Erin Maxwell and Lina LecaroHalloween is the ultimate zombie, rising from the dead year after year, chasing us and eating away at our brains as it forces us to come up with yet another cool, creepy, original costume for a relentless new slew of seasonal revelry. Even if you don’t dress up, weeding through the sheer volume of wicked to-do’s can be wearisome. But this year we’ve got you covered and then some — from bloody bashes to scream-inducing haunts to horror flicks to interactive experiences and exhibits, here’s a big ol’ splattering of different ways to celebrate the spookiest season of the year.
MAD MONSTER PARTIES
Step out in your “sexy [fill in the blank here]” costume with your “boo” and get your groovy ghoulie grind on with this frighteningly full cauldron of scary soirees and demonic dance happenings.
Killer Picks:
Jonny Coffin’s Halloween Ball X — Hollywood is Undead Party: DJs, dancing and the alluring Mosh performs. Saint Felix, 1602 N Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; Thu., Oct. 24; facebook.com/events/509088046610570.
The Boulet Brothers Halloween Ball: The 19th annual bash brings out the boogie in your inner bogeyman with stage shows, live DJs, interactive horror rooms, succubus dancers and a plethora of glamorous ghouls. Globe Theatre, 740 S Broadway, downtown; Sat., Oct. 26; globetheatre-la.com/events/the-boulet-brothers-los-angeles-halloween-ball-2019.
Dance with Dragula (Courtesy Boulet Brothers)
Sex Cells Halloween Gala with Marc Almond and Dita Von Teese: A terror-ific twosome on stage. 1226 W. 7th St., downtown; Sun., Oct. 27; facebook.com/events/1090848494458907.
West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival: Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega and Doheny Drive; Thu., Oct. 31; visitwesthollywood.com/halloween-carnaval.
More Chills & Thrills:
Halloweenie 2019: Belasco Theater, 1050 South Hill St., downtown; Fri., Oct. 25; gmcla.org/gmcla3/events/halloweenie-14.
Halloween 2019: 6th Annual Haunted Hotel: The Viceroy, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; Sat., Oct. 26. eventbrite.com/e/halloween-2019-6th-annual-haunted-hotel-tickets-67611657287?aff=ebditotimeout&city=LosAngelesUS.
Haunted W Hollywood Rooftop — Halloween Costume Party: W Hotel, 6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sat., Oct. 26; eventbrite.com/e/haunted-w-hollywood-rooftop-halloween-costume-party-tickets-63073717186.
You might need a nurse or two after this year’s WeHo Carnival! (Levan TK)
Mamacita of the Dead: Yamashiro, 1999 N Sycamore Ave., Hollywood; Tue., Oct. 29 & Wed., Oct. 30; mamacitaofthedead.com.
Haunt Massive: Catch One, 4067 W Pico Blvd., Arlington Heights; Thu., Oct. 31. eventbrite.com/e/haunt-massive-tickets-56708468556.
Ripley Presents: Alien Encounter — An Immersive Halloween Dance Party: 1114 South Los Angeles St., downtown; Thu., Oct. 31; ripleyimprov.com/halloween-dance-party.
Trick or Drink Halloween Bar Crawl: Sat., Oct 26 and Thu., Oct. 31; Location info at facebook.com/events/682124345565403.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios (Michael Owen Baker)
MAZE MAYHEM
These creepy attractions and haunts in L.A. are scary enough to give even seasoned pros the shivers. Enter if you dare.
Killer Picks (Theme Parks)
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios: Stranger Things, House of 1000 Corpses, Killer Clowns From Outer Space, Us, Creepshow and so much more to excite and fright. 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City; through Sun., Nov. 3; hhntickets.universalstudioshollywood.com.
Knott’s Scary Farm at Knott’s Berry Farm: Some of the best scare actors in the biz and elaborate mazes (Trick or Treat rules) to get lost in. 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park; runs through Sat., Nov. 2; knotts.com/tickets-passes/scary-farm.
Oogie Boogie Bash: A Disney Halloween Party: Not just for the kiddies, Disney does Halloween right, especially at the Haunted Mansion, celebrating 50 years of freaking us out. 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim; through Thu., Oct. 31; disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/halloween-time-at-the-disneyland-resort.
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Hay is for horrific. 4801 Griffith Park Drive, Los Feliz; runs until Sat., Nov. 2. losangeleshauntedhayride.com.
More Chills & Thrills:
Fright Fest: Six Flags Magic Mountain, 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia; through Sun., Nov. 3; sixflags.com/magicmountain/special-events/fright-fest#ref42949.
The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor: 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach; through Sat., Nov. 2; queenmary.com/.
(Courtesy Reign of Terror)
Killer Picks (Non-Theme Park Haunts)
Reign of Terror: Almost 100 rooms of scary stuff to sort through in this impressive maze; through Sat., Nov. 2; 197 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks; rothauntedhouse.com/
The 17th Door Haunted House Attraction: 1851 W Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton; Don’t forget the safe word; through Sat., Nov. 2. the17thdoor.com/.
More Chills & Thrills:
Rotten Apple 907’s The Death Triangle: 907 N California St., Burbank; select dates through Thu., Oct. 31. rottenapple907.com/.
