37 Halloween Experiences for Grown-Ups in Boston
When:
Tuesday, Oct 01, 2024 5:00p -
Monday, Nov 04, 2024 11:30p
Tuesday, Oct 01, 2024 5:00p -
Monday, Nov 04, 2024 11:30p
Where:
Boston
Surrounding areas
Boston, MA
Admission:
$Varies
Categories:
Art, Date Idea, Drinks, Food, Games, Good for Groups, History, LGBTQ+, Movies, Music, Nightlife, Outside, Party, Seasonal, Shows
Event website:
https://www.thebostoncalendar.com/events/28-halloween-experiences-for-grown-ups-in-boston
Halloween as a kid is awesome. Your goal is to dress up in the craziest outfit possible, hang out with all your friends, and collect free candy all night. But Halloween as an adult has its own perks, including these super spooky haunted houses. We’ve rounded up the best spooktacular events for grown-ups to celebrate this holiday. The sugar just might come from cocktails instead of Reese’s. Events are listed chronologically.
by Celina Colby
PARTIES
When: Wednesday 10/16
Where: Union Square
Cost: Free
Info: Head to Bow Market for a witchy night market with tarot readings, aura photography, DIY jewelry workshops, and the release of Remnant Brewing’s Halloween pumpkin beer. You can also get astrological and psychic readings for even more spooky fun.
20's & 30's FREE Halloween Party
When: Saturday 10/19
Where: Seaport
Cost: Free
Info: Put together by the Make Friends After College group, this Halloween party at Scorpion Bar is a great way to meet new people. Entry is free, costumes are encouraged, and two live DJs will supply the perfect playlist for dancing.
Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys Halloween Happening
When: Thursday 10/24
Where: West End
Cost: $20-25
Info: Join the band Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys at the Museum of Science for a concert and Halloween Happening featuring live music, a cash bar, a costume contest, and an apocalyptic space theme.
Something Strange: An ’80s Halloween
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Seaport
Cost: $40
Info: Tap into your ‘80s alter ego at this Halloween party at the ICA. Try out your breakdancing skills while a live DJ spins retro beats, watch pop-up performances and live artmaking, sip themed cocktails, and more.
Liberty Hotel's Beetlejuice Halloween Party
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Beacon Hill
Cost: $95
Info: Dig those stripes out of your closet and head to the Liberty Hotel’s Beetlejuice Halloween Party, a festive romp with themed cocktails, Beetlejuice decor, and live sets from DJ Joshua Carl and DJ Skoolyahd.
Hawthorne Hotel's 2024 Halloween Ball: "Hawthorne's Lot"
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Salem, MA
Cost: $200
Info: Hawthorne's Lot: Misery Loves Company is one of the most lavish Halloween parties of the season, hosted in the haunted Hawthorne Hotel in Salem. Across three floors you can enjoy live music, immersive experiences, and quirky costumes, plus snack on stationed hors d'oeuvres and order drinks from a cash bar.
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Fenway
Cost: Free
Info: Time Out Market will be serving up witchy brews, aka themed cocktails, and hosting a live DJ, a tarot card reader, an airbrush tattoo artist, drag queen Big Atlas.
The Legends of Hollywood Costume Party
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: South End
Cost: $40
Info: This party calls for a little glamor. Come dressed as your favorite Hollywood star from any era (there is a costume contest), dance to live jazz music, watch group performances, have your fortune told, and sip themed cocktails.
PERFORMANCES & MOVIES
Halloween Watch Wednesdays at The Anchor
When: Wednesdays 10/2-10/30
Where: Charlestown
Cost: Free
Info: Every Wednesday in the month of October catch a spooky flick at The Anchor in Charlestown. From lighthearted films like ‘Ghostbusters’ to horror classics like ‘Halloween,’ there’s something for every taste.
Dragula Watch Party @ Aeronaut Somerville
When: Wednesdays 10/2-12/4
Where: Somerville
Cost: $5
Info: Gather at Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville every Wednesday for screenings of ‘Dragula’ hosted by local drag king Dykelangelo and featuring a guest rotation of local Dragula icons.
