Sure, you could sit home and watch old scary movies, but wouldn't it be more fun to join the brouhaha? Get your Halloween game on at one (or more) of these 13 Bay Area parties.
Murder at the Conservatory, A Victorian Murder Mystery @ Conservatory of Flowers
A classic whodunnit, with a floral twist. Join the motley crew in 19th-century-style duds at the Conservatory of Flowers as you and your fellow novice detectives attempt to piece together the murder mystery. Your ticket ($55-$105) includes a glass of wine and appetizers. // 7-10pm, October 26th and 27th; 100 John F Kennedy Dr. (Golden Gate Park), conservatoryoffowers.org; purchase tickets at Eventbrite.
Crawloween Pub Crawl @ Mayes Oyster House
Strut your eeriest stuff alongside more than 5,000 half-dead Disney princesses, disfigured human-sized animals, and what have you at the annual Crawloween on Polk Street. Treat your zombie bride to $3 drinks all night long at bars including Mayes Oyster House, Playland, and Shanghai Kelly's, and do the monster mash to live DJ beats. Sober shuttles will be provided from place to place. // 1-10pm, October 28th at various locations on Polk St.; tickets ($7-$15) are available at Eventbrite.
Titanic Masquerade Halloween Party Cruise @ Pier 40
Dress fancy for an evening of drinks, dancing, and drop-dead gorgeous views aboard the Fume Blanc Commodore for a real sinker of a masquerade. The five-hour cruise promises unlimited drinks and DJs. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early. // 7pm to midnight, October 28th; 89 King St. (South Beach), sanfrancisconightlife.com; tickets (starting at $89 per person up to $1,475 for a VIP table for 10) are available at Eventbrite.
Nightmare on Third Street @ W Hotel
If an ultra-modern lounge is more your vibe, don your slutty Kellyanne Conway costume for a fete with a full-service bar, festive holiday fare, and electro-pop beats. Valet and garage parking will be hella scarce, so take a Lyft. // 9pm to 2am October 31st; W Hotel, 181 3rd St. (SoMa); tickets ($10-$30) are available at sfhalloween.com.
Techno Halloween @ Audio SF
Get down at Audio SF's Techno Halloween party starring multi-platinum EDM artist Kölsch, who's responsible for remixing some of your best electro-pop headbangers. Come costumed and ready to dance, dance, dance. Drinks and sustenance will be provided, as well. // 9:30pm to 2am, October 31st; Audio SF, 316 11th St. (Mission), audiosf.com; tickets ($10) are availabe at Eventbrite.
Costumes and Cocktails Halloween Yacht Party @ Hornblower's SF Spirit Yacht
You could go for the alliteration alone, but setting sail with 500 or so other ghouls for a dance party-slash-sail with Hornblower certainly doesn't suck. Dress to impress because Costumes for Cocktails will be making it rain with $1,500 in cash prizes to the snazziest guests. // 9pm to 1:30am, October 28th; 1398 The Embarcadero (North Beach), hornblower.com; tickets ($50 for early bird - $750 for VIP table for six) are available at Eventbrite.
Monster Bash @ USS Hornet
Good thing the parking is free because you'll have to pay for your own drinks at the Monster Bash aboard the USS Hornet. But don't let that deter you from going—this Easy Bay boat party brings it with live big band music, DJs, food vendors, a costume contest, and even an onboard haunted house that careens through the bowels of the old naval craft. // 7:30pm to 1:30am, October 28th; 707 W Hornet Ave. (Alameda), uss-hornet.org; tickets ($35-$55) are available at Eventbrite.
Brownie and Lemonade's Haunted House Party @ 1015 Folsom
Don't let the sugar-coated name lull you into a sense of comfort. Coming off a successful event last year in L.A., Brown and Lemonade's Haunted House Party arrives in the Bay Area with a three-story haunted mansion—four frightening rooms filled with live-action scare tactics. Once you've been scared senseless, you can sweat it off dancing to surprise DJ guests. // 10pm-3am, October 27th; 1015 Folsom St. (SoMa), 1015.com; tickets ($20-$25) are available at Eventbrite.
