Halloween Events in Houston

Fall in Houston doesn’t mean chilly evenings (unless you think 65 °F is chilly) or changing leaves, but it still means Halloween! Whether you like spooky, scary or silly, there is something fun out there for you. Dust off last year’s costume or whip up something new and take advantage of some of the best parties and events Houston has to offer.

At The Movies

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Landmark Theater in River Oaks, with special guests The Beautiful Creatures: Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon star in this midnight-show classic. The October 29 & 30 shows will feature a live appearance by acting troupe The Beautiful Creatures. The movie shows on Friday October 29 and Saturday October 30 at midnight. The Landmark Theater is located at 2009 W. Gray St. (map).

Haunted Houses

• Houston Haunted Houses: Houston Haunted Houses features four venues in which to test your mettle: the Texas Chainsaw Maze, the Sanitarium, the Castle of Doom, and the Haunted Woods. Tickets range from $15 to $85 all-access passes. The Castle, the Sanitarium, and the Texas Chainsaw Room are located at 1500 Elton St. (map) and the Haunted Woods are located at 2995 South Sam Houston Pkwy. East (map). Dates: October 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31. Friday & Saturday 8 PM-1 AM; Halloween 8 PM-11 PM.
• Screamworld: Five attractions in one location make Screamworld one-stop shopping for fright-seekers! Tickets can be purchased online, with prices starting at $20 and ranging through the $40 VIP Fast Pass; online ticket purchases do receive a discount. Attractions include the Outdoor Maze of Maniacs, the Haunted Hotel, The Edge of Darkness, the Slaughter House and the outdoor “Psycho Path”. Dates: October 21-24 and 26-31. Thursday & Sunday 7:30 PM-10 PM; Friday & Saturday 8 PM-12:30 AM. Screamworld is located at 2225 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. West (map).
• Phobia Haunted Houses: Eight attractions set Phobia Haunted Houses apart from the rest. Mix and match between five – The Darke Institute, Mind Control (Asylum), 3D Clown Phobia, ClaustroPhobia, and Dawn of the Machine – and/or purchase a special “Exile” pass for Simon Fowler Woods, DarkeWorld and Mania. Tickets are available online; prices range from $13-$50, and online discounts are available. Dates & Times: 10.21 (7:30 PM – 10 PM); 10.22 (7:30 PM – 12 AM); 10.23 (7:30 PM – 12 AM); 10.24 (7:30 PM – 10 PM); 10.28 (7 PM – 10 PM); 10.29 (7 PM – 12 AM); 10.30 (7 PM – 12 AM); 10.31 (7 PM – 11 PM). Phobia Haunted Houses are located at 18777 Highway 290 (map).

Halloween Parties

• Houston Press Halloween Bash at the House of Blues: A costume contest and KISS cover band, Gene’s Addiction, plus drink specials…for free? Sounds like a pretty sweet party. The House of Blues is located at 1204 Caroline St. (map).
• 4th Annual Montrose Crawl: Saturday October 30th. Costumes and contests, drinks and dinner, and late-night snacks plus plenty of fun folks to hang with makes the Montrose Crawl a fun option for party animals. The route takes you to bars and restaurants along Westheimer, between Montrose and Dunlavy. Start the night at 6 PM with dinner at Brasil (map) and then move along, progressive-style, to some of Houston’s coolest bars like Anvil (map), Poison Girl (map) and Slick Willie’s (map). End the night with food at Little Bigs (map) to mitigate the inevitable hangover. There is no cover charge to participate, and all participants are responsible for their own drinks and transportation; don’t forget a designated driver! All participating bars and restaurants will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Houston Area Women’s Center.

For the Kids

• Happy Halloween Mansion at the Houston Children’s Museum: Safe trick-or-treating for the kids and gentle thrills for the little ones as well. The two weeks of Halloween fun culminates for the Halloween Spooktacular celebration on October 31st. October 19-31 has trick-or-treating for the kids between 4 PM and 6 PM; October 28-31 the festivities last until 8 PM. On October 31st the Halloween Spooktacular starts at noon and lasts until 8 PM; bring the whole family and  help the museum try to beat the world record for for largest Halloween gathering in costume! (The number to beat is 508.) The Children’s Museum is located at 1500 Binz St. (map). Admission is $8 for adults and children over 1 year; Thursdays from 5 PM – 8 PM are free family nights.

Photo credit: SXC