Chicago Halloween weekend: 15 events not to miss
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Halloween on a Saturday (and the day before we set the clocks back)?! Expect some sleepy people at work on Monday.
State of play: Here are our picks for this Halloweekend.
Carrie's picks:
🪦 Although readers voted it out in the first round of our spooky places tournament, an evening stroll through Rosehill Cemetery gives me goosebumps. But this walk is more for nature lovers than scare seekers. | Free | 5800 N. Ravenswood | Thursday, 5pm
✨ For its first Halloween, The Hand & The Eye magic mansion takes visitors back to the Gilded Age and the grandeur of the World's Fair. Bring out your ballgown! Perhaps the spirit of Houdini, who died 100 years ago on Saturday, will appear. | $325 | Saturday, 7pm
🐶 The only thing cuter than little kids in costumes? Dogs in costumes! Dog parents do not mess around in the costume contest at the Annual Streeterville Dog Halloween Party. I love it, even if Zuzu has never won. | Free | MCA | Saturday, 9-11am
🎉 I missed Arts in the Dark last weekend, but there's another chance to catch a costume parade, DJs, treats and more at the Upside Down Halloween Parade. | Free | Russell Drive in Washington Park | Saturday, noon-2pm
💀 LondonHouse Chicago has one of THE best views of the city. To view the city on Halloween night from those heights will be such a treat. Nightmare on Wacker Drive: Día de los Muertos offers a true grown-up Halloween party with dancing and a midnight costume contest. | $150 | 85 E. Wacker Drive | Saturday, 9pm-1am
Justin's picks:
🎃 The 30th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade is by far the best in the city. The queer community doesn't mess around! It takes over Northalsted with live entertainment, amazing costumes and a contest featuring $4,000 in cash prizes. This parade should be on your Chicago bucket list. | Free | Halsted between Aldine and Addison | Saturday, 7pm
🎬 This is Halloween blasphemy, I know, but I only recently watched "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" all the way through for the first time. Now I need to see it with an audience. The cult classic takes over the Chicago Theatre with a 4K restoration, live shadow cast, audience participation and a costume contest. | $84 | Saturday, 7:30pm
🎸 I'm a sucker for Halloween shows where bands transform into other bands for a night. Chicago punk rockers Sincere Engineer are morphing into The Hives at Cobra Lounge, joined by Won't Stay Dead as Alkaline Trio. These shows are always fun. | $30 | Saturday, 7pm
🪩 Recess drew huge crowds when it transformed into a World Cup bar this summer, so my guess is its "Death by Disco" Halloween party will be packed, too. The two-night bash features more than 20 DJs, live performers, a silent disco, an adult ball pit and, of course, costumes. | $79+ | Friday and Saturday, 8pm
💀 Pilsen's Día de los Muertos Window Walk features storefront displays created by local businesses and student artists along 18th Street. Visitors can vote for their favorites. But don't miss the unbelievable display one block south on 19th Street between Throop and Loomis. | Free | Through Nov. 2
Monica's picks:
🥔 I, frankly, just wanna sit in front of that Highland Park house where the guy hands out potatoes (baked or raw, I do not know) for Halloween, but I'm afraid I'd look creepy.
🎥 Manual Cinema brings its blend of shadow puppetry, movie techniques, sound effects and live music to this spectacle, blending the Frankenstein story with author Mary Shelley's biography. | $55-$95 | Studebaker Theater | Saturday-Sunday, various times
👯 You can help fund Chicago's "Fame"-style Academy for the Arts high school while having a ball dressed as your favorite deceased celebrity this Halloween at the "Dead Famous" party. | $200 | The Alston | Saturday, 8pm
💃 As someone spookily great at dancing, I'm torn between two parties at Metro. Saturday's Nocturna: All Hallow's Eve Ball features a costume contest, GlitterGuts live photo booth and DJ Scary Lady Sarah. Hallo-Queen on Sunday offers multiple DJs and installations by Boxboy Rich, hosted by Lucy Stoole. | $25-$37 | Metro | Saturday, 10pm and Sunday, 9pm
📚I don't love scary movies, but I really dig Chicago broadcaster and author Nick Digilio, who is launching his "40 Years, 40 Horror Films" and signing books just in time for Halloween. | Free | Kaiser Tiger | Friday, 6-8pm