Things to Do in Encino This Fall: Your 2026 Weekend Guide

"Watch the sparks fly at the blacksmith forge and try your hand at old-fashioned games." That is how California State Parks describes Heritage Days at Los Encinos State Historic Park. The forge is one block from Ventura Boulevard. The pond beside it was built in 1874 by ranch owner Eugene Garnier and is fed by a natural spring that has drawn settlement to this spot for thousands of years.

Encino's fall plans can easily spread across the whole Valley. This season, most of what is new or on the calendar falls within a short stretch of Ventura Boulevard around Balboa, and the oldest site in the neighborhood sits right in the middle of it. Once you know where the rancho is, the rest of the season comes together around it.

The oldest address in the middle of the newest stretch

State Parks' directions tell drivers to take Balboa south to Moorpark Street, "one block before Ventura Blvd." There is no parking lot. You can walk in from either Moorpark Street or Ventura Boulevard. Here is what surrounds that gate, in order of address:

1. Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, 16545 Ventura Blvd., open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with hours the company marks as subject to change.
2. Los Encinos State Historic Park, one block south of Ventura near Balboa.
3. Kinrose Creamery, 16915 Ventura Blvd., open Friday through Sunday from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
4. Encino Park, 16953 Ventura Blvd., where the Encino Neighborhood Council holds its Movie Night.
5. Mikan bakery & more, 17237 Ventura Blvd., Unit C, open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
6. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, 17301 Ventura Blvd. at Louise Avenue, this month's Coffee With a Cop location.

Two of these are new. When What Now Los Angeles reported in February that a local franchisee was bringing Handel's to Encino, the operator was hoping to open by summer. The shop now lists full daily hours and online ordering. Mikan was scheduled to open on July 3, 2026, with an opening-weekend collaboration through July 5, and its own site now lists daily hours for the Encino shop. It is the first bakery from JINYA Holdings, the company behind the JINYA ramen chain. What Now's opening story gave a 7 a.m. start, but Mikan's own site now lists 8 a.m., so plan around 8.

The Encino Community Center at 4935 Balboa Blvd. is also close by and hosts two of the season's events, the Doggy Costume Contest and a December toy drive. With the Boulevard addresses and that Balboa address together, most of the dates below happen within a short distance of the forge.

What the rancho holds, and the rules that shape a visit

The park preserves the core of Rancho Los Encinos: the original eight-room de la Ossa Adobe, the two-story stone Garnier building that now houses the Visitor Center, a blacksmith shop, the natural spring and the pond. The Los Encinos Docent Association describes the pond as shaped like a Spanish guitar. Before the rancho, the spring supplied the village of Siutcanga, home to Chumash, Tongva and Tataviam people. The 1769 Portolá Expedition recorded a description of the village and named the Valley "El Valle de Santa Catalina de Bononia de Los Encinos," the Valley of the Oaks.

A few practical details decide whether a visit goes smoothly:

• Days and hours. Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Cost. Entry is free.
• Dogs. Allowed, according to State Parks.
• Parking. Residential street parking is limited to two hours, and only authorized vehicles can park inside the park.
• Adobe tours. Free guided tours of the de la Ossa Adobe run Wednesday through Sunday by appointment. Email at least a week ahead. Self-guided access depends on whether staff are available.
• Contact. The park reports problems with its on-site phone lines and asks visitors to email [email protected].

The two-hour parking limit is where the Boulevard comes in. Because the park entrance on Ventura is a short walk from Kinrose, Encino Park and Mikan, an afternoon can start at the forge and finish on the Boulevard without moving the car.

Third Sundays begin when the farmers market closes

The timing that stands out this fall is on Sundays. The Encino Farmers Market at 17400 Victory Blvd. runs year-round on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its operator lists pumpkins, persimmons, apples, pomegranates and winter squash among this season's produce. Heritage Days at Los Encinos runs on the third Sunday of every month from 1 to 3 p.m., with live demonstrations at the blacksmith shop.

So the market closes at the same hour the forge demonstrations start. On October 18, November 22 and December 20, you can shop the Victory Boulevard stalls in the morning and be at the rancho for the start of the demonstrations. Mikan, open until 6 p.m., and Kinrose, which opens at 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, are both still open after the demonstrations end at 3.

The fall calendar, on one page

October 10 is the busiest day. The river cleanup at the Sepulveda Basin finishes at 11 a.m., and Movie Night starts at Encino Park at 6 p.m. The Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council describes the cleanup as family-friendly and links to registration from its announcement.

October 31 has two events on the calendar. The Doggy Costume Contest is free, but entry requires registration, and the Encino Neighborhood Council says spots are limited. The same day, the state park lists the first of its two Día de los Muertos dates. State Parks has not published times or activities for Día de los Muertos. Email the park before planning around it rather than assuming regular hours apply. The Community Center's fall schedule lists a Halloween Carnival for "Saturday, November 1st," but November 1, 2026 falls on a Sunday, so confirm the date directly with the center at 818-995-1690.

The weekday side, up at Burbank Boulevard

Weekends center on Ventura. Weekdays shift north. Fall classes at Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd., begin the week of October 5. The schedule includes youth sports and dance, plus adult tai chi, pickleball and table tennis. Since classes start this week, the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks fall class schedule is the document to check for days and times.

Put the Sports Center on Burbank, the cleanup site on Balboa and the farmers market on Victory together, and they cover the parts of the season north of the 101. Most of the rest happens south of the freeway, around the rancho.

Before you go

The next Heritage Days is Sunday, October 18. The farmers market on Victory Boulevard closes at 1 p.m., and the blacksmith demonstrations at Los Encinos start at the same hour.

Knowing which blocks of Encino stay busy through the fall is part of the local knowledge Ingrid Sacerio brings to every client conversation, from the rancho on Moorpark to the newest stops on Ventura. If you'd like to talk through life in Encino, in English or Spanish, schedule a private consultation.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.