Halloween parties in Toronto give you plenty of places to show off your costume (or costumes - you can't be every Bob's Burgers family member at once), and while the fun starts this upcoming weekend, Halloween falls on a Friday this year so the best scares will be happening on the jolly old 31st, as you party hop yelling "trick or treat" at the top of your lungs because your parents always made you say "Halloween apples" instead when you went door to door - no? Anybody?
Remember to play safe this year and not accept candy-coloured alcohol from strangers or make out with anyone who can't prove their fangs are removable. Costume-wise, beware the following unacceptable outfits: Rob Ford, Rob Ford's [anything], Rob Ford as [anything], [anything] as Rob Ford. Leave your political snark where it belongs - in the ballot box on Monday. Then let's say Ebola is out too, but ISIS is fine if it's like, Archer ISIS.
Here's our spooky guide to Halloween parties and events in Toronto for 2014.
See also:
TOP EVENTS
Toronto Zombie Walk | Nathan Phillips Square | Oct. 25 | 12pm | Free
On Saturday October 25th, join over 10,000 zombies, monsters and otherworldly beings for the 12th Annual Toronto Zombie Walk and Halloween Parade. Pre-parade festivities in Nathan Phillips Square include a Halloween Vendor Market, food, and live bands. This year there's an official after party being held at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Thrill the World | Oct 25 | Nathan Phillips Square | Dance at 6pm | PWYC
Those sleepovers where you danced the zombie dance while your friends' parents begged you to go to sleep and stop making noise up there are about to pay off. A spooky cast of dancers are calling on Toronto to rattle its gross, brain eating (costumed) bodies in an attempt to set a new world record for the most people sashaying the zombie dance from Michael Jackson's Thriller video. Toronto held claim to the first such record in 2006, in case you dance best under pressure. Here's the info you'll need if you want to dance. If you just want to watch, look out for the bitey ones.
Night of Dread 2014 | Dufferin Grove Park | Oct 25 | 4pm | PWYC
Join Clay & Paper Theatre on Saturday, October 25th for the15th annual Night of Dread, when people dressed in black, white, and dreadful parade their private and collective fears through the darkened streets of Toronto. Night of Dread is an evening of pageantry, music and masquerade, with towering puppets, stilt dancers, fire-spinners and fearful masks. The interactive parade begins in Dufferin Grove Park at 6pm.
GHOST Stories Told Live | Oct 28 | The Garrison | 7:15pm | Free
True Stories Told Live is taking on ghostly autobiographical tales. If you don't believe in ghosts, period, ever, this supernatural incarnation might affect TSTL's brand for you. But what is truth? Costumes are acceptable.
Halloween Spookcade | Oct 31 | Bento Miso | 8pm-1am | PWYC
This party and "spooky video game arcade" includes a huge line up of games just waiting for you to track fake blood all over them, plus they're serving up food and cocktails to keep you on your (crooked and dismembered) toes all night.
Church Street Halloween Block Party | Oct 31 | Church Street | 6:30pm | Free
The Church Street Halloween Parade is an annual tradition. Church will close to traffic and go car free at 6:30pm, and from 9-11pm there will be a costume show in the park. Get ready to strut.
Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition | opens Oct 31 | TIFF Bell Lightbox
Can you stomach seeing those blue dresses the scary twins wore in The Shining up close? Opening Halloween night, TIFF's Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition is next in a long line of stellar, fan-pleasing installs at the King Street cinema (such as this creep-out Cronenberg tribute). The exhibit, featuring documents, swag, and props like 'Starchild' from 2001: A Space Odyssey, runs until January 25, which might give me time to get over those Shining nightmares I had from age 7-13. Maybe.
Free Surgery Offered On All Hollow's Eve | Oct 31 | Mighty Brave Productions/ Dufferson Herman Arts/ Haus of Dada
Halloween is always the same old thing. Get dressed up, wander, drink, pose for pics. Not this year though, not this year. [Editor's note: we do not actually recommend free surgery. Any free surgery you incur is of your own volition.]
Sorauren Park Pumpkin Parade | Nov 1 | Sorauren Park | Free
This annual tradition is one of Halloween's quieter events. Bring your pumpkin down to get in line (the line to where? What happens to jack-o-laterns when they die, ma?), or just wander through admiring the artwork of your fellow citizens. Over 2,000 pumpkins are expected to attend.
