Reporting by Daniella Segura and Victoria E. Freile, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
As trick-or-treaters fan out across California, the array of Halloween costumes may look a bit different from the Rumis, Zoeys, and Miras of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” that flooded the streets last year.
This year, Google searches suggest a new lineup of costumes. A creepy unicorn may be roaming the streets, Pennywise lurking on front porches, or more than a few Dolly Parton lookalikes making the rounds.
The company’s annual Frightgeist rankings highlight increased search interest by region across the country, including throughout the Golden State.
Though California’s top Halloween costume trends varied by region, Marvel characters appeared most often, while Pennywise, Buddy the Unicorn, the colorful mascot from the horror film “Buddy,” and late country music icon Dolly Parton also ranked high in searches.
Nationally, the trends are similar, but with a few twists. Buddy the Unicorn tops the list. NeeDoh, a squishy stress-relief toy, ranks second, followed by Nikki from the horror movie “Obsession.” Top-trending costumes for children include Parton, country singer Ella Langley, and Dumpling, a sensory toy.
Google’s rankings reflect costumes with the biggest increases in search interest, not necessarily the most popular costumes overall.
Here are the top five trending costumes across different California regions.
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the San Diego area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the San Diego area ranks the following costumes:
- Elmo (“Sesame Street”)
- Cleopatra
- Ghost Spider (from Marvel Universe)
- Corpse Bride
- Cyclops (from “X-Men”)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Palm Springs area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Palm Springs area ranks the following costumes:
- Pennywise (from “It”)
- Buddy the Unicorn
- Mickey Mouse
- La Chilindrina (from “El Chavo del Ocho”)
- Coraline
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Los Angeles area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Los Angeles area ranks the following costumes:
- Buddy the Unicorn
- Spider Man
- Dolly Parton
- Olaf (from “Frozen”)
- Pennywise (from “It”)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Bakersfield area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Bakersfield area ranks the following costumes:
- Mike Wazowski (from “Monster’s Inc.”)
- Baby Shark
- Buzz Lightyear (from “Toy Story”)
- Sailor Moon
- Princess
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Santa Barbara area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Santa Barbara area ranks the following costumes:
- Witch
- Foxy (from “Five Nights at Freddy’s”)
- Lightning McQueen (from “Cars”)
- Mr. Fox (from “Five Nights at Freddy’s”)
- Scarlet Witch (from Marvel Universe)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Fresno area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Fresno area ranks the following costumes:
- Iron Man (from Marvel Universe)
- Aladdin
- Harley Quinn (from DC Universe)
- Dragon
- Darth Vader (from “Star Wars”)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Salinas area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Salinas area ranks the following costumes:
- Oompa Loompa (from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”)
- Green Goblin (from Marvel Universe)
- Agnes Gru (from “Despicable Me”)
- Invincible
- Twilight Sparkle (from “My Little Pony”)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Sacramento area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Sacramento area ranks the following costumes:
- Minion (from “Despicable Me”)
- Horse
- Elsa (from “Frozen”)
- Alien (from “Toy Story”)
- Hulk (from Marvel Universe)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the San Francisco area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the San Francisco area ranks the following costumes:
- Dolly Parton
- Bluey
- Miles Morales (from Marvel Universe)
- Black cat
- Captain America (from Marvel Universe)
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Chico area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Chico area ranks the following costumes:
- Iron Man (from Marvel Universe)
- Rapunzel
- Bowser (from Mario)
- Medieval princess
- Alien
Top 5 trending Halloween costumes in the Eureka area for 2026
Google’s Frightgeist list for the Eureka area ranks the following costumes:
- Ash Ketchum (from Pokémon)
- Starfire (from DC Universe)
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Shrek
- Princess Jasmine (from “Aladdin”)
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun.
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