RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., (October 10, 2013) – Start sewing those costumes and hanging up the cobwebs; the Halloween season has arrived in the Inland Empire! Victoria Gardens will be celebrating its spookiest of seasons with its annual Spooktacular Halloween Bash on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This free, but ticketed event will feature games, pumpkin decorating and entertainment for kids age 2- 10.

“With the Fall season now in full swing, we never miss an opportunity to celebrate with our shoppers at Victoria Gardens,” explained Melina Ferraez, Director of Marketing for Victoria Gardens.  “Our Spooktacular event is always a hit with our youngest guests, giving them the opportunity to pick and decorate their very own pumpkins, participate in fun Halloween games and take fun Fall photos with their families to commemorate the season.”

The Spooktacular Halloween Bash is limited to the first 400 children, age 2 to 10 years old, who request tickets. Tickets must be reserved by parents prior to the event by visiting Victoria Gardens’ Guest Services office, or calling the office at (909) 463-2829.

To kick off the fun, all participating children will have access to a special Farmer’s Pumpkin Patch, where they can search for and select their favorite mini-pumpkin. Once their pumpkin is chosen, children will be given a special craft packet that will help them get creative while decorating their pumpkins for Halloween.

Children can also win sweet treats by participating in the event’s special Halloween games. These games are fun twists on classic carnival games, including:

• The Flying Bats Toss: A typical bean bag toss, but children will toss plush bats into large black cauldrons.
• Crab Apple Digging: Blindfolded, children will use their hands to search for crab apples in large metal washing bins that have been filled with popcorn kernels.
• Pumpkin Throw: Children can try their luck tossing plastic pumpkins into large hoop baskets mounted on hay stacks.

To capture the fun of the season at this annual event, Victoria Gardens will create a special, photo booth-style area for families to take their own photos. The fall-themed backdrop will be the perfect setting for a special family photo.  Shadow, the VG Kidz mascot will also be on hand throughout the event to take photos with attending children.

“Our Spooktacular event is a wonderful way for parents to celebrate Halloween with their children, in a family friendly, and not-too-scary way,” added Ferraez. “As one of our most popular events of the year, however, tickets will go fast. Parents who would like to bring their children and receive a free mini-pumpkin should RSVP as soon as possible to guarantee their child a spot!”

For more information on this event and how to register please contact guest services at (909) 463-2829.

Victoria Gardens is a 1.5 million square-foot, open-air, regional town center located in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at the intersection of I-15 and Foothill Boulevard.  The shopping center is anchored by Macy’s, JCPenney, AMC Theatres 12, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, and features more than 170 premier shops and restaurants.  In addition, the center features the unique Rancho Victoria Food Hall, as well as 40,000 square feet of Class-A office space.  For hours of operation, directions or other information, visit www.VictoriaGardensIE.com.

Victoria Gardens is a joint development of Forest City Enterprises, Inc., a publicly traded (NYSE: FCEA and FCEB) national real estate company, and Lewis Retail Centers, a member of the Lewis Group of Companies, one of the nation’s largest privately-held real estate organizations.