TOP PARTIES
5th Annual Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air 90's Halloween | Sound Academy | Oct 31 | 10pm | $25
This packed dance party is a tribute to old school hip hop, R&B, dance, house, reggae, and pop from the 90's! Picture a dance floor full of drunk people attempting to do the Carlton dance. Get your tickets early, this party has sold out 4 years in a row!
FRIGHT NIGHT | Oct 31 | Adelaide Hall | 10pm | $10
Toronto's Jungle Drum & Bass scene celebrates Halloween at Adelaide Hall this year, with room for 500 screaming zombies, and a sound system to drown them all out. A big crew of rotating DJs will be throwing down jungle drum 'n bass, and wild rave sets all night long.
Gladstone's Halloween Extravaganza: Decades of Dance | The Gladstone | Oct 31 | 8pm | $35
Dance, play and party at the Gladstone this Halloween, where they'll be celebrating the best in music from the eras of the 50s to the 00s. You can count on all the cheesiness, sing-a-longs, dance-moves, hairdos, denim tuxedos, and everything in between.
TERROR VISION A/V Halloween | 99 Sudbury | Oct 31 | 10pm | $30
Terror Vision is an all-night, "retro-future" audio/visual Halloween music and art party. 99 Sudbury will be transformed using immersive visual art installations by Mansion, the promoters who brought you last year's Slaughterhaus. Music will be provided by DJ EZ (UK) and "Berghain / Panorama Bar official resident DJ Jus-Ed official One and Only," to name a few. Your retro-future costume will be perfection, I know it.
Hell On Earth 3 "Apocalypse" | Oct 31 | El Mocombo | 9pm | $20-$30+
Here's a spooky thought: if the rumours are true (and this time, it looks like there's no white rock & roll doves to save us - or possibly even that iconic sign), the El Mo is no more as of early November. This all ages rave that will send the El Mo off in style on Halloween night, so dress as an EDM version of your favourite Rolling Stone - they all look like zombies.
CHRONOLOGIC HALLOWEEN | Lee's Palace | Oct 31 | 9pm | $10
CHRONOLOGIC is a dance party through the ages with music from 1890 to 2014, played in chronological order. For the 10th year in a row, the Goin' Steady DJs are pleased to announce their 2014 Monster Mash will be bigger, better and scarier than ever. Toronto designer Adam Belanger (Kubrick The Exhibition / Cronenberg Evolution / Young Lions Music Club) to transform Lee's into a frightening array of spooky mayhem.
The Legendary Halloween Bash! | Steam Whistle Brewing | Oct 31 | 9pm | $33 advance
This Halloween bash takes over Steam Whistle Brewing for not one but two nights! Dare to enter the creepy haunted house, be mesmerized by the incredible costumes and eye popping decorations. And be prepared to dance the night away to the music of DJs Field McQueen & Nino Brown (Friday) and DJs Skratch Bastid & Fields McQueen (Saturday).
Blood Sweat and Queers | The Steady | Oct. 31 | 10pm | $10
Head to Bloorcourt event and party hub The Steady to dance your costumed butt to DJs Aeryn Pfaff and Frustra - then sit that butt down and get a mini reading from Psychic Betsy Balega. There will be witches brew, a costume contest, and, probably, going by our knowledge of the current Steady incarnation, spooky donuts.
Society of Beer Drinking Ladies - Halloween Bash | Oct 31 | Secret Location | 8pm | $25
These sudsy dames traditionally meet on the last Friday of the month, so that means a Halloween bash was a must-do. Men are allowed after 10pm. Cover gets you a beer and a "morning gift" (beers are $6 after that).
breakandenter & Box of Kittens: A Night to Dismember - Hallowe'en Party | Oct 31 | 10pm | SPK 20
Two of Toronto's best promoters join forces to create a carnivalesque two-room dance party where it's okay to be a freak (and not just pretend for a night). Spencer Parker, Mike Gibbs, Jamie Kidd, Martin Fazekas, Ali Black, Aquatic Mind, and Shea Butter a.k.a. Shea Altadonna will supply the music.
