With October upon us, ghouls and ghosts are soon to descend on the Bay, and there’s no shortage of eerie events to brave. Here’s a spooky sampling of local ways to get your Halloween thrills and chills, from haunted houses to family-friendly frights and adults-only boos and brews.
Fright Fest at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom: Sept. 23-Oct. 31, 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo. Six Flags will be transformed this spooky season with a frightful array of haunted attractions, scare zones, entertainment shows and Halloween themed rides. $50-$99. bit.ly/SixFlagsFrightFest2023
LEGOLAND ‘Brick-or-Treat’: Sept. 28-Oct. 31, 870 Great Mall Drive, Milpitas. Scary fun awaits as monsters take over LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area. Get into the Halloween spirit for some monsterrific activities and an exclusive 4D Halloween movie, “The Great Monster Chase.” $26.99-$29.99. https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/bayarea/
‘Unhinged’ at Winchester Mystery House: Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. You’ve received an eerie invitation to the grandest housewarming event of the century. But beware, as the night progresses, a mysterious air settles in, revealing more than meets the eye. $65-$100. winchestermysteryhouse.com/unhinged/
The Bernal Scream: Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 620 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose. Father and son duo Mike and Abel Barrera started The Bernal Scream as a free show in their backyard in 2013. Over the next couple years, this DIY haunted house has evolved see thousands of people, countless of terrifying scares, TV news coverage, and endless online articles. Are you brave enough to see what all the hubbub is about? $0-$40. thebernalscream.com/
Halloween at Jellystone Park: weekends Sept. 22-Oct. 29, 14900 Highway 12, Lodi. This Halloween, Jellystone Park will be crawling with costume and campsite decorating contests, scare zones, haunted trails, pumpkin patches and tons of trick or treating. Free festivities with park admission. towerparkresort.com/halloween
Terror Vault at SF Mint: Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 88 Fifth St., San Francisco. Terror Vault invites you to attend a recruitment seminar for “INsight”, a spiritual cult whose sole purpose is to open your eyes to true consciousness. The cult will help you see the horrors hiding within the darkness. $55-$85. intothedarksf.com/
Pirates of Emerson Haunted Theme Park: Sept. 29-Oct. 31, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton. Ahoy! This classic walk-through Halloween experience will leave you trembling with fear as you navigate your way through four terrifying attractions: Demented Dolls, Pirates of Emerson, Halloween Hell and See Sawz Circus. $40-$80. piratesofemerson.com/
Fear Overload Scream Park: Sept. 29-Nov. 5, 2086 Newpark Mall, Newark. Prepare yourself for an adventure filled with mystery, adventure and horror, as you step into the fourth dimension at Fear Overload Scream Park. Dare to enter their two cryptic Bay Area haunted houses, where you get one dim flashlight to unveil chilling secrets. $19.99-$32.99. fearoverload.com/
Boo at the Zoo: Oct. 1-29, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. Oakland Zoo is calling all ghosts, goblins and witches to descend on the grounds for Halloween. Navigate through a 500-bale hay maze, encounter larger-than-life Halloween decorations and follow the clues on a self-guided scavenger hunt to find animal X-rays throughout the zoo. $0-$24. bit.ly/BooattheZoo2023
‘Rocky Horror’ with the Original Brad Majors: 8 p.m. Oct. 4, Curran Theater, 445 Geary St., San Francisco. Join the original Brad Majors, Barry Bostwick, for a screening of the original unedited movie with a live shadow cast and audience participation. Extras include a memorabilia display and costume contest. $60-$183.50. bit.ly/BroadwaySFRockyHorror
Paranormal Cirque: Oct. 6-9 in Oakland and Oct. 13-16 in Antioch. Under this clown castle’s black and red big top, acrobats of the air, illusionists, freaks and mysterious monsters make for a paranormal experience like no other. Enjoy a circus, theater and cabaret fusion that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by mysterious creatures with incredible abilities. $20-$65. paranormalcirque.com/
‘Spooked’ Live: 8 p.m. Oct. 13, Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. The hit podcast Spooked comes to life onstage to celebrate Friday the 13th with a night of live storytelling magic. Hear amazing, true-life supernatural stories from people who can scarcely believe they lived them. $29.50-$75. kqed.org/event/3558
‘Dracula’ – The Ballet: Oct. 13-15, Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose. Join in paying homage to Bram Stoker’s haunted novel. Dancers will weave a tapestry of emotions, their bodies conveying the anguish and yearning that permeate every page of Stoker’s gothic tale. $40-$60. hammertheatre.com/
