40+ Ways to celebrate Halloween in the Bay Area

Spooky season is upon us, and whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun or an adults-only night on the town, there’s no shortage of Halloween events to get your fright on. Here’s a sampling of Halloween events happening across the Bay, from trick-or-treating to carnivals, haunted houses, masquerade balls, concerts, bar crawls, cruises, dance parties and more.

Tricks and Treats at California’s Great America: Friday-Sunday through Oct. 30, 4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara. This South Bay amusement park has just debuted an all-new immersive, family-friendly Halloween event, Tricks and Treats that includes a trick-or-treat trail, Halloween-themed games and activities and special live entertainment, along with delicious fall-inspired foods, sweets and drinks. Included with park admission. cagreatamerica.com/

Winchester Unhinged: Select days and times through Oct. 31, Winchester Mystery House, 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. Winchester Mystery House returns this fall with an entirely new chapter, “Unhinged: Nightshade’s Curse.” Featuring a new storyline and terrifying new scares, this suspenseful walk-through haunt offers multiple routes through the darkened corridors of the infamous mansion, where guests will confront malicious spirits and encounter terrifying scenes revealing the twisted tales and secrets of the haunted home. $65+. winchestermysteryhouse.com/unhinged/

Spooky Halloween Science: 2 to 3 p.m. Oct. 1, Vineland, 1450 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose. Spooky Halloween Science is a hands-on S.T.E.A.M. workshop where children (ages 5 to 12) will make “witches’ brew” that bubbles and fizzes due to a fun chemical reaction. In addition, students will concoct bright green “Ogre Boogers” slime to take home. There’s Halloween storytime and mask-making too. Prices TBD. sjpl.bibliocommons.com/events/62f70072cbbfef8e359a4e05

Mockingbird Lane – A Halloween Market: 12 to 5 p.m. Oct. 2, 2305 Alameda Ave., Alameda. The ghosts of Mockingbird Lane invite you to the fifth annual Halloween Market, a curated Halloween festival that features 40 artists specializing in all things spooky, macabre, strange and unusual. Free. sites.google.com/view/mockingbirdlanemarket/home

HalloQueer Variety Show: 8 p.m. Oct. 6, Studio 23 Gallery, 2309 Encinal Ave., Alameda. This trans/non-binary POC inclusive Halloween show will be full of spooky fun, with live music, drag performances and raffle prizes. Donations from raffle tickets will go to Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter. Costumes encouraged! Free. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3SzsVu5

KML Presents: Freddy Krueger’s Day Off: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday Oct 6-29, Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy St., San Francisco. Blood will “trickle down.” No one can SAVE FERRIS. So perm your hair, slip on your parachute pants and Aerobics your way to the theater for a night of seriously scary sketch comedy, ’80s style. $21.50. AllEvents: bayareane.ws/3SxvT1F

House of Superstitions: 7 to 11 p.m. select nights Oct. 7-31, Blind Scream Haunted House, 98 Santa Rosa Plaza, Santa Rosa. Deep in the dank, dark woods stands a dilapidated old dwelling that the townsfolk steer clear of. It’s inhabited, some say, by three evil sisters who have poisoned the surrounding lands and cursed anyone who dares enter. Those brave enough to cross the haunted house threshold, well, they never return. $25-$35. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3LLdyfr

Halloween Meltdown: Oct. 8-9, Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St., Oakland. Halloween Meltdown, the spooky sister-festival to the beloved Mosswood Meltdown, announces the stacked lineup for this annual Halloween-themed event, featuring performances from Amyl & The Sniffers, Shannon & The Clams, Fuzz, Sheer Mag, The Spits, Lydia Lunch and more. The event will also feature a costume contest with a $500 cash prize and a haunted house designed by East Bay musician and horror artist Rob Fletcher. $59-$179. pitchperfectpr.com/mosswood-meltdown/

Pug-O-Ween at Roaring Camp Railroad: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 9, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. Join the spooky puggy fun on this special train ride through the redwoods. Expect food, drinks, games, costume contests, cake walks, cotton candy and a spin wheel. $65. tinypawspugrescue.org/