Halloween Massacre | Roy Thomson Hall | Oct 31 | 9pm | $20
Halloween Massacre is a true Halloween ball located in the heart of the King Street theatre district. This event has room for 1800 people, complete with two rooms and two distinct sounds. DJs will be spinning the latest in mash ups, top 40, R&B and hip-hop.
DUDEBOX IS FUCKING DEAD V: Return to the Carwash of Doooooom | Oct 31 | Planet Car Wash | $10
Party in a carwash for charity on Halloween thanks to the dudes who brought you that party at Honest Ed's that didn't actually happen at Honest Ed's but they goshdarn tried, didn't they? Yes Yes Y'all's Nino Brown & Yes Yes Jill are on the DJ line up, so don't doubt the supreme legitimacy of this event.
TOP CONCERTS
Death to TO IV | Oct 31 | Silver Dollar / Comfort Zone / Junkyard
The Halloween covers-pocalypse contines this year with a line up including The Jesus Lizard! (The Soupcans), Hot Snakes! (Burning Love), Metallica! (Cellphone), Beastie Boys! (Phedre, Hooded Fang, Moon King, Hellaluyah), Babes in Toyland! (Mexican Slang), and U2! (Actually U2). (Kidding. Dilly Dally). There will be three stages and many a spooky surprise in store.
Sheezer Halloween | Lee's Palace | Oct 31 | 8:30pm | $13.50
Can't spend Halloween getting wrecked with Weezer? Can't spend Halloween getting wrecked in the mid 00's? That's okay - Weezer covering Sheezer are better than both those things. Lonely Parade and Petra Glynt are also on the bill.
Fire Rock With Me: A Very Twin Peaks Party | Oct 31 | Tranzac | $6
What would Halloween be without a room full of log ladies? I'll be dressing my pug up as her log, so my costume wins. DJs will play synth-gaze and psych in the Tranzac mainroom while you munch on cherry pie treats, talk backwards, and wait for a special performance by The Owls are Not What They Seem (TOANWTS) featuring Patrick Grant.
SBTRKT / October 31 (and November 1) / Danforth Music Hall / 7pm / $26
Technically this two night stand by SBTRKT is more concert than dance party, but if people aren't moving to his futuristic bass pop at these shows something has gone wrong. Maybe for Halloween he'll play without his trademark mask for a change? Bonus: this should be done early enough that you can still hit a costume party. Watch out for our Halloween guide. BB
The Bruised Spirits of Southern Ontario | Videofag | Oct 31-Nov 1 | 8:30pm
Come witness this multi media terror of nature! Videofag and Theatre a-go-go present a 2-day event of gut wrenching folklore by Opera Arcana, the world's first Southern Ontarian Gothic Sound Outfit who will allure you with a Halloween experience using modern advances in adult contemporary sound along with psychic visual device.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS & PARTIES
Friday, October 24th
- Ghouls 'n Games 2014 | El Mocambo | 8pm | $12 -$15
- Halloween Masquerade Paint Party | Paintlounge | 8pm | $20
- Haunted Toronto Scavenger Hunt | Queen's Park | 7pm | $30
- HOLLYWOOD HAUNT | Loveless Boutique | 7pm | Free
- PRE-HALLOWEEN ROCK PARTY | Bovine Sex Club | 9pm | $7
- Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Spectacular! | Bloor Cinema | 11:30pm | $15
- Suit Up! Halloween Edition | 751 Lounge | 10pm | Free
Saturday, October 25th
- Geek Shriek Boutique & Halloween Comic Fest | Back Space | 12pm | Free
- Crush-O-Ween! | Club 120 | 10pm | $10