Friday Night at the Movies: Addams Family Values
When: Friday 10/4
Where: Jamaica Plain
Cost: $7
Info: Summer camp has never looked so spooky, and so fun, as in ‘Addams Family Values’ screening at The Loring Greenough House in Jamaica Plain.
Saturday Screening: Hocus Pocus
When: Saturday 10/5
Where: Brighton
Cost: Free
Info: Watch this ‘90s classic for free at the Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library and practice your best Sanderson Sisters cackle.
Sunday Scaries at Sam Adams Brewery
When: Sundays from 10/6 to 10/27
Where: Jamaica Plain
Cost: $15
Info: Every Sunday in October you can catch a different Halloween movie at the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain. Watch classic favorites while sipping fall brews and enjoying popcorn and treats.
Friday Night at the Movies: Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
When: Friday 10/11
Where: Jamaica Plain
Cost: $7
Info: Take it back in time to 1962 when Bette Davis and Joan Crawford invented a whole new genre of horror in ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’ You’ll never look at showbiz dames the same way.
When: Thursday 10/24-Thursday 10/31
Where: Somerville
Cost: $44
Info: The Boston Circus Guild is getting spooky during this Halloween show where you can watch aerial feats, contortions, acrobatics and more in an immersive, installation-style theater experience.
When: Friday 10/25
Where: Charlestown
Cost: Free
Info: For one night only The Anchor transforms into a spooky, waterfront wonderland with themed experiences like the Haunted Mezzanine, the Spooky Swamp, the Apple Orchard, and more. Listen to live music, jump out of your skin at the scary movie lounge, and enjoy festive food and drink options.
When: Friday 10/25
Where: Downtown
Cost: $39-$114
Info: Is it really Halloween if you don’t go to Rocky Horror? Watch an unedited screening of the movie with Nell Campbell, the original Columbia character, and a live shadow cast. Come in costume.
Hocus Pocus Recreation at Historic Ropes Mansion
When: Friday 10/25-Thursday 10/31
Where: Salem, MA
Cost: Free
Info: This season the Ropes Mansion in Salem’s historic downtown will be dressed up in a recreation of the family home from cult classic ‘Hocus Pocus.’ Best of all, it’s free to visit!
23rd Halloween Horror Marathon
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Coolidge Corner
Cost: $39-$49
Info: If you can stomach 12 hours of chilling terror, you’re in for a treat at the Coolidge Corner Theatre Halloween Horror Marathon. Spend the night at the movies watching ‘About the Invisible Man’ and ‘About the Fly.’
The Poetry Brothel: Scream, Queen!
When: Tuesday 10/29
Where: Union Square
Cost: $40-75
Info: The Poetry Brothel, an immersive, literary cabaret, is going theme with a Halloween event like no other. Experience performances by artists of all kinds, sneak into the back for a private reading, and present yourself to a madam who presides over it all. Here’s hoping you pass muster.
When: Wednesday 10/30
Where: Charlestown
Cost: Free
Info: Watch a festive screening of the classic film ‘Halloween’ in the open-air courtyard at The Anchor. Grab a drink and a snack and settle in for the Mike Myers event of the season.
When: Thursday 10/31
Where: Brighton
Cost: Free
Info: Before seeing the new edition, swing by the Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library for a free screening of the 1998 original ‘Beetlejuice.’
When: Thursday 10/31
Where: Coolidge Corner
Cost: $15-19
Info: Greet November with screams of terror at the Coolidge Corner Theatre’s Halloween House Party where they’ll screen both the 1996 and 2022 versions of ‘Scream.’ You can also enjoy a fully decorated lobby, festive snacks, film-themed cocktails, and a costume contest.
ARTS & CRAFTS
When: Tuesday 10/8
Where: Back Bay
Cost: $25
Info: Get into the spooky spirit at this Halloween-themed paint and sip, where you can learn step-by-step how to paint a ghostly scene, while watching ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ and enjoying festive refreshments.