Zombie Brew Crawl: 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 15, Downtown Martinez. The undead are coming, and they’re thirsty! Join the zombies shambling along the downtown corridor of Martinez, sampling 30+ craft beers from various breweries stationed at participating small businesses. Zombie costumes are optional, however there will be cash prizes awarded for the best individual costumes, as well as the best group costume. There will also be a “Thriller” Flash Mob. $35-$50. downtownmartinez.org/zombie-brew-crawl

Halloween Spooktacular Circus Costume Cabaret: 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 15, The Lama Shack, Lincoln Ave., Oakland. Transport to another land as you eat, drink and melt into the sunset at this enchanting venue complete with koi pond, VIP cabanas, fire pits and stunning entertainment. Performances include Nikki Borodi’s Acrolele ukulele antics, aerial acrobatics by Maia Walker, hypnotic juggling and hand balancing by Jeremy Vik and burlesque by Lolo Ramone. $50-$95. bit.ly/halloweenlama 

CYC’s Halloween Night: 5:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 21, Community Youth Center, 2241 Galaxy Court, Concord. Werewolves howl, phantoms prowl — and CYC’s Halloween Night will be offering  something fun for all age groups. Paint pumpkins, load up on candy and play games at the Trunk-or-Treat, and/or get your screams out in the Haunted House. $15-$25. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3E0wmW2

Halloween Masquerade Ball: 7 p.m. Oct. 21, Market & Main, 610 Main St., Martinez. Drink, dance, eat and be entertained at this elegant Venetian mask event and dance party. Expect music and mischief, dancing, DJs and other entertainment, catered entrees, signature drinks and a show-ending mask reveal. $64. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3xXRb0F

Halloween Jam at Fairyland: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 28-30, Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. The Halloween Jam offers a boo-tiful time, more kooky than spooky, and full of outdoor fall fun and festivities. Enjoy seasonal surprises including decked-out sets, a creepy crawly scavenger hunt, arts and crafts stations and a ghost town. $9-$18. fairyland.org/events-and-performances/halloween-jam-2/

’80s Halloween Party: 8 p.m. Oct. 22, 860 San Pablo Ave., Albany. Rock your favorite goth, punk, vamp, horror, ’80s movie digs as you jam to the sounds of Kate Bush, Cure, New Order and more. All music will be performed live by Retrospekt at the Ivy Room, a women owned, all-inclusive venue and a special home for the LGBTQ+ community. $12. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3Sqyvik

Boo at the Zoo: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 22-31, Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. Enjoy this family-friendly Halloween event with a spooky animal-themed scavenger hunt. Grab a program as you enter and follow the clues to trick-or-treat for animal trading cards throughout the Zoo. Upon completing your scavenger hunt, collect a limited-release trading card and a candy bar from our presenting sponsor, OCHO Candy. Free with admission. oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/boo-at-the-zoo

Bubbles & Broomsticks: 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, 248 Oak St., Brentwood. This spooktacular night of ghoulish good times includes fine dining options, hand-crafted drinks at cauldron keepers and brewing stations, exclusive Halloween specials at local shops and trick or treat entertainment. $10. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3DX48M2

ThiccTease presents BADDIES – A Halloween Burlesque Show: 7 p.m. Oct. 26, OASIS, 298 11th St., San Francisco. Devilish friends and devious fiends, get ready for a show featuring the baddest babes and the most angelic gogos from around the Bay. $20-$40. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3UMHPyz

Baby BOOgie ’80’s Halloween Party: 6 p.m. Oct. 27, Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Kids and families should get ready to dance to ’80s hits while decked out in your totally rad costumes. Free. Palo Alto CIty Library: bayareane.ws/3SlooLr

Frightmare Home Haunt: Oct. 28, 29 and 31, 697 Sonoma Ave., Livermore. A passion project that stemmed from the owner’s love of all things Halloween, scary movies and spooky decor, this haunted home experience has been a Bay Area Halloween favorite for almost a decade. Each year the team adds to the experience, drawing in crowds of over 500 per night to see a set that this year includes a laser swamp and an abundance of plastic pumpkins! Free. instagram.com/frightmarehomehaunt/

Crawloween- San Francisco Halloween Pub Crawl: Oct. 28, 29 and 31, various times and locations in San Francisco. Crawloween brings together thousands of fun, costumed people to drink and dance the night away with drink specials at more than 25 San Francisco bars. Think of it as trick-or-treating for adults. $10-$35. crawloween.com/

Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Martinez: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28, Main Street, Downtown Martinez. Visit creatively themed and decorated car trunks, kids activity game booths and shops to collect candy and treats. Free. downtownmartinez.org/trunk-or-treat

FUNtazmagoria: 3 to 8 p.m. Oct. 28-30, Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa. This Mad Scientist Lab will be a walk-through experience with potions, creepy critters, ghostly glow-in-the-dark everything and electric exploration. $12-$20. cmosc.org/events/funtazmagoria/

Not Your Mummy’s Halloween Party: 4 p.m. Oct. 28, Homegrown Hops Brewing, 3000 Mines Road, Livermore. This fun filled, family-friendly Halloween Party includes trick or treating, brews, bites, costume contests, games and more. Free admission. AllEvents: bayareane.ws/3dIuZRj

SuperNatural Halloween at the California Academy of Sciences: 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco. Shake your bones at a silent disco in Steinhart Aquarium. Satisfy your sweet tooth at trick-or-treat stations, marvel at mystical magic shows and create crafts to “DIY” for. Transform into living (or undead) art with face painting, and immortalize your spirit at a photo booth. And last but not least: Teens can rest in peace at an exclusive teen lounge with arcade games, snacks and more. $55-$60. calacademy.org/supernatural

The Witching Hour: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28, 2353 Pacific Ave., 2353 Pacific Ave., Stockton. Come mingle with the other witches and spooky season lovers as you shop all things metaphysical. Stock up on sage, palo santo, bath and body products, intention candles, crystals and so much more.  Enjoy a mini sound healing session, henna, reiki, tarot reading or even a psychic reading. Free admission. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3SiUEir

Wormhole Halloween: 10 p.m. Oct. 28, The Great Northern, 119 Utah St., San Francisco. Wormhole Entertainment is bring its legendary Halloween party back to one of its favorite rooms in the city with another stacked lineup, to boot. $20-$40. bayareane.ws/3rd6WwR

Halloween Fright Night Costume Cruise: 10:30 p.m. Oct. 28, Jack London Square, 1 Broadway, Oakland. Celebrate Halloween with a 3-hour midnight cruise from Jack London Square to the haunted waters under the Bay Bridge and all the way to San Francisco and McCovey Cove. There will be food and chilly cocktails available for purchase, plus prizes for best costumes. $55-$400. bayareane.ws/3UEwnoz

Monster Bash: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29, Rengstorff Park, 201 S. Rengstorff Ave., Mountain View. Don your favorite costume and enjoy a fall festival loaded with a twisty maze, spooky games, enchanting performances, a Dia de Muertos celebration, stilt walkers, inflatables and a creepy, crawly, ooey gooey zone. Free. mountainview.gov/depts/cs/events/halloween.asp

Bats, Bats and More Bats!: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 29, Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto. Start your Halloween weekend with a fun-filled morning of trick-or-tricking with Dracula, arts and crafts and live bats at Gamble Garden. Come in costume (or not) and be prepared to have a batty and draculish time. $0-$40. gamblegarden.org/event/halloween2022/

Halloween Hoopla: 12 to 3 p.m. Oct. 29, Children’s Garden, Yerba Buena Gardens, 799 Howard St., San Francisco. The 22nd annual Halloween Hoopla is the place to be for family-friendly frights and delights, including live entertainment, palm reading from the mystical Madam Z and ghoulishly good craft-making. Free. ybgfestival.org/event/halloween-hoopla-2022/

Halloween Carnival with Día de los Muertos Celebration: 12 to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, Rohnert Park Community Center, 5401 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. Celebrate the spooky season at this fun, family-friendly event featuring carnival games, a haunted maze, a live animal experience, arts and crafts and a pumpkin walk. Free. City of Rohnert Park: bayareane.ws/3xX1m5E

Art Embraces Words – Halloween Costume Event: 2 p.m. Oct. 29, Lafayette Library & Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Dress up as your favorite literary or artistic character and join the celebration, which includes hearing emerging writers read from their work. Find out who inspires lovers of literature and art. Free. Lamorinda Arts: bayareane.ws/3BQj4c7

Halloween LEGO Workshop: 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 29, Portal Park, 10299 N. Portal Ave., Cupertino. Get your scare on with Snapology’s Monster Mania. Use LEGO bricks to create your own monster fighter, build a haunted town and have a scary good time during this fun program. Students will not only learn about the origins of some scary myths, they’ll use this knowledge for their builds thereby confronting what lurks in the night. $50-$60. Facebook: bayareane.ws/3E43k89