Haunted History Tours at the Claremont: Oct. 13-31, 41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley. These walls have seen many things over their 108-year history, and legend has it, some guests have never checked out. Enjoy an exclusive look down some of Claremont’s legendary halls and restricted areas… including its most haunted room. $40. bit.ly/ClaremontHalloweenTour
Martinez Zombie Brew Crawl: 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 14, Main St., Downtown Martinez. The un-dead are coming to downtown Martinez, and they’re thirstier than ever. Zombies will be strolling the city’s downtown, sampling more than 30 craft beers from various breweries stationed at participating small businesses. $45. bit.ly/MartinezZombieCrawl
RITUAL Halloween Art Market: 12 to 8 p.m. Oct. 14-15, 88 Fifth St., San Francisco. Join Menagerie Oddities Market for the strange, the unusual and the creepy with frightfully-spooky wares, curious creatures, provocative circus entertainment, fortune telling, tricks, treats and more. $10-$75. bit.ly/RitualMarketSF
Candlelight – A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics: Oct. 19-20, Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland. Candlelight joins the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience with the sounds of the most frightful films of all time. $52-$79. feverup.com/m/119855
‘Ghostbusters’ at Sundown Cinema: beginning at dusk, Oct. 20, 40 John F. Shelley Drive, San Francisco. In honor of Halloween, San Francisco’s Sundown Cinema will host a screening of the cult classic film, “Ghostbuster,” at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, complete with local food trucks and themed pre-show entertainment. Free admission. bit.ly/SundownCinemaSF
Halloween Jam at Children’s Fairyland: Oct. 20-29, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Come out to Fairyland for decked-out sets and rides, spook-tacular performances and activities, costumed characters, bouncy houses, treat stations, scavenger hunts and a Monster Mash costume parade. $5-$18. bit.ly/FairylandHalloween
Family Halloween Day at Randall Museum: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 21, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco. Randall Museum will be transformed this Halloween. Explore the haunted Animal Room, get creative with creepy crafts, earn prizes as you play Ghoulish Games and enjoy live entertainment in the theater. Free admission. randallmuseum.org/
Haunted Hangar at Hiller Aviation Museum: Oct. 21-29, 601 Skyway Road, San Carlos. Visit the Hiller Aviation Museum this October for a ghoulishly good time at the Kids’ Carnival and Haunted Hangar Festival, complete with spooky decorations and a Great Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt. $0-$21. hiller.org/event/halloween-haunted-hangar-2/
Contra Costa Halloween Con: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 22, 1970 Diamond Blvd., Concord. Get into costume for Contra Costa Halloween Con, a family-friendly Halloween showcase featuring toys, collectibles, artwork, comics, anime, art, apparel and games. $12. bit.ly/HalloweenCon2023
‘Fantasy and Phantom’ – A Halloween Concert: 3 p.m. Oct. 22, Lincoln Glen Church, 2700 Booksin Ave., San Jose. If you’re in the mood for some spooky sounds, come out to Winchester Orchestra’s Halloween Concert, directed and conducted by James Beauton. $0-$25. winchesterorchestra.com/event_1/
The Witching Hours at Concannon Vineyard: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25, 4590 Tesla Road, Livermore. Step into a world of enchantment under the glowing moon, where witches, wizards and wine enthusiasts unite for an unforgettable evening. Enjoy costumes, carving and karaoke while raising your glass to frightfully fine wine. $35-$45. concannonvineyard.com/event/the-witching-hours/
Downtown Berkeley Halloween Hootenanny: 3 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27, Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza. Prepare for a night of macabre enchantment as DJ O’Aces spins haunting melodies. Meander through a wicked vendor market featuring palm readers, mystics and bewitching artists. Feel the rhythm with live music from Thompsonia, a spellbinding blend of Cajun, acoustic blues, and spine-tingling bluegrass. Free admission. downtownberkeley.com/events/
Faythe Vollrath – ‘The Halloween Harpsichord’: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27, 1422 Navellier St., El Cerrito. Demons descend on Hillside Swedenborgian Church this Halloween. Spine-chilling chords and cackling runs bring alive a concert of things that go bump in the night, with black cats, monsters and musical thrills. $20. barefootchamberconcerts.com
