By Basha Cohen
The Halloween season is in full swing with ghoulishly good times. Festivities run the gamut from family friendly, sweet trick-or-treat events where candy and costumes collide, to pooches on parade and pumpkin carving taken to a new art form.
The Santa Fe Arts District will celebrate its first Día de los Muertos parade, and other bewitching Day of the Dead celebrations will occur under the glow of otherworldly candlelight.
Whether you are a big ghoul looking for adult bar crawls and haunted houses filled with howlingly spooky creature features or a baby goblin just looking for candy, here are The Denver North Star’s hyper-local top picks. You will need a supersonic broom to get through all of these spook-tacular happenings!
Friday, Oct. 20 and 27
FREAKY FRIDAY FRIGHT NIGHT FLICKS
Little Man Ice Cream, 2620 16th St., 6:30-9 p.m.
Little Man will send shivers up your spine with family friendly, fright night flicks. Bring a blankie and prepare to be spooked. Oct. 20, “Ghostbusters;” Oct. 27, “Coco;” free.
Friday, Oct. 20
SAVE OUR BOO-TIFUL LOCAL PAPER
Little Man Ice Cream, 2620 16th St., 5-9 p.m.
Little Man wants to help save our community paper, The Denver North Star. A portion of sales will be donated to keep it alive. And you can enter to win a North Denver gift basket worth over $200! You’ll be automatically entered to win these scarily good goodies when you donate. The world would be a scary place without community journalism. Don’t let it become an apparition of the past.
Saturday, Oct. 21
COLORADO LADIES OF LOWRIDING TRUNK OR TREAT
Joshua Station, 2330 W. Mulberry Place, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
For an offbeat trick-or-treat experience, don your costumes, decorate cars and go lowrider to lowrider for goodies galore. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Santa Cruz. Trick-or-treating begins at 12:30 p.m.
PUMPKIN CARVING & COSTUME COMPETITION
Little Man Ice Cream, 2620 16th St., noon-3 p.m.
Want to win a $200 grand prize for your spook-tacular pumpkin? Buy a pumpkin in the patch or bring your own. Little Man has the carving tools, but bring your own carving knife if you choose. Costume competition begins at 2:00 p.m. Winners for best pumpkins, people and pets (spookiest, most creative, cutest and best family or group) announced at 2:45 p.m. Free.
Sunday, Oct. 22
BOO-TIFUL COOKIE DECORATING PARTY
Little Man Ice Cream Factory, 4411 W. Colfax Ave., noon-2 p.m.
Come in costume and express your artistry with Halloween cookie decorating. Win ice cream prizes for the best cookies (spookiest, cutest, most creative and ugliest). Four cookies/$5; includes all decorations; RSVP is required for cookie decorating at info@littlemanicecream.com.
Monday, Oct. 23-Friday, Oct. 27
POTTER HIGHLAND HOUSE HAUNT
Amy Berglund presents the Highland House Haunt. Decorate your home in the freakiest, shriekiest way your cold, cold heart desires to win. Entries must be received and houses must be completed no later than Fri., Oct. 27, at 5 p.m.. Sign up on Facebook, https://vid.us/jth8yk. Top three winners will be announced Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. at the Highland HUNIween parade at Recess Beer Garden, 2715 17th St. No. 103.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
ANNUAL PUMPKIN CARVING
Edgewater Beer Garden, 2508 Grey St., 5-8 p.m.
Pumpkins and carving kits will be provided free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Take your finished jack-o’-lantern home with you or leave it displayed at the beer garden for a chance to win gift cards.
Thursday, Oct. 26
HALLOWEEN PROV OR NO PROV
The Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., 7:30-9 p.m.
The Parker Players’ annual Halloween Costume Show, in which the improvisers will perform in costume and in character for the entire show; $10. Come in costume for a chance to win $100.
Friday, Oct. 27
‘ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW’
Historic Elitch Theatre, 4550 W. 38th Ave., 8 p.m.