Halloween Brew Crawl: 5 to 8 p.m. Oct 29, Pleasanton Museum,  603 Main St., Pleasanton. Stroll through haunted Downtown Pleasanton as you sip craft brews and ciders while enjoying tasty bites along the way at more than 25 downtown locations. Costumes encouraged. $50. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3S9iyfS 

Halloween Wine Bash: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 29, Leisure Street Winery, 8953 Tesla Road, Livermore. This Leisure Street Winery Halloween Wine Bash features live music by Nomad Hustle, Big C BBQ and family-friendly activity stations. $10-$20. AllEvents: bayareane.ws/3SAoej4

Halloween Party Spooktakular with the Houserockers: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 29, Guglielmo Winery, 1480 E. Main Ave., Morgan Hill. This Rock & Soul Spooktacular Event offers an incredible night of dancing, wine and friends at Guglielmo Winery with music by The Houserockers. $30. guglielmowinery.com/event/halloween-party-houserockers/

Halloween Masquerade Ball at Buena Vista Winery: 7 p.m. Oct. 29, 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma. Put on your favorite fedora or flapper costume and join the annual Masquerade Ball celebrating the roaring ’20s in “Great Gatsby” style. Dance the night away with live music and entertainment while enjoying delicious bites and wines. $100-$125. buenavistawinery.com/eventdetail/halloween-masquerade-ball

Pre-Halloween Silky Soul ’70s Concert: 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Black Repertory Group, 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley. Enjoy an evening at Miss Pumpkin Productions’ Pre-Halloween Silky Soul Dinner Dance Concert with The Delfonics, featuring Greg Hill and The Dells Revue. Join us for dinner, dancing, and the super silky sounds of this old school ’70s concert. $100. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3CgcDAm

RagTag Improv Presents Halloween SuperScene: 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Stage Werx Theatre, 446 Valencia St., San Francisco. Join the fun at this fast-paced improv competition, which includes all things creepy: zombies, a spooky doll, a camping story, chainsaws, creepy ghost girls in the woods… all made up on the spot! $15. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3UJoqyo

San Francisco Masquerade Halloween Yacht Party: 7:45 p.m. Oct. 29, Alameda Boarding, 2394 Mariner Square Drive, Alameda. Step on board the Cabernet Sauvignon for this masquerade yacht Party. $45+. Eventbrite: https://bayareane.ws/3DXdreI

Speakeasy San Francisco Halloween Party Cruise: 7:45 p.m. Oct. 29, Fume Blanc, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco. Get ready for this special Halloween experience aboard the Fume Blanc, where guests will be transported back to the ’20s while surrounded by a slew of movers and shakers all decked to the nines. Dance your night away with two top San Francisco DJs spinning open format music and spectacular views of Treasure Island, Alcatraz and city skyline. $85+. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3fmCygM

W Hotel San Francisco Mega Halloween Party: 9 p.m. Oct. 29, W San Francisco, 181 Third St., San Francisco. Looking for the best Halloween Party that San Francisco has to offer? This Halloween Ball offers four magically decorated rooms and 10 DJs, plus dancers, drummers and more. $35-$150. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3rcElaV

Tri-Valley Halloween Con 2022: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 30, San Ramon Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon. All things pop culture, including toys, collectibles, anime, LEGO, comics and art, will be featured at this family-friendly show presented by Bay Area Festivals and American Brick Builders. $0-$12. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3LItbnT

Edge of Halloween Treasure Hunt: 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 30, Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., San Francisco. Join this family-friendly Halloween treasure hunt amid the holiday-perfect Gothic ambiance with spooky music and festive fun. Families will follow the footsteps of the cathedral cat, performing fun tasks, searching for clues and weaving their way through obstacles to find their treasure. Sensational and super-spooky organ music will be provided by Grammy-winning composer and organist Dorothy Papadakos. Free. Eventbrite: bayareane.ws/3RcpFmM

Halloween on the Wharf – Trick or Treat By the Bay: 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31, Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf, 101 Washington St., Monterey. Come in costume, receive some sweet treats, pose for fun photo ops and jam to spooky tunes on the wharf. Free admission. montereywharf.com/event/halloween-on-the-wharf/624.html