Spooky (and boozy) Halloween events

Halloween’s a lot of fun for the kids, but it can be just as fun for the grown ups too.

October 21, 2013; 6:49 AM • by Nathan Cushing

Whether you’re interested in ghost tours, Halloween events, or scary places there’s a lot going on around town.

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Ghost Tours

Shadows of Shockoe Tour

Shockoe has over 400 years of history, so some of it is definitely creepy! Join a tour guide to hear tales of mystery, tragedy, and things that go bump in the night.

• Date: Friday and Saturday through November 2nd
• Time: 7:30 and 9:00 PM tours
• Location: departs from the Edgar Allan Poe Museum gift shop at 1914 E. Main Street
• Cost: Adults are $15; kids $12 ($2 discount when you order in advance)

Eerie Nights Ghost Tour

A theatrical story-telling experience where guides (both in-character and in-makeup) discuss paranormal activity around Richmond.

• Date: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights through October
• Time: 8:00 and 10:00 PM tours
• Location: Tours begin at the 17th Street Farmers Market
• Cost: $10 – $13

Ghouls Ghost Tour

Your reanimated guides hail from 1920s Richmond, perfect for retelling the dark secrets and forgotten horrors of the city on this hair-raising trolley ride.

• Date: October 26th
• Time: 9:00 PM
• Location: 17th Street Farmers Market
• Cost: $26

Events

Poe Museum Unhappy Hour: Spirits of the Dead

Featuring live music, performances, free food, cash bar, and demonstrations of paranormal investigation techniques.

• Date: Thursday, October 24th
• Time: 6:00 PM
• Location: Poe Museum • 1914 E. Main Street
• Cost: $5

Nightmare on Broad Street

The Coalition Theater offers three hell-raising nights of live comedy, including a screening of horror cult-classic Troll 2. Be sure to check out the theater’s improvised horror movie, Slasher.

• Date: October 31st – November 2nd
• Time: 8:00 PM
• Location: Coalition Theater • 8 W. Broad Street
• Cost: Free (Thursday) $10 (Friday & Saturday)

HANGAR 18!

Head to the abandoned GRTC bus depot–site of the recent RVA Street Art Festival–for a huge party with art, music, and costumes. Proceeds go to Art On Wheels and the RVA Street Art Festival.

• Date: Friday, October 25th
• Time: 8:00 PM – 1:00 AM
• Location: 2501 W. Cary Street
• Cost: $5

WRIR’s Monster Mashquerade

The 6th annual event kicks off at The Camel with music from Virginia bands: Mirror Kisses, 6 Track Amateur, Those Manic Seas, and The Shangri-Lords. Prizes will be handed out for best costume and mask. Proceeds benefit WRIR.

• Date: Friday, October 25th
• Time: 9:00 PM
• Location: The Camel • 1621 W. Broad Street
• Cost: $5 – $10 donation

Richmond Zombie Walk

Before the The Walking Dead, Richmond had its own zombie invasion to fend off. The 9th annual event returns to Carytown later this month.

• Date: Saturday, October 26th
• Time: 2:30 PM
• Location: Carytown
• Cost: FREE

Legend Brewing Co.’s Halloween Party

Celebrate Halloween with brewery tours, a costume contest, and some scary (and tasty) brews.

• Date: Saturday, October 26th
• Time: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM
• Location: Legend Brewing Co. • 321 W. 7th Street
• Cost: FREE admission

Movies & Mimosas: Ghostbusters

Enjoy mimosas and a comedy classic! Just try not to think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

• Date: Saturday, October 26th and Sunday, October 27th
• Time: 11:00 AM
• Location: Movieland Theaters • 1301 Boulevard at West Leigh St
• Cost: $5.50

HIPP Halloween

Come out and enjoy food and beverage specials with live music from Hendrix Lives and the Fuzz Band. Be sure to wear your best, most creative costume for the contest–top prize is a free party in the Speakeasy for you and 100 friends!

• Date: Sunday, October 27th
• Time: 7:00 PM
• Location: The Hippodrome • 528 N. 2nd Street
• Cost: $10

Hallow-Beer

No place loves craft beer more than Mekong. Turns out it loves Halloween too! That’s why the Best Beer Bar in America will be serving brews to costumed beer lovers throughout the night.