Don’t miss this historic, first-time showing at a historic Denver theatre; $15. Info and tickets: https://historicelitchtheatre.org/event/rocky23/
Saturday, Oct. 28
HIGHLAND HUNIWEEN PARADE
Gardens at St. Elizabeth, 2835 W. 32nd Ave., 9:30-11 a.m.
Family friendly parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Kids walk down 32nd Avenue to Erie Street for a trick-or-treat street and after-party at Recess Gardens including face painting, food, crafts and more. Free.
SAVE OUR BOO-TIFUL LOCAL PAPER
Recess Gardens, 2715 17th St.,9:30-11 a.m.
HUNI wants to save The Denver North Star. Meet the publisher after the parade and donate to keep it alive. Enter to win a North Denver gift basket worth over $200! You’ll be automatically entered to win these scarily good goodies when you donate. The world would be a scary place without community journalism. Don’t let it become an apparition of the past.
TENNYSON FALL FEST & PET PARADE
41st-43rd Tennyson St., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Eighth annual trick-or-treat with local businesses from the Tennyson Berkeley Business Association. Start your day with a stretch of yoga from Ohana Yoga & Barre. Then put on the dog and dress up with your fur-ever friend for the pet costume parade. Live music, beer, artisans and more. Free.
SLOAN’S LAKE CLEAN-UP IN COSTUME
1646 Perry St, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Protect our Rivers and Odell Brewing Co. are wrapping up the Lake Love Cleanup Series this season. Come in costume, clean the lake and enjoy a free beer at Odell’s Sloan’s Lake brewhouse for your good deed. Free. Sign up: https://www.protectourrivers.org/events
DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE
Denver Arts District, Parade from 7th and Santa Fe to La Alma Lincoln Park, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
New in 2023, local artist Norberto “Beto” Mojardin introduces the first parade celebrating the Day of the Dead. The Mexican-born artist created the largest Dia de los Muertos altar in the state. The parade and after-party at Civic Center Park will celebrate the spirit of those no longer with us. Mojardin said, “You are invited to bring a photo of your loved one and place it on the altar so that together we can remember them.” Info: vivacolorado.org
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL
Civic Center Park, 101 14th Ave., noon-8 p.m.
The party continues at Civic Center Park at this family friendly community event where every culture, race and religion is remembered through music, culture, arts, ballet folklorico, “Coco” characters, lowriders and more.
THE DENVER WITCHES BALL
Highlands Masonic Lodge, 3550 Federal Blvd., 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
Get on your broom for the 31st annual Denver Witches Ball, Denver’s premier pagan Halloween masquerade ball. Magic, music, shopping the occult and more. Bring the kids in the early hours. Ages 10 and under free; 11-15, $5; adults, $31. Info: https://thedenverwitchesball.com/event/denver-witches-ball-2023-celebrating-31-years/
ELKS CLUB HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY
2475 W. 26th Ave., 6 p.m.-1 a.m.
Denver No. 17, the “Northside Adult Playground,” presents the 6 Million Dollar Band, the ultimate ’80s experience. DJ spins in the club room plus Dos Gringos is slinging tacos. Tickets are $45-$50 and are available at Eventbrite; ages 21+.
Sunday, Oct. 29
HIGHLANDS HARVEST FESTIVAL
West 32nd Avenue, Lowell to Perry, 2-5 p.m.
Round out your month of Northside BOO-tiful happenings in the Highlands. Trick-or-treating, a parade, bouncy castles, pumpkin carving, and a costume contest for people and pets. Free. Info: https://www.visitdenverhighlands.com/events-1
Wednesday, Nov. 1
CANDLELIGHT, DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
St. Cajetan’s, 101 Lawrence Way, 6:15 p.m.
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multisensory, musical experience. Discover the music of Día De Los Muertos under the gentle glow of candlelight; $35-60.
Friday, Nov. 3
DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION
Pirate Contemporary Art, 7130 W. 16th Ave., 40 West Arts District, 6-10 p.m.
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with Pirate. This contemporary art show honors the artistic celebration of Mexican culture and includes Aztec dancers, a procession and piñatas. The show opens on Oct. 27 and culminates in this celebration.
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