Test run your Barbie, Ken, and Allan costumes at Barbie Movie Night at Oracle Park.
Whether you're looking for some good ol' family fun or to let your freak flag fly, this week you'll find Halloween haunts for adults, kiddos, and canines alike. We're particularly excited for the soft-launch/return of the Castro District's Halloween festivities after a 16-year hiatus.
Not in the spirit? Head to Ocean Beach for Northern California's largest sandcastle contest, check out the queer fall festival and vendor market in Oakland, hang with It-girl Ziwe, mend your broken heart with SZA, and more.
Have a good one!
Don’t miss Ethel Cain’s "Blood Stained Blonde" tour finale, with a second show added due to popular demand; Monday and Tuesday at 8pm. // Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St. (Castro); tickets at ticketmaster.com
Sip on natty wines at SF’s newest bar from the team behind Bodega and Key Club. In the former West Coast Wine & Cheese space, you’ll now find Céleste—an intimate spot pouring natural wines and serving up Greek taverna fare; Tuesday through Sunday, 2pm to 11pm. // Céleste, 2165 Union St. (Marina); details on instagram.com
Get a final taste of fine dining destination Avery before the Michelin-starred restaurant closes November 4th for a new venture in Scotland; Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm to 9pm. //Avery, 1552 Fillmore St. (NoPa); reservations at averysf.com
Get up close with the ghost with the most at an interactive Beetlejuice screening. Un-live all the undead fun with spooky props galore; Wednesday at 6:45pm. // Alamo Drafthouse, 2550 Mission St. (Mission); tickets at drafthouse.com
A perfect pairing collides at this Scribe Wine Dinner at Wit & Wisdom. Executive chef Danny Girolomo will be joined by Scribe's Adam and Andrew Mariani to guide guests through the four-course alfresco dinner and tasting experience; Wednesday, 7:30pm to 10:30pm. // Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway (Sonoma); reservations at tock.com
Abacá's chef collaboration series continues, this time with award-winning chef Carlo Lamagna (Food & Wine's Best New Chefs 2021 and 2022 James Beard Award Finalist) from Magna Kusina in Portland, Oregon. The one-night-only, multi-course dinner will include dishes like crab fat noodles, duck adobo, and turon pie; Thursday, 5pm to 9pm. // Abacá, 2700 Jones St. (Fisherman's Wharf); reservations at resy.com
If you missed SZA’s Oakland tour stop earlier this year, you have a second chance to see one of the year’s most sought-after concerts when she returns to the Bay this Thursday (8pm). // Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way (Mission Bay); tickets at ticketmaster.com
Celebrate Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation’s five-year anniversary with a masquerade ball—SF-inspired costumes encouraged. You can expect cocktails, bites from top local chefs, late-night karaoke in the courtyard, and performances from Rufus Wainwright, Lucius, Ouida, and more; Thursday at 7pm. // Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Test run your Barbie, Ken, and Allan costumes at Barbie Movie night at Oracle Park; Friday at 7:15pm. // Oracle Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza (Mission Bay); tickets at mlb.com
Bring your pup along for a Halloween costume pawty. Hosted by the hotel’s resident chief canines, Buster and Beau, you can expect cult classic '80s horror flick costumes and decor. Best dressed dogs are up for winning a staycation at the dog-friendly hotel; Thursday, 4:30pm to 6:30pm. // Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. (Tenderloin); tickets at partiful.com
For those who trade candy for cocktails, check out the classic Halloween pub crawl on Polk Street; Friday, 6pm to 11pm and Saturday, 2pm to 10pm // Mayes Oyster House, 1233 Polk St. (Russian Hill); tickets at crawlsf.com
Kick the weekend off with a free movie under the stars at the Proxy walk-in theater. They’ll be screening the dark comedy The Menu. Arrive early for pre-show drinks and snacks from Fort Point Beer, Fig & Thistle, and SF Hometown Creamery; Friday 6pm to 10pm. // Proxy, 432 Octavia St. (Hayes Valley); details at proxysf.net
Oasis is bringing back Hell Hole—a two-night Halloween extravaganza featuring aerialists, fire dancers, a midnight drag spectacular, a rooftop maze, and demonic decor that only these gay witches and wizards could manifest; Friday and Saturday, 10pm to 2am. // Oasis, 298 11th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
See art in a new light at Studio 23's Blacklight Art Show. Expect UV reactive art, special blacklight installations, and LED sculptures by East Bay artists; Friday at 7pm. // Studio 23, 2309 Encinal Ave. (Alameda); details at studio23gallery.com
Journey down the rabbit hole at a Mad Hatter–themed tea party complete with a costume contest, tea and elixirs, fortune telling and tarot reading, Wonderland-inspired tunes, and more; Friday, 7pm to 10:30pm. // The Center SF, 548 Fillmore St. (Lower Haight); tickets at eventbrite.com
Step aboard one of the Bay’s most haunted ships for a spaghetti and spirits paranormal dinner and tour. Join paranormal expert Loyd Auerbach, MS for dinner on the ship followed by a flashlight tour of some haunted nooks and crannies; Saturday, 6:30pm to 11:30pm. // USS Hornet Museum, 707 W Hornet Ave. (Alameda); tickets at eventbrite.com
Tells-it-like-it-is comedian and It-girl Ziwe is bringing “The Black Friend Tour” to SF for two nights of witty commentary on race, politics, and whatever the hell she wants; Friday and Saturday at 8pm. // Bimbo’s 365 Club, 1025 Columbus Ave. (Fisherman’s Wharf); tickets at bimbos365club.com