- Halloween at Paradise Comics | Paradise Comics | 12pm | Free
- Haunted Toronto Scavenger Hunt | Queen's Park | 7pm | $30
- Murder at the ROM - A Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt | ROM | 1pm | $35
- "Night Of The Living Dead" HALLOWEEN kiki ball | The 519 | 7pm | $5
- PANIC - HALLOWEEN RETRO PARTY | Velvet Underground | 10pm | $10
- Pre-Halloween Dance Party | Sex Laser | 9pm | Free
- SKATE NIGHT SATURDAY | 751 Lounge | 10pm | Free
- THRILLER | Guvernment | 10pm | $TBA
- Thrill The World Toronto 2014 | Nathan Phillips Square | 4:30pm | PWYC Donation
- Toronto's Haunted Walk with Mackenzie House Visit | Outside Hockey Hall of Fame | 7pm | $18.75
- TZW Post Walk Bash | Hard Rock Cafe | 9pm | $12-$15
- Zombie Wrestling 2014 | Tranzac | 8pm | $10-$20
- BOO! at the Barns | Wychwood Barns | 5pm | Free
- Halloween Salsa Social | City Dance Corps | 8:30pm | $7-$10
Sunday, October 26th
- Boost Spooktacular Family Costume Party | Berkeley Church | 1pm | $15
- Ghosts and Spirits of Old Town Halloween Dog Party | Segway of Ontario | 7pm | $18.75
- Halloween on Queen | The Beach Village | 12pm | Free
- Kid's Halloween Party at Paintlounge! | Paintlounge | 1pm | $22.50
- Seasons Annual Haunted House | Seasons Family Centre | 4pm | $5-$10
- Death Spa | Clinton's | 7:30pm | Free
- Hallowoof Chi Meet Up | Paws Way | 11am | $10
- Haunted House | Planet Bowl | 2pm | $5-$45
- OOGIE SPOOKY BOO!!! | The Black Swan | 8pm | $10
- Toronto West Halloween Fest 2014 | Bloor West Village | 10:30am | Free
Wednesday, October 29
- Rue Morgue & Unstable Ground present LITTLE TERRORS | Carlton Cinema | 9pm | $10
- Punk Rock Bingo - Hell-O-Ween Edition | The Beaver | 9pm | PWYC
- Os Tropies CreEPy Release and Halloween Party | Gladstone Hotel | 9pm | $10
Friday, October 31st
- CHRONOLOGIC HALLOWEEN | Lee's Palace | 9pm | $10
- A Night to Dismember | SPK 20 | 10pm | $25
- Fire Rock With Me: A Very Twin Peaks Party | Tranzac | 8pm | $6
- Halloween Spookcade | Bento Miso | 8pm | PWYC
- Society of Beer Drinking Ladies - Halloween Bash! | TBA | 8pm | $25
- BAD NEWS HALLOWEEN PARTY | Smiling Buddha | 10pm | $5
- BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN | Maison Mercer | 10pm | $20
- DIABLO HALLOWEEN BALL V | The Guvernment | All day | $35
- FRIGHT NIGHT | Adelaide Hall | 10pm | $10
- Freak Show: Carnivale Halloween 2014 | The Carnivale House | 9:30pm | $20
- FRIGHT FEST | Barcode Nightclub | 9pm | $15
- Halloween Bash featuring THE ROUGHNOTES | Drums N Flats | 9pm | Free
- Halloween Fetish Ball - SUBSPACE | Opera House | 10pm | $20-$25
- Halloween Night Monster Mash | Liberty Grand | 10pm | $56
- BeerProv presents "BoooooProv!" | Comedy Bar | 8pm | $20
- Evil Dead - The Musical | Randolph Theatre | 7pm | $40-$80
- Free Surgery Offered On All Hollow's Eve | Haus of Dada | 7pm | Free
- Halloween Massacre | Roy Thomson Hall | 9pm | $20
- The Legendary Halloween Bash! | Steam Whistle Brewing | 9pm | $33 advance
- 2nd Annual TCL Halloween Party | The Sister | 9pm | PWYC
- A Howland Company HOWL-oween Party! | 73 Howland Ave. | 7:30pm
- Beats & Boos | Parlour | 9pm | $25
- DA PHONK HALLOWEEN | Crawford | 10pm | $10
- OUTBREAK Halloween Night | EFS | 10pm
- Get Your Freak On Vol. 12 | Supermarket | 9pm | $20
- HALLOWEEN DEATH DISCO 2014 | Wrongbar | 10pm | $10 advance
- HALLOWEEN DEBAUCHERY 2014 | SOLARIUM | 10pm | $20-$35
