizer's site. Tickets are sold through Fever, with a box office on site; children under 2 get in free. While the trail is being installed, through November 11, the garden says some areas may be temporarily closed (garden updates). South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd.
Ranger-led night hike in the Forrestal Nature Reserve — 3:45–5:45 pm
Rancho Palos Verdes park rangers lead a 1.5-mile moderate hike; meet at the Ladera Linda Community Park parking lot (the city lists the reserve at 32201 Forrestal Dr). $10 per hiker, ages 7 and up; register through the city's recreation site. Wear closed-toe shoes (hiking boots recommended) and bring water; red-light flashlights are provided, and strollers, wagons and outside flashlights aren't allowed. Weather can cancel the hike. Questions: trails@rpvca.gov.
Free smoke alarm installs from the Red Cross on Saturday, November 14
Rancho Palos Verdes' calendar says Peninsula residents can get a free smoke alarm installed by the Red Cross on November 14 (it lists 10 am–1 pm). Sign up at redcross.org/lahomefire or (310) 445-9914.
Diwali: Lunada Bay's Festival of Lights — 4–7 pm, Lunada Bay Park
The Lunada Bay Homeowners Association's evening of catered Indian food, a Bollywood DJ, henna, games and raffles at Lunada Bay Park, 2201 Palos Verdes Dr W (entrance on Via Anacapa). Dinner from 4:30, raffle at 6:30. Advance online tickets only, per the association's flyer: $40 ages 10 and up, $20 ages 5–9, under 5 free; limited capacity.
The Norris Theatre's 2026–27 season is underway
Broadway series, concerts, and conservatory shows — the current lineup and tickets at palosverdesperformingarts.com.
Gray whale census returns to Point Vicente December 1
The ACS-LA volunteers take up the bluff watch through spring — the Hill's favorite free spectacle.
RPV's tree lighting and Winter Festival, with real snow, at Ken Dyda Civic Center
The tree lighting runs Friday, December 4, 5:30–9:30 pm, with snow play and sledding, cocoa and coffee, crafts, holiday music, the lighting of the tree and a menorah, and a holiday pop-up shop. The Winter Festival follows on Saturday, December 5, 2–8 pm, with more snow play and guided night hikes in the Alta Vicente Reserve that end at bonfire pits with s'mores. The city calls the activities complimentary; details are on its flyer.
The gray whale census is underway at Point Vicente
ACS-LA volunteers are counting from the bluff through spring, and the Point Vicente Interpretive Center (open daily, 10 am–5 pm) is the Hill's best free seat for the migration. Where to watch →
This list is curated, dated, and honest — when a week is quiet, it says so. Organizers: send your dates.
A year on the Hill, season by season
Spring
- Whale of a DayThe free family festival at Point Vicente Interpretive Center celebrating the gray-whale migration — crafts, docents, and the season's tally, co-hosted by Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Serenos de Point Vicente
- Wildflower walks & trail daysLand Conservancy hikes and volunteer days as the Preserve blooms
- PV Art Center spring showsExhibitions, artist markets, and the beloved annual home tour
Summer
- An Old-Fashioned Fourth in PVEThe children's bike parade, apple-pie contest, and Heritage of Freedom honoree at Malaga Cove School — the 61st was in 2026
- RPV's July Fourth CelebrationAfternoon into evening at Ken Dyda Civic Center — live music, food trucks, and a drone show after dark
- RHE Concert in the ParkRolling Hills Estates' July concert at Ernie Howlett Park
- Garden summer nightsConcerts, sunset strolls, and family programs at South Coast Botanic Garden
- Gymkhanas & club showsEmpty Saddle Club and Ernie Howlett arenas run all season
Fall
- Portuguese Bend National Horse ShowThe Hill's signature September weekend at Ernie Howlett Park — hunter, jumper, and equitation classes benefiting Children's Hospital Los Angeles; 2026 was the 68th show
- RHE City CelebrationThe city's September birthday party at the Empty Saddle Club — pony and hay rides, a petting zoo, and equestrian events
- Friday night lightsSea Kings and Panthers football — the Hill's oldest rivalry
- Norris Theatre season openingBroadway series and concerts kick off for the year
- Dogtoberfest at the GardenOctober weekends at South Coast Botanic Garden: dogs, their people, a band, and Bavarian food and beer (2026 is its third year)
Winter
- Whale season opensDecember through April: the ACS-LA gray whale census counts daily from Point Vicente
- PVE tree lightingEarly December at Malaga Cove Plaza — the date posts on the city's events calendar
- Holiday Parade of LightsAn early-December evening parade along Silver Spur Road and Deep Valley Drive in the Peninsula Center area
- RPV tree lightingA December evening at Ken Dyda Civic Center; holiday shows at the Norris round out the month
Annual events move their exact dates year to year — always confirm with the organizer's site linked above before making plans. Know a Hill tradition we've missed? Send it in. Retired from the calendar: the Palos Verdes Marathon, which began in 1967 and later ran as a half marathon — the Local History Center has the story.
The standing rhythms
On stage & on screen
The Norris Theatre runs Broadway productions, concerts, and youth conservatory shows nearly year-round — the Hill's night out without leaving the Hill.
At the libraries
The PV Library District calendar is the Hill's quiet workhorse: story times, author talks, local-history programs, and teen events across all three branches.
In the garden
South Coast Botanic Garden programs something almost daily — yoga on the lawn, family days, plant sales, and the seasonal spectaculars.
On the trails
The Land Conservancy leads guided nature walks, volunteer habitat days, and full-moon hikes through the Preserve all year.
At the Art Center
Palos Verdes Art Center rotates exhibitions and runs classes, artisan markets, and openings — free galleries, always worth a wander.
For seniors & families
Peninsula Seniors and each city's recreation department fill the weekday calendar — lectures, classes, excursions, and youth sports.
Where exact dates live
On the Hill
- RPV city calendarCity events & meetings
- PVE city calendarCity events & meetings
- RHE city calendarThe Hill's busiest civic calendar
- PVPUSD calendarSchool year & breaks · our key dates
- PV Peninsula NewsThe paper's weekly what's-happening
Around the Peninsula
The Hill sits twenty minutes from three towns' worth of extra calendar:
- Terranea experiencesResort events open to locals
- San PedroFirst Thursday art walk, waterfront & Korean Bell events
- Redondo BeachPier concerts & harbor happenings
- TorranceFarmers markets (Tue & Sat at Wilson Park) & Armed Forces Day parade
Never miss a Hill weekend
The Palos Verdes Life letter rounds up what's coming — the traditions, the ticket-worthy, and the good weekends to just walk the bluff. Occasional, never spammy.