You’re in for a ghoulishly good time this week with Halloween thrills spanning the Bay Area.
Dress up for car-free trick-or-treating experiences, costume parties, bar crawls, and spooky film screenings.
Not in the spirit? Check out San Francisco's new outdoor roller rink, tour a chocolate factory, savor Eataly's Campania Festival, and join the Bon Vivants for the return of Pig & Punch.
Regardless, have a good one.
Save room for the fall edition of SF Restaurant Week, featuring more than 155 restaurants—from A Mano to Zero Zero—serving special prix-fixe meals ranging in price from $15 to $75; through Sunday. // View participating restaurants at sfrestaurantweek.com.
Pass the Dom! It’s Champagne Week at Auberge du Soleil. Enjoy daily tastings hosted by premier and grand cru houses along with tantalizing dining experiences in the Michelin-starred restaurant; Monday through Sunday. // Auberge du Soleil, 180 Rutherford Hill Rd. (Rutherford); reservations at aubergeresorts.com
Egyptian-American comedian Ramy Youssef and star of the Hulu series Ramy (for which he won an Academy Award) brings his touring standup show to SF for two nights; Monday and Tuesday at 8pm. // Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave. (Russian Hill); tickets at cobbscomedy.com
We’ll accept San FranDisco, just not Frisco. Check out the brand new roller skating rink outside City Hall; noon to 8pm, Wednesdays through Sundays through the end of 2022. // Fulton Plaza (Civic Center); reservations are required, SanFranDisco.com.
Catch SNL’s first-ever Latina cast member, Melissa Villaseñor, on her solo Whoops… Tour!; Tuesday at 8pm. // The Independent, 628 Divisadero St. (Fillmore); tickets at ticketweb.com
Gather your “Sistahhhs!” for a screening of Hocus Pocus like you’ve never seen it before—with the score performed live- by the SF Symphony; Tuesday at 7:30pm. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfsymphony.org
Get TCHO chocolate fix with a tour and tasting at the factory—anti-gravity machines and fizzy lifting drinks not included; Wednesdays and Thursdays. // TCHO Chocolate, 3100 San Pablo Ave. (Berkeley); tickets at Tock
Be a critic for the night at Art Battle, where artists have 20 minutes to transform blank canvases into works of art before you help pick the winner. Afterward, bid on pieces in the silent auction; Wednesday at 7pm. // The Great Northern, 119 Utah St. (Mission); tickets at eventbrite.com.
Pretend you're in Italy at Eataly Silicon Valley’s Wines of Campania Festival. You can taste your way through 20 varieties of Campanian wines with Italian food pairings, or join Eataly’s chef for an intimate seated dinner at the rooftop restaurant, Terra; Thursday and Friday. // Eataly Silicon Valley, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. (San Jose); tickets at eataly.com
Have a spine-tingling good time at the annual NightLife Halloween bash. Get into costume and come ready to enjoy “mad science, killer music, and scary good drag performances”; Thursday, 6pm to 10pm. // California Academy of Sciences (Golden Gate Park); tickets at calacademy.org
Celebrate All Hallow's Eve with fiery punch bowls and black widow frozé. The third annual Beastly Ball returns to the Marina's favored party spot complete with stilt walkers, snake dancers, contortionists, and DJ sets; Friday, 9am to 2am. // The Dorian, 2001 Chestnut St. (Marina); free RSVP on eventbrite.com
Meet whisky distillers and master blenders at WhiskyFest. Taste your way through a selection of single malt and blended Scotch, and craft-distilled whiskies from around the world; Friday at 6:30pm. // Marriott Marquis, 780 Mission St. (SoMa); tickets at whiskyadvocate.com
Take to the bay (literally) for a twilight cruise and floating screening of Beetlejuice. The one-of-a-kind cinematic experience also includes popcorn and all the NA hot beverages your heart desires (plus cocktails for purchase); Friday to Sunday at 6:30pm. // Pier 43 (Fisherman’s Wharf); tickets at redandwhite.com
Head to Ghoulden Gate Park for an afternoon of Halloween fun along the car-free JFK Promenade. Activities will include haunted houses, hay mazes, carnival rides, arts and crafts, and live entertainment; Friday, 3pm to 9pm. // JFK Promenade at Conservatory Drive (Golden Gate Park); details at sfrecpark.org
For those who trade candy for cocktails, check out the classic Halloween pub crawl on Polk Street; Friday, 6pm to 11pm. // Mayes Oyster House, 1233 Polk St. (Russian Hill); tickets at eventbrite.com
Save your seat for Colibri’s Día de los Muertos festivities. Friday is the last day to purchase tickets for the event, which will feature sugar skull face painters, a DJ, traditional décor, and specialty cocktails and tacos on the heated patio; Tuesday, November 1st. // Colibri Mexican Bistro, 50 Moraga Ave. (Presidio); tickets at eventbrite.com
Spend Halloween weekend at a former mortuary. Rumored to be haunted, Curio will be hosting a blowout weekend with spooky decor, live performances, a costume contest, and themed food and drink specials; Friday to Sunday. // Curio, 775 Valencia St. (Mission); details at instagram.com
It’s fall release weekend at Broc Cellars. The urban winery will be pouring its new wines alongside tasty bites from Daruma Kiosk, Okkon Japanese Street Food, A16, Cowgirl Creamery, and June Taylor Jams. Plus, live music; 4pm to 8pm Friday and noon to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. // Broc Cellars, 1300 Fifth St. (Berkeley); details at broccellars.com
Get dressed for the best costume contest in town. DNA Lounge is bringing back its super-sized Halloween madhouse complete with bewitching burlesque, ghostly acrobats, skillful circus acts, and $1,500 in cash prizes for the best look; Friday, 9pm ‘til late. // DNA Lounge, 375 11th St. (SoMa); tickets at dnalounge.com
Join chef Nelson German of Sobre Mesa and alaMar Kitchen for a haunted rooftop party complete with 360 views of the bay, a pan-African taco bar, and artisanal spookified cocktails; Saturday, 7pm to midnight. // 447 17th St. (Oakland); tickets at eventbrite.com
Get your fix of freaky flicks at PianoFight’s Weird Film Fest, featuring a lineup of strange cinema shorts from around the world; Saturday at 8pm. // PianoFight, 144 Taylor St. (Tenderloin); tickets at eventbrite.com
There’s no place like Novela’s Wizard of Oz–themed Halloween bash complete with cocktail and food specials, Emerald City decor, and more; Saturday, 8pm to 2am. // Novela, 662 Mission St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Oasis is bringing back Hell Hole—a three-night Halloween extravaganza featuring aerialists, fire dancers, a midnight drag spectacular, a rooftop maze, and demonic decor that only these gay witches and wizards could manifest; 10pm Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. // Oasis, 298 11th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com
Halloween is coming… and so is this House of the Dragons–themed party with over-the-top props and decorations—think gigantic dragons suspended over the dance floor; Saturday, 10pm to 2am. // The Grand, 520 4th St. (SoMa); tickets ateventbrite.com
Think you can’t find fall color in the Bay Area? Find fall fun at Filoli, where the vibrant landscape is painted with autumn hues, fruit at its harvest peak, and seasonal festivities abound during Orchard Days, through October 30th; open daily. // Filoli, 86 Cañada Rd. (Woodside),filoli.org.