When: Thursday 10/10
Where: Brighton
Cost: Free
Info: Get crafty to celebrate the holiday by decorating a mini paper haunted house. There are a few house patterns available so you can make something uniquely your own.
Halloween Gingerbread House Making Workshop
When: Sunday 10/13
Where: East Cambridge
Cost: $55
Info: Translate a winter holiday tradition into a Halloween one at a gingerbread house-making workshop where the house is black and comes with a cat and a bonus graveyard.
When: Thursday 10/17
Where: Back Bay
Cost: $75
Info: This pottery class gets a festive spin. Instead of the usual mug making you can experiment with making pumpkins, ghosts, and other eerie items out of clay. Teachers are on hand to help you out and you can order treats off the cafe menu.
When: Sunday 10/20
Where: Somerville
Cost: $20
Info: Sip a local brew from Aeronaut and break out your inner Michelangelo for festive pumpkin carving at the brewery. Whether you go cut or spooky, it’s bound to be creative fun.
HAUNTED TOURS
When: 9/20-11/3
Where: Downtown
Cost: $39
Info: Hunt for clues and unravel a murder mystery on the streets of Downtown Boston. The classic board game ‘Clue’ takes on a life of its own during this event that’s part walking tour, part murder mystery, and part Halloween party.
When: 9/27-10/27
Where: Beverly, MA
Cost: $12-25
Info: During Halloween the 114-acre Long Hill estate in Beverly is transformed into a spooky seasonal stroll complete with more than 1,000 jack-o-lanterns, light displays, music, and tons of cool decorations. This is a family-friendly event.
When: 9/29-11/3
Where: Charlestown
Cost: $25-90
Info: You can finally check out a haunted house within city limits! Boston’s Wicked Haunt Fest has three different haunted houses with in-depth narratives, Halloween-themed cocktail bars, an Oktoberfest-style beer garden, and lots of spooky grounds to explore.
Candlelight & Spiritualism Tours at Hammond Castle Museum
When: Every Thursday in October
Where: Gloucester, MA
Cost: $25
Info: Get your dose of history with a side of terror at this candlelit tour of the Hammond Castle Museum where you’ll learn both the history of the building and the history of the spirits that haunt it.
Beacon Hill with a BOO! Walking Tour
When: Sunday 10/27
Where: Beacon Hill
Cost: $25
Info: Boston’s most charming neighborhood has a dark and seedy underbelly. On this Halloween-specific walking tour you’ll learn about the murder and mayhem that mark Beacon Hill’s past.
FOOD & DRINK
Teatime Tuesdays with the Satanic Temple
When: Tuesdays 10/1-10/29
Where: Salem, MA
Cost: $13
Info: Every Tuesday you can enjoy complimentary tea (with gallery admission) while strolling through the current exhibits at the Satanic Temple in Salem.
Wicked Witches and Wigs: A Hocus Pocus Drag Dinner
When: Thursday 10/31
Where: Back Bay
Cost: $25+
Info: Watch Salem history and Sanderson Sisters fun collide during this Hocus Pocus-themed drag dinner. Enjoy a prix fixe Halloween dinner or a la carte goodies while watching this fabulous performance.
An Enchanting Halloween at Blind Duck
When: Thursday 10/31
Where: Back Bay
Cost: $150
Info: For a fancier take on Halloween, Blind Duck is hosting an elegant evening complete with a raw bar, a signature cocktail, tasteful but spooky decor, and a live DJ. Costumes are encouraged and a special menu of canapes will be passed during the party.
FITNESS
When: Saturday 10/26
Where: Woburn, MA
Cost: $40-45
Info: Dress in your favorite Halloween costume, lace up your sneakers, and prepare for a hauntingly fun 5K through a decorated Halloween course. Afterwards enjoy a costume contest, live music, and plenty of Lord Hobo brews.
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Photo by Chris Devers CC 2.0