• Date: Monday, October 28th
• Time: All night
• Location: Mekong • 6004 W. Broad Street
• Cost: FREE Admission

American Séance

A long time ago, people from every social strata attended séances where mediums purported to be in contact with departed spirits. During the Civil War thousands desperate to contact fallen loved ones enlisted the aid of a medium. Historic Tredegar will reenact one of these séances, with a story centering on Mr. and Mrs. Nelson as they seek to communicate with their son who lost his life during the Civil War.

• Date: October 28th – November 1st
• Time: 7:30 PM each night (8:00 PM on November 1st)
• Location: 500 Tredegar Street
• Cost: $5

Robots vs. Monsters

An epic throwdown between our mechanized overlords and menacing monsters takes place at Starlite. And by “throwdown” we mean dancing, drinking, and eating.

• Date: Wednesday, October 30th
• Time: All night
• Location: Starlite • 2600 W. Main Street
• Cost: 2600 W. Main Street

Big Band Halloween Masquerade Ball At The John Marshall

Come to the Historic John Marshall Hotel on Halloween night for a Masquerade Ball featuring the Big Band sounds of Joe Enroughty And His Royal Virginians. Prizes will be awarded to the three best costumes.

• Date: Thursday, October 31st
• Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
• Location: John Marshall Hotel
• Cost: $38 per person and $70 per couple (in advance). $40 at the door.

All the Saints Theater Company Halloween Parade

The local theater knows how to throw down on Halloween. Word on the street is that they’re planning to make huge dragon demons, day of the dead groomsmen, large Chelsea Manning and Eric Snowden puppets, and a 25-foot pirate ship to parade through Oregon Hill.

• Date: Thursday, October 31st
• Time: 7:00 PM
• Location: Starts at Monroe Park
• Cost: FREE

The Roast of Edgar Allan Poe

People like William Faulkner, Hunter S. Thompson, George R.R. Martin, Dr. Seuss, and more will be on hand with this off-color roast of Richmond’s most famous writer.

• Date: Thursday, October 24th
• Time: 8:00 PM
• Location: Coalition Theater • 8 W. Broad Street
• Cost: Pay what you can

Scary Places

Blood Lake Haunted House

There are actually three locations to get your scare on: Deadtown Abbey, The Werehouse, and The Midlothian Coal Pit. You can buy individual tickets, or get the best value by getting the Terror Trio for just $19. Kids under 9 will not be admitted (IT’S THAT SCARY!).

• Date: Friday and Saturday through October 26th
• Time: 7:30 – 11:00 PM
• Location: Windy Hill Sport Complex • 16500 Midlothian Turnpike
• Cost: $7 – $19

Kings Dominion Halloween Haunt

Featuring rides, mazes, scare zones, and shows, this Kings Dominion attraction is a great (and close) way to get spooked.

• Date: Friday and Saturday through November 2nd
• Time: 7:30 – 11:00 PM
• Location: 6475 Parrish Road in Providence Forge
• Cost: $20 ($30 speed pass)

Creepy Hollow Hayride

Take a tractor-drawn hayride into the dark, strange woods of Creepy Hollow and see the horrors of Dr. Ulysses S. Farrington’s experiments.

• Date: October 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 30th, 31st
• Time: 7:30 – 10:00 PM (11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday)
• Location: 14435 Stone Horse Creek Road in Glen Allen
• Cost: $15

Scream Forest

Scream Forest is an intense walking adventure. You’re dropped off in the woods and forced to walk back while scary stuff happens around you.

• Date: October 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 30th, 31st
• Time: 7:30 – 10:00 PM (11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday)
• Location: 14435 Stone Horse Creek Road in Glen Allen
• Cost: $15

Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream

There are scary additions across the park, from England to Italy. One new addition this year is the Cut Throat Cove, which makes Pirates of the Caribbean look like…uh…a ride at Disneyland?

• Date: Friday, October 25th – Sunday, October 27th
• Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (11:00PM on Saturday)
• Location: Busch Gardens, Williamsburg
• Cost: Single day admission is $62 – $72

photo by Ashley Jenkins

October 21, 2013 6:49 AM 1