With Halloween on the horizon, it’s time to lock down some party plans for the 18-plus crowd. From all-night ragers and local hip-hop showcases to “Thriller” dance offs and club crawls, here are 10 Halloween parties to check out in Edmonton this year.
If you want an excuse to dress up fancy in masquerade attire, the upscale Fairmont Hotel Macdonald hosts a Phantom of the Opera-themed Halloween Masquerade Oct. 27. The evening features a performance from Edmonton’s Carling Undercover as well as a full banquet bar. The historic landmark Edmonton hotel is said to be haunted though, so enter at your own risk.
Into its fifth year running, The Bear’s 2017 Halloween Howler brings California punk rock outfit The Offspring to Edmonton Oct. 27 with guests Ryan Stock and AmberLynn and DJ Harman B. This one is for anyone who grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s listening to “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” and “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid.” Make sure you dress in costume too, because there will be thousands of dollars in costume and door prizes up for grabs.
If you want a lower-key party experience headlined by some of Edmonton’s best DJs, head to Union Hall Oct. 28 to get bad and boujee for the evening. Presented by Nightshift Entertainment, the party features a full night of music from Al V, DJ Grizz and TNT. This is an excuse to dress up as boujee (or rather… “boo”-jee) as you can and party to rap music until 2 a.m.
This free all-ages event at The Carrot combines the best of Halloween partying with everything everyone loves about the harvest season. It’s a combination Halloween party and harvest festival. Pay respects to the king of pop with a “Thriller” dance off (free dance lessons included) and get into the festive spirit with bonfires, crafts, face painting and more.
Think clowns are creepy? You’ll probably want to avoid On the Rocks this weekend. But if you think you can handle it, check out the Stephen King-themed event Oct. 28. The party is themed around the movie It and guests are encouraged to come dressed as clowns. Tickets are $5 and include one free drink for the night. And the best clown costume wins $500.
Calling all horror movie film buffs! On Oct. 31, The Pint downtown hosts a special edition Halloween movie trivia night. It all starts at 8 p.m. with three rounds of questions. So get your team together, lock down a killer group costume and head to The Pint to test your knowledge. There will be a featured cocktail menu for the evening and a $100 cash prize for the best costume. And don’t worry – even if you blow it, the lowest scoring team of the night also wins a prize.
If you’d rather be anywhere but the club on Halloween weekend, skip the parties and head to Navina Yoga Oct. 27 for a calming night of candlelit yoga. Renew your sense of mindfulness and find serenity as you practice your poses in (almost) complete darkness. The dress code is all-black, so aim for a Lululemon-clad Wednesday Adams aesthetic. Admission is $10 with proceeds going towards CASA Child, Adolescent, Family Mental Health.
The prolific Edmonton singer-songwriter returns home to play a headlining Halloween show at Black Dog Oct. 29. Joe has a penchant for emotive heartfelt songs and acoustic ballads. You won’t get thrills here, but you’ll more than likely get some chills.
If you’re looking to go all-out this year or want to plan something for a bigger group of people, the annual Halloween Howler Club Crawl is the place to be. On Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, the party bus club crawl stops at four venues including The Pint, Knoxvilles, Denizen Hall, The Ranch and more. Included in admission is no line and no cover, so all you have to do is show up and spend the rest of the night partying.