10 Reasons to Dress Up This Halloween

The city is bursting with Halloween-themed events from music, to haunted houses, to painting. 
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Just because Halloween is on a Tuesday this year, doesn’t mean you can’t get into the spooky spirit early. The city is bursting with Halloween-themed events from music, to haunted houses, to painting. Once you decide what you’re going to dress up as, the real question is how are you going to hit up all the events?

1. Studio Bell After Hours – Halloween Edition
Friday, October 27th 7:00pm – 11:00pm
300–851 4 Street SW
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Start your Halloween weekend off right at Studio Bell. There will be live music on multiple levels from award-winning beatsmith DJ Shub, (formerly of A Tribe Called Red), Corinthian (U.K. techno, new garage and breakbeat scramblers) and Mollyfi (breakbeats). Don’t forget to dress up! The National Music Centre will be hosting its inaugural Halloween Costume Contest with awesome prizes for: Best Overall Costume, Best CanCon Costume, and Best Zombie Rock Star. The night will be filled with a dance party, interactive games, a Studio Bell scavenger hunt, and pop-up bars and bites. Get spooky with us for a special Halloween edition of Studio Bell After Hours.

2. SreamFest
October 26th-29th & 31st 7:00pm-12:00am
The Grandstand Building – Stampede Park – 20 Roundup Way SE
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Is it even Halloween if you don’t get your socks scared off at ScreamFest? It’s Canada’s Largest and Scariest Halloween event and a must-see during the spooky season. There are six incredibly terrifying haunted houses to walk through and if you make it through them there are Halloween themed carnival games, rides, axe throwing, paintball and live music.

3. Market Collective 17th Ave Spook-tacular: Phantom Park
Saturday, October 28th 12:00pm-4:00pm
Tomkins Park – 17th Ave & 8th St SW
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Spend your Saturday afternoon down in Tomkins Park for the 17th Ave Spook-tacular. There will be fun activities and entertainment for all ages at Market Collective’s “Phantom Park.” This event will highlight an enchanted forest, free face painting, a mini pumpkin hunt, games, a bouncy house, art installations, music throughout the afternoon and much, much more. Plus, there will be free sweet kettle corn popcorn & hot chocolate or coffee for the first one hundred boys and ghouls who love Halloween.

4. Paint and Wine: Date Night Skulls
Saturday, October 28th 6:30pm-9:00pm
Vin Gogh Paint & Sip – 7004 Macleod Trail
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Spook-ify your date night with a night out at Vin Gogh on Saturday. They’re hosting a special Halloween edition of paint night where you and your boo will spend the evening painting skulls while creating and connecting. You can either paint one together or each paint one individually. Not really the artistic type? We find the wine helps. Doors open at 5:30pm if you want to grab a bite to eat, otherwise please arrive at 6:30pm to check in.

5. Halloween with Steam Whistle
Saturday, October 28th 7:00pm-2:00am
National 17th – 550 17 Avenue Southwest
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Steam Whistle is hosting a can’t-miss-Halloween-party down at National 17th on Saturday. If you don’t want major FOMO make sure you come wearing your Halloween best. There will be prizes for Best Dressed including Flames Tickets, Steam Whistle Swag and National gift cards. They aren’t handing out mini chocolate bars but they will have $5 sleeves of Steam Whistle, old school hip-hop and no cover to get in.

6. Monster Mash
Saturday, October 28th 8:00pm-12:00am
Clive Burger – 736 17 Avenue SW
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Heads up, party animals! Clive Burger is throwing a Halloween bash with Dandy Brewing Co.! Beer, DJs, dancing, prizes – they’ll have it all! You don’t have to wear a costume, but you can’t win Best Dressed wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

7. Halloween House Party
Saturday, October 28th 8:00pm-11:00pm
National on 10th – 341 10 Avenue SW
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Didn’t get invited to any parties this weekend? Fear not, everyone is welcome at National’s Halloween House Party on Saturday night. There will be no judgment on costumes, whether you’re spooky, sexy, traditional or a last minute type, just enjoy the DJs & Good Times on all floors, no cover charge. There will be lots of treats and maybe a few tricks too.

8. Pumpkin Carving Contest
Sunday, October 29th 11:00am – Tuesday, October 31st 11:00pm
National at Westhills – 80 Stewart Green SW
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Join the family-friendly Pumpkin Carving Contest! Pop by National at Westhills anytime show off your pumpkin carving skills. $15 gets you a pumpkin and all the tools needed, but feel free to bring your own tools. Snap a pic of your masterpiece and post on Instagram using the hashtag #ntnlpumpkins – photos will be judged on October 31st, and the winner will be notified!

9. Halloween Paint Night
Tuesday, October 31st 6:30pm-8:30pm
Raw Canvas – 100 1130 Kensington Rd NW
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Not really into pumpkin carving? We gotchu. Pull out your paint brush and canvas instead at Raw Canvas paint studio in Kensington and get creative with your Halloween painting. It’ll be a fun, crafty date night for the spookiest night of the year.

10. Halloween Paint Night – Black Light “Paint It Scary”
Tuesday, October 31st 9:30pm-11:30pm
Raw Canvas – 100 1130 Kensington Rd NW
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If you’re looking for a more chill Halloween night out, Raw Canvas in Kensington is the place to be. At 9:30pm they will be hosting a black light painting night with awesome music, food and drinks. The evening will start with the lights on but once the food and drinks are served and people have their backgrounds painted, the lights will go off and the fun begins. The class has minimal instruction to let you have full creative freedom to “paint it scary!”

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