- HALLOWEEN RESURRECTION | Koolhaus | 10pm | $20
- The Walking Dead Aftermath | Muzik | 9pm | $35-$45
- TRYST HALLOWEEN | Tryst Nightclub | All day | $15 early bird
- Halloween with Squid Lid & Animalia | Nocturne | 9pm | $10-$15
- HALLOWEIRD: Imaginary Solutions 10 | The White House Studio Project | 8pm | PWYC
- Horrors Halloween Party | Hart House | 8:30pm | $15
- Death to TO IV - October 31 - Silver Dollar / Comfort Zone / Junkyard
- Hawllstar's Halloween Party | Cherry Cola's | 9:30pm | $10
- Heresy's Haunted House | Detour | 10pm | Free
- Halloween Motown Dance Party | Oct 31 | Sex Laser | 10pm | Free
- Hotnuts Halloqween with Bunny Michael | The Garrison | 10:30pm | $10
- HOXTON HALLOWEEN | The Hoxton | 10pm | $15
- Insidious Chapter 3 | Gravity Soundbar | 10pm | $15
- DUDEBOX IS FUCKING DEAD V: Return to the Carwash of Doooooom | Oct 31 | Planet Car Wash | $10
- CHILL OR BE CHILLED | Clinton's | 10pm | $5
- Les Femmes Fatales Presents: Black Magic Woman! | Bad Dog Comedy Theatre | 10:30pm | $15
- Trix and Treats | Li'Ly Lounge | 8pm | $10-$15
- Nightmare on Funk Street | El Mocambo | 9pm | $10
- OPEN MIND | 3030 Dundas West | 10pm | Free
- Hell On Earth 3 "Apocalypse" | El Mocombo | 9pm | $20-$30+
- PITBULL BLOODBATH | The Courthouse | 10pm | $15
- Pop Lobster: So Long, Farewell | Magpie Taproom | 10pm
- SCARED STIFF | Screen Lounge | 10pm | $10-$15
- Shindig Halloween! | The Piston | 10pm | $5-$10
- Shuffle HALLOWEEN Party | Revival Bar | 10pm
- The Bruised Spirits of Southern Ontario | Videofag | 8:30pm
- THE HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCE | ROUND | 10pm | $10-$25
- THRILLER Halloween Party & Official SoberGrid Toronto Launch | 25 Charles St. East | 8pm | $10
- Blood Sweat and Queers | The Steady | Oct. 31 | 10pm | $10
- Tricks & Treats | Bassline | 10pm | $10
- WALKING DEAD HALLOWEEN FRIDAY | Forty2 Supperclub | 10pm | $15 advance
- ZOMBIE PROM | Palais Royale | 10pm | $30
- Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition | opens Oct 31 | TIFF Bell Lightbox
Saturday, November 1st
- 3rd Annual Mimico Pumpkin Parade | Mimico Square | 6pm | Free
- BANGS & BLUSH HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! | Clinton's | 10pm
- ANONYMOUSHALLOWEEN AFTERPARTY | Coalition: TO | 10pm
- "HELL OF A PARTY" | Sanctuary | 9pm |$10
- BOOYAKASHA: HALLOWEED EDITION | Bambi's | 10:30 | $0-$5
- Dance Night '95 Halloween Edition! | Club 120 | 10pm | $5
- HALLOWEEN ZOMBIE ATTACK | Tryst Nightclub | All day | $15+
- HELLWEEN The Nightmare on King Street | Studio Event Theatre | 10pm
- Masquerade A night of Playful Deception | Courthouse | 11pm | $15-$20
- SBTRKT / October 31 (and November 1) / Danforth Music Hall / 7pm / $26
- Murder at the ROM | ROM | 1pm | $35
- MASQUERADE HALLOWEEN - THE VOODOO PARTY | Muzik Nightclub | 9:30pm | $30
- Rockin Post Halloween Party | Junction City Music Hall | All day | $5-$8
- HALLOWEEN THRILLER | May | 9pm | $10
- Shriek A Tail! | Sneaky Dee's | 11pm | $5
- The Batcave North | Nocturne | 10pm | $10
- TWISTED HALLOWEEN | Parlour | 10pm | $20
- WALKING DEAD HALLOWEEN | Forty2 Supperclub | 10pm | $20
Contributions by Aubrey Jax, Benjamin Boles
Lead photo by Conrad Mcgee-Stocks
Did we miss a noteworthy ghoulish throwdown? Let us know in the comments.
by Julia Stead via blogTO
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