DC-area Halloween parties and spooktacular events

It s time to party it up this spooky season For those seeking something scary delicious enlightening or family-friendly there s something in the D C region for every haunt of life Here s your guide on what to expect this year For a list of haunted houses fields forests and other local attractions check out this guide from WTOP And for more events consider WTOP s Things to do in the D C area guide which publishes every Thursday For those seeking family-friendly or pup-approved fun Howl-o-Ween Dog Costume Contest At Dacha s Navy Yard location lovers of fluff can come and participate in a pet costume contest or browse through a vendor marketplace Tickets for the Oct event cost or for a contest entry Related stories Things to do in the DC area DC-area haunted houses fields forests and other spooky attractions The world s longest mural can be unveiled underground in Downtown DC Howl-O-Ween Bar k Crawl Invite your favorite furry friend to come to The Yards in D C for the Howl-O-Ween Bar k Crawl This event transforms several of the outdoor patios in the neighborhood into Halloween playgrounds for dogs and their humans Expect Halloween-themed treats cocktails and happy hour bites The event on Oct is free to attend Boo at the Zoo The Smithsonian National Zoo s Boo at the Zoo is back Oct - with trick-or-treat stations throughout the park The general admission includes after-hours access to the Small Mammal House Elephant District Center and Reptile Discovery Center Guests can also expect a live giant pumpkin carving a roaming magician and a troupe of costumed actors bringing Halloween characters to life The Haunted Library For those aged and up the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library is hosting an hour of reading scary stories The free event is Oct PumpkinPalooza Alethia Tanner Park in D C is hosting a pick-your-own pumpkin patch live Smurf costumed characters and a costume parade a screening of the Hotel Transylvania film and a petting zoo at their annual PumpkinPalooza event The event is Oct Haunted House Decorating Drop in at the National Building Museum on Oct for an arts and crafts session where children can design their own haunted houses Preregistration is recommended but not required The scheme costs per child and per adult Air Scare The Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly Virginia is hosting a Halloween event Oct for families to dress up and enjoy trick-or-treat stations special story times and puppet shows and creepy crafts within the museum Air Scare is free to attend but the outdoor portion of the event requires tickets Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon Come with costumes and bags Oct for children and their families to collect candy at the historic presidential home Tickets to trick or treat at Mount Vernon cost per adult and per youth For foodies or those craving bottomless pours An Evening of Poisons and Potions The U S Botanic Garden is inviting the population to sip on sinister spirits and wicked potions Oct For adults ages and up can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail while exploring the garden after hours Murder at the Masquerade Michelin-starred restaurant J NT is hosting an immersive and delicious masquerade event Oct On Halloween night guests can sip on Champagne and enjoy exquisite cuisine as secrets whispers and hidden tokens unfold With wine pairings included the event is hosted at p m or p m with a cost of per person Spooky-Danza Celebrate Halloween with the Spooky-Danza natural wine party at Sonny s Pizza in D C Along with bottomless pours the late-night event Oct also includes a costume contest DJs and dancing as well as snacks There will also be flash tattoos from local artists to benefit the D C Migrant Fund Tickets cost approximately per person For the lovers of art music and history Ghosts of Georgetown Explore Georgetown in this family-friendly tour all month long to learn about the dark secrets hidden within the neighborhood The one-and-a-half-hour walking tour costs approximately per adult or per child Soul Strolls Experience the Congressional Cemetery like never before with this hourlong walking tour which navigates those interred there and the secrets buried alongside them Soul Strolls is a rain-or-shine event recommended only for adults due to mature themes The second wave of ticket sales open Oct for walking tours that are hosted Oct and Nov An Evening with Jack the Ripper The local lecture series known as Profs and Pints is heading to D C s Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital for a gripping presentation on Jack the Ripper Luxx Mishou who is a former instructor at the U S Naval Academy plans to discuss the infamous occurrence and whether the sensational press coverage surrounding the murders helped or definitely hindered the search And of discipline the lecture will tackle the biggest question of all Who was Jack the Ripper Tickets for the Oct event cost approximately per person COVEN A Halloween Dance Party Head to the Black Cat in D C for a night of dancing and tarot readings Oct Guests can also get excited for spooky vendors and a witchy photo booth Tickets cost in advance Girls Rock D C Halloween Benefit Five bands are performing for this Halloween fundraising event for Girls Rock D C a group that provides music programs for young people The event is at Songbyrd Music House in Northeast D C on Oct Tickets cost approximately Early American Witch Hunts Another Profs and Pints lecture to consider is this event on the colonial hysteria that led to the tragedy of Salem Richard Bell a history professor at the University of Maryland will lead the lecture Oct Tickets cost approximately per person Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror The Lincoln Theatre is hosting a screening of Nosferatu with a live orchestral accompaniment Tickets to the event on Oct start at approximately Other notable events D C WitchFest On Oct head to the block of th Street NW for D C WitchFest This event promises a magical afternoon of tarot readings astrology readings as well as witchy crafts and spells Admission is free HORRORGVSM IV For something that is not only spooky but a little sexy too D C Braulesque is hosting a horror-themed burlesque show at D C Brau on Oct General admission costs while VIP costs All About Bats in the District Learn about the science of bats with local expert Kelly Russo-Petrick at this free event at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library The event is Oct Preregistration is encouraged Creature Feature For adults only Rhizome is hosting a Halloween drag show hosted by performer Exquisite Corpze The event is Oct with tickets that are free but donations are appreciated Nightmare in Navy Yard On Oct Scorpio Entertainment is hosting the sixth annual Nightmare in Navy Yard with three DJs three dance floors themed cocktails and food trucks But don t forget the spooky decor and animatronics Tickets cost approximately per person Halloween Drag Bingo Dinner Head to the D C restaurant Unconventional Diner on Oct for a drag bingo and dinner event hosted by India L Houston This Halloween event costs per person with a buffet and five bingo cards included Cocktails mocktails beer and wine are available a la carte Fantom Comics x Dupont Underground Halloween Party In the deep subterranean depths of Dupont Circle or Dupont Underground Fantom Comics is planning a Halloween party with live DJs and video games Ticket prices cost for first release and will increase as Oct nears Source