Thank you to our partners at Filoli.
See art in a new light at Studio 23's Blacklight Art Show. Expect UV reactive art, special blacklight installations, and LED sculptures by East Bay artists; Saturday at 7pm. // Studio 23, 2309 Encinal Ave. (Alameda); details at studio23gallery.com
Vibe out at Porter Robinson's third electronic music festival with a personally curated lineup including RL Grime, Magdalena Bay, Bladee, Hudson Mohawke, and more artists; Saturday and Sunday. // Oakland Arena Grounds, 7000 Coliseum Way (Oakland), secondskyfest.com
If you prefer to party incognito, head to the iconic Redwood Room for a masquerade with multiple rooms of music; Saturday, 9pm to 2am. // The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel, 495 Geary St. (TenderNob); tickets at eventbrite.com
Learn about the traditions of Día de Muertos at the Exploratorium's family-friendly event. Discover the tradition of ofrendas (altars), with papel picado, sugar skulls, chocolate, native foods, and more. Also, enjoy an interactive performance that pairs the building of an ofrenda with traditional songs; Saturday, 10am to 5pm. // Exploratorium, Pier 15 (Embarcadero); tickets at exploratorium.edu
Get your thrills at Thrive City. There will be trick-or-treating stations, a screening of The Addams Family 2 on the giant outdoor screen, a pumpkin patch and craft station, live entertainment, face painting, and much more; Saturday, 2pm to 7pm. // Thrive City, 1 Warriors Way (Mission Bay); RSVP at eventbrite.com
Plan an unforgettable event in the Pied Piper, a beautiful setting that evokes an intimate living room. Create a cozy, semi-private space or rent the entire restaurant for up to 60 guests seated or 100 guests reception-style. // Pied Piper at the Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery St. (Union Square); contact the event specialists at 415-546-5089, piedpipersf.com.
Thank you to our partners at Pied Piper.
Trick or treat at the beach with the return of the Great Hauntway. Bring your little devils and doggos for a car-free Halloween experience including trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, and more; Sunday, 1pm to 4pm. // Great Highway Park, Judah to Taraval (Outer Sunset); details at greathauntway.com
Join the Bon Vivants for the return of Pig & Punch. The all-day fundraiser features all-you-can-eat dishes from a roster of award-winning chefs and restaurants (Trick Dog, Jo’s Modern Thai, Osito, Che Fico), delicious punches served from Tap Trucks, and highballs created by the Bon Vivants as well as NA beverages and tunes from legendary New Orleans bounce crew Cheeky Blakk and Ricky B; Sunday at noon. // District Six, 428 11th St. (Mission); tickets at resy.com
Parade around in your finest at the Annual Rockridge Halloween Parade. Plus, trick-or-treating with merchants, story time and crafts at the Rockridge Library, and an all-ages dance party in the College Avenue Presbyterian Church’s courtyard; Sunday, 11am to 4pm. // College Ave. from Broadway to Alcatraz (Oakland); details at rockridgedistrict.com
Get yourself to Shuggie's for a Halloween boogie. Plus, a costume contest for humans and their dogs, tarot readings, spooky drinks, and more; Sunday, 5pm to midnight. // Shuggie's Trash Pie, 3349 23rd St. (Mission); details at instagram.com
Bring the whole family down to the Castro for a Halloween block party featuring photo ops with the Castro wicked witch and her ghoulie friends, trick-or-treating, drag queen story time and performances, and costume contests; Sunday, 11am to 5pm. // Noe St. at Market St. (Castro); details at castromerchants.com
Shop handcrafted wares, fine art, jewelry, ceramics, woodwork, antiquities, and specialty foods from more than 200 artisans at the Marin Arts & Crafts Show. Plus, enjoy plein-air painting workshops, wine tasting from Haven Stead, chocolate sampling, and live music; admission is free, November 4-6. // Marin Center Exhibit Hall, 10 Ave. of the Flags (San Rafael); www.marinartsandcraftsshow.com.
Thank you to our partners at Marin Arts & Crafts Show.
