It’s the season of the witch!
Halloween falls on a Thursday night this year, which means that haunted happenings and spooky soirees have invaded the weekends around the pumpkin holiday. To help you plan, here is our guide to some of most terrifyingly fun events happening this season:
Carving craze
Scooping goo out of gourds is an activity for all ages! Show off your work — or gawk at the orange artwork of others — at Crest Hardware’s Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest, which will judge jack-o-lanterns at both a kid’s contest at 6 pm and a competition for adults at 7 pm.
Pumpkin Carving Contest at Crest Hardware and Urban Garden Center [558 Metropolitan Ave. between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg, (718) 388–9521, www.crest
Freak out
The season’s earliest adult Halloween party is “Nightmare in Coney Island,” featuring freaky live performances, including a fire-eater and a human block-head act — which involves hammering a nail into one’s nostril — along with adult trick-or-treating and recently unearthed barrel-aged brews.
“Nightmare in Coney Island!” at Coney Island Brewery [1904 Surf Ave. at W. 17th Street in Coney Island, (718) 996–0019, www.coney
Creepy crawl
Don’t just show off your costume at one bar — do it at seven spots during the “Boos and Booze Bar Crawl” along Fifth Avenue in Park Slope! The night will begin and end at the Montrose, and your wristband will score you a drink and a treat at six spots along the Avenue.
Halloween Bar Crawl at the Montrose (47 Fifth Ave. at Bergen Street in Park Slope, www.parks
Dead can dance
Dance your life away at the Gemini and Scorpio party “Masquerade Macabre: Ghost Town on the Oregon Trail.” The night will feature the Funkrust Brass band, disk jockeys, undead dancers, circus performers, and (for a little extra) a live version of the video game Oregon Trail, which should be more fun than a case of dysentery.
“Masquerade Macabre” at a private home in Bedford-Stuyesant (address delivered with ticket purchase, www.gemin
Fear factor
You can stop by Greenpoint bar the Springs any time this month to brave “The Walk of Fear” in its backyard, a collection of spooky figures and tableaus. Or stiffen your nerve with a Halloween-themed cocktail — such as the bright green “Zombie Blood” — and bust a move at its costume dance parties on Oct. 25 and 26, with prizes for the best outfits.
The Springs [224 Franklin St. at Green Street in Greenpoint, (347) 227–7114, www.thesp
Scared of the bark
The costumed canines will take over Fort Greene Park for the season’s greatest competition: the Great Pup-Kin Dog Costume Contest, featuring adorable animals in creative outfits. It is free to watch, but to register your pooch, there is a $5 suggested donation — and you need to show up early, because there are only 40 slots remaining in the contest.
The Great Pup-Kin at Fort Greene Park’s Monument steps (Myrtle Avenue at St. Edward Street in Fort Greene, www.fortg
Haunted Hill
Let your kids dress up — if they dare — for a trip through Prospect Park’s 40th annual Haunted Halloween Walk. You will be sure to encounter scores of werewolves, witches, and zombies during the wooded walk, followed by a Halloween Festival on the Nethermeade.
“Haunted Halloween Walk” at Prospect Park’s Lookout Hill [enter at Prospect Park Southwest and 16th Street in Windsor Terrace, (718) 965–8951, www.prosp
Trick for treats
Share the Halloween fun with your four-legged friends at Coney Island Brewery’s “Dog-O-Ween!” an afternoon of dogs showing off their spooky style complete with a puppy photo-booth. Proceeds directly benefit Rescue City, an animal rescue group.
“Dog-O-Ween!” at Coney Island Brewery [1904 Surf Ave. at W. 17th Street in Coney Island, (718) 996–0019, www.coney
Try to sing along!
Join Brad, Janet, Rocky, Dr. Scott, and the Occasionalists — Brooklyn’s premiere live karaoke band — for an evening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” karaoke. Sign up to sing “Sweet Transvestite” with a full band behind you, don some golden shorts for the intermission’s costume contest, and enter the raffle for fabulous prizes. The entire evening will benefit the Center for Anti-Violence Education, a group that works to combat hate-based violence.
Rocky Horror Picture Show Live Karaoke at Littlefield (635 Sackett St. between Third and Fourth avenues in Gowanus, www.littl
Spirits rise
On Halloween, get in touch with the spirits: gin, rye, and mezcal! Cocktail bar the Shanty will host “Lunar Magic,” a witchy party featuring a tarot reader, speciality cocktails, samples from several distilleries, and a magical dance party.
“Lunar Magic at the Shanty [79 Richardson St. between Leonard and Lorimer streets in Williamsburg, (718) 412–0874, www.nydis
Sunday Scaries
Once upon a time, there was restaurant called Sunday in Brooklyn. This restaurant wanted to throw a party with a fairy tale theme, but because it was Halloween, it became a Scary Tale theme! Costumes are required, so dress as a hungry wolf, an evil witch, or other spooky character from folklore, and enjoy plenty of booze, live entertainment, face-painting, and a costume contest. All the profits will go to the American Civil Liberties Union.
“A Scarytale in Brooklyn” at Sunday in Brooklyn [348 Wythe Ave. between S. Second and S. Third streets in Williamsburg, (347) 222–6722, www.sunda
Thrills and chills
Once Halloween is over, you will have one final excuse to don your bloody best: “The Coney Island USA Creeptacular.” This ghoulish fund-raising gala will feature plenty of potions, performances from snake charmer Serpentina, burlesque beauties and beasts, and a sneak peek at the seaside arts organization’s next demented musical, “Bloody Brains in a Jukebox.”
“The Coney Island USA Creeptacular” at Coney Island USA [1208 Surf Avenue at W. 12th Street in Coney Island, (718) 372–5159, www.coney