Fear’s Gate Freak Show Haunt: Simi Valley Town Center, 1555 Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley. through Thu., Oct. 31; simivalley.macaronikid.com/events/5d826918d3347358a03582cb/teens-fears-gate-freak-show-haunt-for-charity-dark-tour-simi.
The Haunted Shack: 5112 Maricopa St., Torrance; Thu., Oct. 31 & Fri., Nov. 1 (only); thehauntedshack.com/.
Jack’s Halloween JamBOOree 2: The Opechee Haunt, 1307 Opechee Way, Glendale. Select dates through Thu., Oct. 31; spookyscary.wixsite.com/opecheehaunt/copy-of-jambooree.
The Haunt With No Name: 19351 Hatteras Street, Tarzana; through Sat., Nov. 2; hauntwithnoname.com/.
The Asylum at Coffin Creek and Haunted House Trilogy: Riverview Recreation Park, 14600 Baron Drive, Corona. through Sun., Nov. 3. coffincreek.com/.
Crawl into an old movie theater house (Lina Lecaro)
EERIE EVENTS & SPOOKY SCREENINGS
Cinematic scares, menacing music and creepy cosplay make for a host of Halloween scenes to die for.
Killer Picks
Cinema Phantasmagoria’s Halloween screenings of Saw, Dracula, The Thing, Nightmare Before Christmas and more at DTLA’s Million Dollar Theater feature “sinister ushers” and an undead master of ceremonies plus cocktails and food available from Lucky Bird. Various dates through Oct. 31. Million Dollar Theater, 307 S. Broadway, downtown. streetfoodcinema.com/schedule/los-angeles/cinema-phantasmagoria/.
11th Annual Hollywood Subway Zombie Walk: Live out your Walking Dead fantasies to the fullest. Metro Red Line, Hollywood/Highland, 6815 Hollywood Blvd. Sun., Oct. 27. facebook.com/events/1422154034590626/.
More Chills & Thrills
A Hitchcock Halloween: The Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, downtown. Sat., Oct. 26. theatre.acehotel.com/events/theatre-ace-hotel-presents-hitchcock-halloween/.
“Secret Movie Club” double feature Frankenstein & Bride Of Frankenstein: Vista Theatre, 4473 Sunset Drive, Silver Lake. Sat., Oct. 26; facebook.com/events/2292452724399665/.
Jordan Peele’s Us Live in Concert: Microsoft Theater, 777 Chick Hern Court, downtown; Sat., Oct. 26. microsofttheater.com/events/detail/us19.
I like Scary Movies, 2118 East 7th Place, downtown; through Nov. 17; ilikescarymoviesexperience.com/.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES & DARK THEATER
Not quite a haunt but too scary to be considered a typical theater experience, these unnerving shows turn up a notch or two on the normal Halloween haunted house, inviting guests to get involved in the ominous atmosphere and narrative.
Killer Picks
Zombie Joes’ Underground Theater Group: Urban Death Tour of Terror: The unique NoHo theater experience now comes in two unique flavors: Family Friendly & Adults Only. Now the ankle biters can experience all of the scares and none of the nudity. Select dates until Sat., Nov. 2. 4840 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; zombiejoes.com/.
Bite: A bloody good time is had by all at this dinner theater experience in which a family of vampires invite you into their secret den for dinner and “drinks.” Secret location. More info at thecountsden.com/.
Blood ties will bind you. (Courtesy Bite)
More Chills & Thrills
Haus of Creep / CREEP LA: 777 Alameda St., downtown; through Sun., Nov. 3; creepla.com/.
ULO Cyber Spirits: 777 Alameda St., downtown. through Sun., Nov. 3. ulo.world/.
Rockwell Musical Parodies: Stephen King’s IT: 1714 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz; select dates through Nov. 10; tickets.rockwell-la.com/.
Sacred Fools Theater Company: Deadly: The Broadwater (Main Stage), 1076 Lillian Way, Hollywood; select dates through Sat., Nov. 2. facebook.com/events/2185693171540345/
House of Spirits: Secret location; through Sat., Nov. 2; houseofspiritsla.com/.
FAMILY TREATS
Need something a little tamer for the little ones? Check out these alternative Halloween activities for the wee monster set.
Killer Picks
Natural History of Horror: Explore the scientific inspiration for the classic monsters of the silver screen, including Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy. Runs through April 2020. 900 W. Exposition Blvd., Exposition Park; nhm.org/natural-history-horror.
Illusions of Horror at Madame Tussaud’s: Permanent exhibit featuring Dracula, Hannibal Lecter, The Shining and more, all pose-ready for spooky selfies. 6933 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. madametussauds.com/hollywood/en/whats-inside/illusions-of-horror/.
Madame Tussauds Illusions of Horror (Lina Lecaro)
More chills and thrills
Haunted Little Tokyo Block Party: 334 E 2nd St., between Central & San Pedro. Sat., Oct. 26. golittletokyo.com/haunted/.
Boo at the L.A. Zoo 2019: 5333 Zoo Drive, Griffith Park; runs through Sun., Oct. 27. lazoo.org/boo/.
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch: 10100 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City. runs through Wed., Oct. 30. mrbonespumpkinpatch.com/.
Nights of the Jack: Halloween Jack O’Lantern Experience: King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas; runs through Sun., Nov. 3. nightsofthejack.com/.
Pumpkin Nights: 1101 W. McKinley Ave. Pomona; through Sun., Nov. 3; pumpkinnights.com/los-angeles/.
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