Bay Area Oddities & Curiosities Expo: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 28, San Mateo County Event Center, San Mateo. This Halloween celebration features mad clowns, taxidermy demonstrations, preserved specimens, handcrafted horrors and creepy clothing. $6.27 – $249.09. bit.ly/OdditiesExpo
Martinez Trick-or-Treat Spooktacular: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28, Main Street, Downtown Martinez. Stroll through Downtown Martinez with the family to visit creatively themed car trunks, kids activity game booths and shops handing out candy and treats. Free. downtownmartinez.org/trick-or-treat
Halloween Hoopla at Yerba Buena: 12 to 3 p.m. Oct. 28, 799 Howard St., San Francisco. This family-friendly Halloween event features a costume contest, live music, clowns and comedy, arts and crafts and palm readings. Free admission. ybgfestival.org/event/halloween-hoopla-2023/
Boo’s on B Street: 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28, B St., Downtown San Mateo. Take your family for a spooktacular stroll through B Street in downtown San Mateo while enjoying a DJ’s haunting Halloween tunes, carnival games, crafts, face painting, a photo booth, BYO decorated pumpkin contests and trick-or-treating through the local businesses. Free admission. bit.ly/BoosOnBSt
Halloween Haunt in History Park: 2 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 635 Phelan Ave. San Jose. History Park transforms into a haunted, family-friendly haven this Halloween. Enjoy crafts, activities, trick-or-treating at historic houses and a spectacular Light Show. Free. historysanjose.org/
Crawloween San Francisco: 2 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28, various venues in San Francisco. The San Francisco Halloween Pub Crawl is back and bigger than ever. Last year, more than 14,000 costumed crawlers took over Polk Street for cheap drinks, music, dancing and costume contests, and they’re ready to do it all again. Think of it as trick or treating … for adults. $12-$55. bit.ly/CrawloweenSF
Santa Rosa Official Halloween Bar Crawl: 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28, various venues in Santa Rosa. Enjoy a Halloween bar crawl complete with themed drink specials, deadly décor, spooky surprises and a costume contest. From ghostly cocktails to pumpkin beer, each bar offers a special drink to fit the Halloween theme. $13.99-$24.99. bit.ly/HalloweenBarCrawlSR
Hall-O-Wine Party: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 6097 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Celebrate All Hallows Eve and raise your glass at Matanzas Creek Winery’s Spooky-licious Hall-O-Wine party! Enjoy a costume contest, DJ’d dance party, devilish treats and wine club pick-up. $50. bit.ly/HallOWine
Avenue of the Altars: 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 1700 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose. Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Mexican Heritage Plaza with an eerily immersive experience featuring a beautifully curated altar walk, an art exhibition, tarot readings and live entertainment, plus tasty food and drinks. Free admission. bit.ly/AvenueoftheAltars
Lafayette’s Spooky Walk: Oct. 28-29, 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette. Celebrate Halloween with this outdoor haunted house experience in Lafayette Community Park. This trail of terrors features a quarter-mile of bone-chilling encounters that will leave you trembling with delight, and is available in both “Not Too Scary” and “Very Scary” options. $3-$5. bit.ly/LafayetteSpookyWalk
Oakland Dia de los Muertos Festival: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, Fruitvale Village, Oakland. Come out to Fruitvale this fall for a family friendly festival featuring live music, rides and activities, Aztec rituals, traditional Latin American artisans and stunning altar installations. Free admission. unitycouncil.org/program/diaoakland/
Trick-or-Treat at the Ferry Building: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 29, Ferry Building Marketplace, San Francisco. Enjoy trick or treating, a scavenger hunt, a live pumpkin carving demonstration, arts and crafts, face painting and tarot readings. Free admission. bit.ly/FerryHalloween2023
Redwood Symphony Halloween Family Concert: 3 p.m. Oct. 29, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City. Enjoy a cauldron of costumes and exciting music from your favorite blockbuster movies with Redwood Symphony’s Halloween Family Concert at the Cañada College Main Theater. $15-$35. bit.ly/RedwoodSymphonyHalloween
Halloween on Old Fisherman’s Wharf: 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31, 101 Washington St., Monterey. Enjoy Monterey’s fifth annual Halloween on the Wharf, featuring spooky decorations, a Candy World, a costume contest, fun photo ops and a live DJ spinning spooky Halloween favorites. Free admission. montereywharf.com/