For some family-friendly Halloween fun, don’t miss Yerba Buena Garden’s Halloween Hoopla complete with a costume parade, live music, palm reading, and activity tables with Children’s Creativity Museum, MoAD, and Mexican Museum; Saturday, noon to 3pm. // Children’s Garden, Yerba Buena Gardens (SoMa); details at ybgfestival.org
Explore the city’s largest hay maze and look on as wildlife enjoy pumpkin treats at Boo at the Zoo. Plus, a daily costume parade and contest and treat stations; Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm. // San Francisco Zoo, Sloat Blvd. (Lake Merced); tickets at sfzoo.org
If cuffing season is on your mind, you’ll likely find luck on the dance floor at Toasted Life’s Halloween day party. Costumes highly encouraged; Saturday, 3pm to 8pm. // The Grand, 520 4th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Get your thrills at Thrive City. There will be trick-or-treating stations, a screening of Elemental on the giant outdoor screen, a pumpkin patch and craft station, live entertainment, face painting, and much more; Saturday, 1pm to 6pm. // Thrive City, 1 Warriors Way (Mission Bay); RSVP at chasecenter.com
After a 16-year hiatus, official Halloween celebrations return to the Castro. The day-to-night extravaganza will include costume contests for kids, pets, and adults—with Sister Roma and Sister Morticia hosting. Local bars will have theme parties of their own as well, and the Castro Theatre will be playing spooky movies all day long for $5 (or free admission with costume); Saturday and Sunday. // Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St. (Castro); details on instagram.com
Ooh and ahh over some crazy cool sandcastles: The 41st Annual Leap Sandcastle Classic returns Saturday, 11am to 3:30pm. // Ocean Beach at Balboa St. (Outer Richmond); details at leapsandcastleclassic.org
Strut your stuff at the Outer Sunset Halloween block party and costume contest. There will be prizes for best pet, childrens, and adult costumes, plus trick-or-treating at local businesses, arts and crafts, and live music; Saturday, noon to 5pm. // Irving St. (Outer Sunset); details at eventbrite.com
Spend the day rockin’ out to some of the city’s best indy music acts at Come As You Are: A Psychedelic San Francisco Halloween Music Festival. In addition to all-day live music, you’ll find live drag performances, a costume contest with prizes, local art activations, crafting, and more; Saturday, 11am to 4pm. // Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, John F Shelley Dr. (McClaren Park); tickets at eventbrite.com
Shop for eerie ceramics, bewitching vintage, and have your glamour shots taken early 2000s style at the SMO + Friends Halloweenie Art Mart. The ceramics studio will play host to a slew of art, clothing, and food vendors as well; Sunday, 11am to 4pm. // SMO Ceramics Studio, 988 Oak St. (Lower Haight); details at eventbrite.com
Parade around in your finest at the Annual Rockridge Halloween Parade. Plus, trick-or-treating with merchants, story time and crafts at the Rockridge Library, and an all-ages dance party in the College Avenue Presbyterian Church’s courtyard; Sunday, 11am to 2pm. // College Ave. from Broadway to Alcatraz (Oakland); details at rockridgedistrict.com
Trick or treat at the beach with the return of the Great Hauntway. Bring your little devils and doggos for a car-free Halloween experience including trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, and more; Sunday, 1pm to 4pm. // Great Highway Park, Judah to Taraval (Outer Sunset); details at greathauntway.com
Gather your furry friends for a Costumes, Canines, and Cocktails Halloween Brunch. There will be a dog costume contest with prizes, complimentary live brush-and-ink portraits by a pet caricature artist, dog bandanas, and treats; Sunday, 10:30am to 2:30pm. // Mr. Digby’s, 1199 Church St. (Noe Valley); reservations encouraged and available at opentable.com
Join Creative Growth Art Center for an artist-centric, Halloween-themed carnival fundraiser in support of the disability arts movement. Held on the eve of the organizations 50th anniversary, there will be opportunities to connect with artists, bid on silent auction prizes, sing-a-long to '80s cover band Tainted Love, and much more; Sunday, noon to 3pm. // Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St. (Oakland); tickets at creativegrowth.org
Head to the Ferry Building for trick-or-treating fun. In addition to participating shops passing out candy, you’ll find face painting, tarot card reading, live pumpkin carving, and a scavenger hunt with prizes up for grabs; Sunday, 11am to 1pm. // Ferry Building (Embarcadero); RSVP at eventbrite.com
Head to Oakland’s favorite Friends & Family bar for a queer fall festival and vendor market. Hosted by Little Gay Book and Queer in Oakland, you’ll find a pet costume contest, interactive art, artisan chocolate tastings, DIY stations, a sex toy Q&A, craft cocktails, and more; Sunday, 1pm to 5pm. // Friends & Family, 468 25th St. (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com
Experience the Oakland Día de los Muertos festival, which has been inducted as a local legacy. The free, outdoor fest celebrates the culturally rich Fruitvale neighborhood with live music, games, rides and activities, traditional Latin American artisans, and stunning altar (ofrendas) installations created by community members; Sunday, 10am to 5pm. // Fruitvale Village, International Blvd. (Oakland); details at unitycouncil.org
