The InstigatorI scream. You scream. We all scream for Halloween, Harvest and all things Autumn. From pumpkin patches to costume contests, here’s your guide to what’s happening and where in relation to autumnal celebrations this month. Enjoy!
For grown-ups…
The Nightmare Factory, Oregon’s longest-running haunted house, is going full steam this season. New this year, take on the haunt with one of the attraction’s characters for $40 or try out Mr. Boogers Birthday Treat where Mr. Booger will be your special tour guide as you gather you “gifts” from the ghouls. Cost is $40 for the birthday person, regular admission for the rest of the group, max group size is eight. (To purchase, call 503-378-3825 and ask for Sharon.) Check out the haunted attraction 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, October 5-7, 13-14 20-21, 27-28, 30-31, at Oregon School for the Deaf, 999 Locust St NE. November 3-4 are Pitch Black where you can take on the attraction in the dark. Tickets are $20 for general admission; $30 speed ticket offering faster entry; $40 for monster experience. The ticket booth opens at 6:30 p.m. or call 503-378-3827. Click here to learn more.
There’s a Zombie Herd Alley Party happening 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, October 28, at Taproot Lounge and Cafe. The fun includes kids trick-or-treating from 12 to 5 p.m. plus Thrill the World at 3 p.m. promptly Nightime activities include Live Band Karaoke and the first round of Taproot’s costume contest starting at 9 p.m. Then, on Halloween Proper, Tuesday, October 31, take in Live Band Karaoke and the final round of Taproot’s costume contest starting at 9 p.m.
The Coin Jam Costume Contest returns October 31. All costume contest participants must arrive by 9 p.m. to be judged. Costume winners will be announced at 9:30. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Free to enter, no cover charge for this 21 and older event. Go — game, drink, eat, and tell Armando his hair looks on-point.
Costume up for the 2nd Annual Masquerade Ball 6 to 11 p.m. October 28 at the Reed Opera House Ballroom, 189 Liberty St NE, where there will be live music by Johnny Wheels & the Swamp Donkeys, plus a no host bar, bar food menu and prizes for costumes. Cost: $38. Purchase tickets in person at Quantum Light and Zoulbound in the Reed Opera House on online here.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics is a seasonal celebration of music with the Listeso String Quartet under the gentle glow of candlelight, 9 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Grand Theatre, 191 High St SE. Cost: $30-$64. Click here for tickets.
The Athletic Edge Adventure Park, 1379 Madison St NE, presents Halloween Adult Night ,9 p.m. Friday, October 20, where there will be spooky drink specials, a costume contest, karaoke, games and the play structure will be open, too. Leave the kids at home for this 21 and older adventure. There is a $5 cover charge and RSVP is required. Reserve your spot by calling 503-361-2344 ext 2.
The Best Goose Bar, 440 State Street, transforms into a Halloween hub with a spine-tingling lineup of events for those 21 and older. Here’s what’s in store —
- October 24 – Tarot Tom, 7 p.m.
- October 27 – $50 Flash Tattoos by @amashleytattoos and @madisson.short
- October 28 – Halloween party with a costume contest, prizes, DJ, dance floor and drink specials starting at 9 p.m.
- October 31 – Dress up & Drink Up. Come in your costume and get $2 off your drink.
Celebrate Halloween with Spooky Yoga, a one-hour flow practice led by Catherine Albertini, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 27, at CreativiTee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. After class, share w ine and treats while you shop at CreativiTee + rofe designs. Dressing for the occasion is encouraged. Space is limited. Cost is $42 and includes class plus a spooky tank and treats. Click here to register.
Catch a big screen viewing of the campy “holiday” classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, 8 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE. Cost: $10 in advance; $15 day of show. Click here for tickets.
Mingle with merry monsters, bid on a bounty of boo-tiful items and packages in the live and silent auction, and summon your pet’s inner thoughts from afar through the Boo Bash Pet Communicator at Bowser’s Boo Bash. RSVP by October 12 with your guest names and entrée choices. Costumes Are Encouraged. The fun takes place 5:30 p.m. Saturday, October 28, at Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE. Cost: $175. Click here for tickets.
Silver Spur Halloween Party, 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Silver Spur, 1821 Silverton Rd NE
Halloween Party featuring 80s rock with Storm, 8 p.m. Saturday, October 28, at South Liberty Bar, 4682 Liberty Rd S
Halloween Metal Party featuring Dead Thrall, To Die Elsewhere and Sunwell — Get into your ghostliest garb and celebrate the season with a metal party, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St SE. Cost is $12 in advance; $15 at the door. Click here for tickets.
