Where to celebrate Halloween in San Francisco this year
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San Francisco doesn't exactly need an excuse to get weird, but Halloween gives the city a chance to take things up a notch.
Why it matters: From haunted houses and drag-fueled scares to neighborhood block parties and family-friendly festivities, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate spooky season.
👻 Here are some Halloween happenings worth adding to your calendar:
🔪 Terror Vault: Drag icon Peaches Christ is bringing fresh nightmares to the Old Mint with "SLASHED: Return to Hellville," an immersive horror experience featuring a new chapter in the fictional town's bloody history that apparently made a theater critic jump.
- Runs select nights through Nov. 1. Find tickets here.
🎨 The Haunt: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is transforming into a Halloween labyrinth filled with art installations, tarot readings, dancing and a laser-lit speakeasy. This year's theme is "Techno-Fantasy."
- Oct. 29–31. Find tickets here.
🪩 Nightmare on Front Street: Downtown's Front Street will trade its usual after-work crowds for costumed revelers at a free Halloween block party.
- Oct. 30, 2–10pm.
🍻 Crawloween: Prefer your scares with a side of bar hopping? This four-day pub crawl spans dozens of watering holes, with DJs, costume contests and drink specials.
- Oct. 24, 30–31 and Nov. 1.
🎃 Thrill-O-Ween: Thrive City outside Chase Center is hosting a free afternoon of trick-or-treating and costume contests.
- Oct. 24, 12–5pm.
🐾 Boo at the Zoo: The SF Zoo is throwing a Halloween party complete with trick-or-treating, a DJ dance party, costume contests and animals getting their own pumpkin treats. Watching animals smash pumpkins might be worth the trip alone.
- Oct. 31, 10am-3pm.
🍬 Chinatown Halloween Festival: Waverly Place will fill with costumes, crafts, games and a pumpkin patch for the neighborhood's 12th annual celebration.
- Oct. 31, 11am–3pm.
🦇 Scaregrove: Stern Grove is getting into the Halloween spirit with a free, family-friendly celebration.
- Oct. 30, 3–9pm.
🪩 Halloween at Cat Club: Cat Club is hosting Devil's Night on Friday and an All Hallows' Eve party Saturday. A good pick for readers who prefer dancing to haunted houses.
- Oct. 31, $13 with costume, $15 without at 1190 Folsom St.
✨ Portola Spooky Garden Reverie: A neighborhood garden becomes an illuminated Halloween walk with glowing sculptures, lantern-lit paths and whimsical illusions at Burrows Pocket Park.
- Oct. 31, 6-10pm.