Black Light Art Show's Encore Halloween Party @ Studio 23
Because what better time to have an all-out black light show? All art on display at this trippy party, the culmination of the exhibit that opened on Oct. 13th, is UV activated, so, of course you must wear black-light friendly attire. // 7-10pm, October 28th; Studio 23, 2309 Encinal Ave. (Alameda), facebook.com.
Hempcon's HalloWeed @ Cow Palace
Zombies aren't the only beings greening this Halloween season. For two days, Cow Palace will be hosting the 2017 HalloWeed conference and scare show. Wear your best Chong wig, join the costume contest, and win edibles and more. // October 27th through 29th, 11am to 9pm; Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave. (Daly City), hempcon.com
Zombie Run and After-party @ Kelly Park
Sprinting away from the half-dead might just be the necessary push you need to set a new 5K PR (Personal Record). Join hundreds of face-painted runners at this years South Bay Zombie Run as you speed past one another to medal-placing victories, relish in a bit of post-race fun and food, then grab some back-from-the-dead racing swag before you head back home. Oh, and they'll even be on-site makeup artists to help you get into full Walking Dead character. Tickets ($25-$36) can be bought on Eventbrite. // October 28th, 9am-11am; 1300 Senter Rd. (San Jose), facebook.com
Thriller Night @ OMCA
Show off your best MJ moves, in your regalia of choice, through the exhibit halls at OMCA; all while enjoying half-price admission, live music and dancing, a local art market in the Redwood Burl area, and full access to the on-display exhibits. (A little birdy told us their Nature's GIft exhibit is, essentially, the au naturale take on the Ice Cream museum, complete with a chameleon-like, cavernous blow-up house and LED hula hoops.) Gourmet food trucks from Off the Grid will be on-site as well for when you get hungry. // 5pm-10pm, October 27th, 1000 Oak St. (Oakland); tickets ($8-$16) at the door ormuseumca.org.
Deadly Disco @ San Francisco Armory
Giant devils, burning man art cars, silent disco stages, oh my! For a third year in a row, Deadly Disco will be serving all the EDM beats and raging dance routines, courtesy of DJ Dials, Cherry Beach, Guiseppi Marzelli and more! (And yes, you will see bondage gear atop the second floor.) Tickets have sold out in past years so act fast! // 9pm-2am, October 27th, 333 14th St. (Mission); tickets($60-$100) can be bought on Eventbrite.
Bowling, bats, and biodiversity? Absolutely! Rack up a few strikes and spares for a good cause this Halloween weekend at Boo-ling, helping to raise funds for three wildlife charities: Action for Cheetahs in Kenya, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and International Rhino Foundation. So suffice to say that any and all fauna-inspired costumes will be welcomed with open arms. // 6pm-9pm, October 29th; 93 Moraga Ave. (Presidio), facebook.com; Tickets ($30) available on Eventbrite.
Spend the night in the Dungeon @ San Francisco Dungeon
If you're looking for a, truly, haunting hotel experience, then ready yourself to bathe in the soft candle light— behind the steel bars at San Francisco Dungeon's Alcatraz Suite. Spend the year's most eerie weekend within the bowels of SF's foremost haunted bit of hospitality. Complete with complementary PJ's and midnight snacks, spending it's a Halloween weekend you won't soon forget—especially if you opt for the option to have a gut-churning bedtime story read to you before turning off the lights. // 3pm-10am October 30th through 31st; 145 Jefferson St. (Fisherman's Wharf.), booking.com; Stays ($666) can be reserved on Booking.com
Japanese Horror Film Festival @ Roxie Theater
Let your eyes feast upon the blood-thirsty, heart-stopping titles on display at the Roxie Theater for their Japanese Horror Week. Audition, The Grudge, Pulse are just a few of the eye-covering tiles on display during the six-day film festival—so steady your hands before grabbing the popcorn! // 5:30pm-10:30pm, October 25th-30th; 3117 16th St. (Mission District), roxie.com; Tickets ($10/a screening), can be bought at the door.