Rhythm & Flow: Nightmare At The Hustle featuring sounds by DJ Inferno & EJ That EJ and performances by Omgken & Angel, as well as a costume contest, is happening 10 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at Side Hustle Bar, 145 Liberty St NE, Suite 101. Cost is $10 in advance; $20 at the door for this 21 and older party. Click here for tickets.
Friends of the Library host the HallowQueen Drag Show 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 28 in Loucks Auditorium. All adults are welcome to attend a free night of drag featuring four fabulous queens: Devlin Lynn Phoénixx, Kharisma, Kwanzaa, and Carmen. Music by DJ QueerCub. Get ready to experience this powerful art form during our spookiest season.
There will be a Halloween Party on October 28 at W. Wallace, 383 State St
Set sail for a Pirate Halloween Party 4 p.m. ’til midnight October 28 at Archive Coffee & Bar. The party will feature costumes, rum cocktails, and food specials! 🍹 Dress-up not required but encouraged; come costumed for the pirate theme, no costume, or anything in-between.
Venti’s Beer Vault has a line-up of spine-chilling seasonal cocktails featuring strange flavors, spooky vibes, and their twist on gloomy and eerie libations. Only available in the Beer Vault for a limited time.
Beware the Evil Hands, a simple costume climbing event….. or is it? Take in an evening of bouldering in your most ghoulish attire. There’ll be climbing in costume and prize raffles throughout the night – sounds pleasant, does it not? But be warned, there may be more lurking beneath the surface of this innocuous celebration, 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, October 28 at The Rock Boxx. Free entry for members; $5 day passes. Costume required. Each entry received one raffle ticket, additional may be purchased.
For kids & families…
Celebrate the season at the Spooky Zine & Tee Workshop where students aged 8 to 15 will learn how to make their own zine and themed spooky t-shirt with owner/founder of CreativiTee Roanna Gingrich and artist Jessica Rehfield. Bring your favorite ideas about the spooky season. Experience not required. The fun takes place 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, October 13 at CreativiTee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. Cost: $25 includes zine and tee. Click here to register.
Play the day away at Spooktacular Adventures on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29 at The Athletic Edge Adventure Park, 1379 Madison St NE. This annual Halloween-themed day includes playtime, games, photo ops and more. Reservations required. Call 503-362-2344 ext 2 or stop by in person to secure your reservation.
The Carousel’s annual Scarousel Bash features free activities for all, plus upgrade your pass for $10 and get an additional four carousel rides, Halloween food crafts, goodie bag and popcorn, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 28, at Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, 101 Front St. NE. Info: 503-540-0374, www.salemcarousel.org
Kids can experience Halloween Re-Engineered, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, October 29, at Gilbert House Children’s Museum, 116 Marion St NE, where there will be crafts, games and their signature gizmo and gadget trick-or-treat. Cost is $5 per person for members; $7 per person for non-members (does not include museum admission) Click here for tickets. Info: acgilbert.org
Load the kids in the car for Willamette Heritage Center’s annual Drive-Thru Trick or Treat event where local businesses, nonprofits and individuals pass out candy, 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday, October 29 at Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St SE. Click here for more info.
Trick or Treat at Deepwood Museum & Gardens, 1116 Mission St SE from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 31. Bring your little ones to the front door of the Museum home; They are prepared for up to 500 trick-or-treaters to receive a pumpkin sugar cookie provided by Roth’s Fresh Markets.
Jack-O-Lantern Kid’s Watercolor Class — Kids can explore their creative side while learning to paint with watercolors. This class is for artists aged 6 and up. Parents are encouraged to paint with their child, and tickets are available for non-participating parents/guardian as well, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 7 at Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, 101 Front St NE. Cost: $25. Click here to register.
Trunk or Treat at On Any Sundae where you will find a variety of free activities including trunk or treat, pin the eye on the zombie, halloween cartoons, coloring sheets, mask decorating and a costume contest. There will also be an opportunity to purchase Halloween-themed buttons from Becka Makes Buttons and those in costume can buy a $2 single scoop. It’s all happening 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 29 at 3987 Commercial St SE
Trunk or Treat at Salem Tennis and Swim Club, 4318 Lone Oak Rd SE, 6 to 7 p.m. Saturday, October 21.
Halloween Dress Rehearsal returns 3 to 5 p.m. October 28 at the Salem Police Station, 333 Division Street NE. Kids, wear your costumes. This is an opportunity for kids to rehearse being safe on Halloween night. The event features several stations where children get to hear from officers about the importance of visibility and following pedestrian safety rules. The themes of traffic safety and safety while going door-to-door are essential to reinforce with children and their parents. While supplies last, children who go through all the safety stations receive a blinking LED light to wear on Halloween night to increase their visibility to passersby and motorists. Photo opportunities will also be available with members of the Salem Police SWAT Team and K-9 Unit.
