5 things: Halloween edition

Come with us and you will see this, our town of Halloween! And, whoa mama, there is a lot going on this weekend to celebrate. We’ve got stuff for the kiddos, stuff for the grownups, and it’s all sure to be spooktacular (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

October 29, 2009; 12:00 PM • by Valerie Catrow

Come with us and you will see this, our town of Halloween! And, whoa mama, there is a lot going on this weekend to celebrate. We’ve got stuff for the kiddos, stuff for the grownups, and it’s all sure to be spooktacular (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

1. Unhappy Hour

How appropriate that the Poe Museum‘s final Unhappy Hour of the season falls just before Halloween? Edgar would be so proud. They’re promising live music, a Victorian seance, and a cash bar. And don’t forget your wigs, mustaches, and sullen expression so you can take part in the Poe Look-Alike Contest! Thursday, October 29th, 6pm, 1914 E. Main Street, free!

2. Extreme Halloween

A costume ball? A Radio Disney dance party?? A special appearance by Jennifer Stone from the Wizards of Waverly Place??? Your children representing the 6 to 11 set probably just keeled over. And to top it all off, bring a copy of this flyer with you and the powers-that-be will donate $1 of your admission the The Faison School for Autism. Friday, October 30, 6pm, Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad Street. Admission is free for members, $5 for nonmembers. Costumes suggested but not required!

3. Lollipops: The Composer is Dead

This is the perfect way to get your kids warmed up for Saturday night’s festivities: a whodunit murder mystery written by Nathaniel Stookey and… Lemony Snicket! Kids will not only have a little Halloween fun, they’ll also get introduced to all the sections of the orchestra. I love it when you trick them into learning. Word is the show will also include a little music from Harry Potter. Saturday, October 31st, 11am, Carpenter Theatre, 600 E. Grace Street, $12 for kids, $17 for adults. Costumes are welcome, and if you plan on dressing up, be sure to stop by the 10am preconcert costume judging table!

4. Scarytown

You see what they did there? But seriously, what better way to enjoy a very Richmond-y Halloween than to spend it strolling up and down one of the city’s most famous spots? The shops have sales and specials going on all day, with costume contests (for kids and pets!) and trick-or-treating scheduled for the late afternoon. Saturday, October 31st, Carytown. Costume contests start at 3pm, trick-or-treating goes from 4pm to 6pm. Free!

5. All the Saints Theater’s 4th Annual Halloween Parade: A Funeral March for the Dollar

Also called the Richmond Halloween Parade and the Oregon Hill Halloween Parade, this is quickly becoming an RVA favorite. Anyone can join in on this costume-friendly, puppet-filled (Yes, puppets. Big ones.) march through Oregon Hill, led by none other than NO BS Brass Band. My feet are tapping just thinking about it. Saturday, October 31st, 7pm, Monroe Park, free!

Of course these aren’t your only Halloween options this weekend. Stop by our Halloween Guide for more. Or if you’re just not in a festive mood, check out our events calendar for Richmond goings-on of the less spooky variety.

And as usual, if you’d like to give special shout-outs to happenings this weekend, leave them in the comments!

(Don’t forget: If you’ve got an event in the works that you’d like to see up there, send it our way.)

As the editor of RVANews, Valerie Catrow spends most of her time wrangling people over email and muttering to herself about the content calendar. She also contributes to our parenting column while maintaining her own blog, Made in Richmond. It should be noted that she loves tots, both the potato and child varieties.

October 29, 2009 12:00 PM 6