Slightly Spooky Family Storytime — Families of preschool and early elementary-aged youth are invited to attend a Halloween-themed Storytime featuring slightly spooky stories, fun songs, and fingerplays 1015 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday, October 28 in Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library. Costumes are encouraged, and there will be a costume parade through the library afterward ending with a small goodie at the Floor 2 Ask Here Desk in Children’s Corner.
For everyone….
Not just for Michael Jackson fans, Thrill the World is an annual event that aims to bring the people of planet Earth together in a group dance performance to Jackson’s “Thriller.” While locally a group has been practicing for the past month (actually, it’s years since it’s been happening in Salem annually since…2009. Woah, has it really been that long?!), you can catch the performance on Saturday, October 28 at 3 p.m. sharp (don’t be late as the dance only lasts about 6 minutes) on the street outside of Taproot Lounge & Cafe. Info: www.facebook.com/thrilltheworldsalem
Halloween Costume Swap — People in the US throw away 32 billion pounds of textiles and clothing every year. An estimated 12 million pounds of that waste is made up of Halloween costumes. The Halloween Costume Swap is an attempt to provide our community with an alternative to purchasing a Halloween costume that will likely only be worn once.
Find new-to-you costumes for the whole family this free event organized by Salem Cloth Project You do not need to bring a costume in order to take one home with you. There will also be coffee for purchase, face painting, hand clothes mending lessons and more. Note: Costumes and costume accessories can be donated prior to the event during business hours at Salem Public Library Main or West Salem Branch and City of Keizer Civic Center. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, October 14, at Englewood Elementary School, 1132 19th St NE. Learn more at www.salemclothproject.org/pages/costumeswap
Take in the Hauntcert, a family-friendly concert where costumes are encouraged featuring the University Chamber Orchestra, 4 p.m. Sunday, October 29, in Hudson Concert Hall, Mary Stuart Rogers Music Center at Willamette University. Admission is free — All are welcome.
Fright Night of Fun featuring food specials, adult and kids costume contest, raffles, music, beer, cocktails, prizes and music by DJ Cowley beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, October 27 at b2 Taphouse & Brewery.
There’ll be a Halloween Tee Extravaganza 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 21, at CreativiTee & rofe designs, 110 Commercial St NE. Get creative and make a spooky t-shirt in time for Halloween week. Use a premade stencil or design your own at this drop-in crafting session good for adults and kids, alike.
Spooky Yoga Fun Flow is happening 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 27 at Common People Yoga. This class is an all-level flow and everyone is welcome. Costumes are encouraged. Click here to register.
Premiere Academy of Performing Arts presents a Halloween Dance Concert that embodies the spooky season with performances in contemporary, jazz and hip-hop dance, 7 p.m. October 27 and 2 and 7 p.m. October 28 at Chemeketa Community College Theatre Auditorium, Building 6, 4000 Lancaster Drive NE. Click here for tickets.
Celebrate fall at Harvest Fest with a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, corn maze, plus hayrides, live music and horse rides at select times/days/dates at EZ Orchards, 5504 Hazelgreen Rd NE. Check out the fun 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Cost is $6 to $10. Click here for more information.
Fall Fest at Fordyce Farm runs the entire month of October and includes a variety of free activities, plus some paid ones, too. Free weekday activities include a hay fort, indoor hay maze, playground and coloring stations, plus there is a corn maze ($5.25 per person; free for age 5 and younger). On weekends, additional activities include hay rides and the apple cannon. Plus, Thursdays are Family Nights in the Corn Maze. Take your family through the corn maze after dark but without the monsters for a spooky experience with no jump scares. $5.25 per person. And every Friday and Saturday evening (weather permitting) from 7 to 9:30 p.m. is the Haunted Corn Maze where monsters roam among the corn stalks. $16 per person (not for little kids). Festivities take place 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday at 7023 Sunnyview Rd NE. Click here for more info.
Break Out Your Costume for the 1k/3k Frightfully Fun Run on Saturday, October 28. The fun starts at Riverfront Park with the 3k participants at 9:30 a.m. and the 1k participants at 9:45 a.m. Cost is $1 for the 1k and $3 for the 3k. T-shirts are available for purchase in advance for $15 or on event day in leftover sizes. Register in person at 555 Liberty Street SE Room 100, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Click here to register online.
Thrills & Chills Haunted House — Experience spine-tingling, scary fun in this free Haunted House created by members of the library’s Teen Advisory Board. Scare levels are suitable for elementary-aged children, but anyone can visit – if they dare. Visitors get a treat. The fun takes place 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 28 in Anderson Rooms at Salem Public Library.
