For Halloween fun, the D.C. area is chock full of events to get in the spooky spirit. WTOP has rounded up some of the many parties, crawls, soirees and other festivities to be prepared for.
Come back to WTOP next week for a guide on the scariest haunted houses, fields and forests in the D.C. area and a separate guide on the best Halloween-themed restaurant and bar pop-ups.
Check back every Thursday for a roundup of Things to do in the D.C. area.
Get your costumes ready. Metrobar is hosting a Halloween bash on Saturday, Oct. 26 with boos, booze, brews as well as a live DJ. General admission is free.
For more dancing opportunities, the Black Cat has an ’80s/Beetlejuice-themed dance party on Saturday, Oct. 26 with five hours of DJing. Tickets cost $25.
For those seeking a bar crawl or two, the 26th annual Nightmare On M Street Halloween bar crawl is back on Saturday, Oct. 26 with drink specials across over 15 bars in and near Dupont Circle. Tickets cost $10 for early birds or $40 on the day of the event.
Old Town Alexandria in Virginia is also hosting a neighborhood-wide crawl with approximately 10 bars participating. Tickets cost $20.
For a more upscale soiree experience, head to Dirty Habit for The Haunted Hotel event on Saturday, Oct. 26. Your ticket includes one complimentary welcome drink and all-night dancing with a live DJ. There will also be a costume contest with cash prizes. Tickets start at $25 for early birds and go up to $30 for general admission.
Another restaurant hosting its own Halloween shindig is Jônt, whose murder mystery dinner is sure to be a killer evening with food and fun included. Tickets for the event at the two-star Michelin restaurant cost $545 per person with a curated, multicourse meal with wine pairings included. To sign up, make a reservation on Open Table at 5:15 p.m. or 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.
For those seeking something unique, the D.C. Comedy Loft and Bier Baron Tavern is hosting Creepypasties, a burlesque and variety tribute to urban legends. Tickets for the event on Friday, Oct. 18 cost $15.
For the fashion-focused, the DAR Museum is diving into the histories of costumes in old and new films with their event, called Terror in the Seams. The event on Thursday, Oct. 31 costs $25. In an interview with WTOP, Kevin Lukacs, curator of education at the DAR Museum, said, “We’re taking these classic horror films that many of us know and love and obsess over, like James Wales’ 1931 classic ‘Frankenstein’ to the 1992 ‘Dracula’ that’s very love-it-or-hate-it, and so we’re looking at these films from the eyes of fans and historians.” You do not have to be a member of the museum to attend the event.
Miracle Theatre in D.C. is also hosting the people behind the rewatch podcast, “Buffering the Vampire Slayer,” for their first-ever Halloween hootenanny. The hosts, Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo, plan to watch and discuss their favorite scenes from all three Halloween episodes in the TV show, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” General admission tickets cost $20. The event is on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Elsewhere, Shipgarten in McLean, Virginia, has an All Things Scary Trivia Night on Sunday, Oct. 27.
In Takoma Park, Maryland, The People’s Book is hosting a discussion with three authors on witches and the fantastical elements surrounding them. The free event is on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Here’s what else is happening in the D.C. area:
DC
‘Dance for All’ at Dupont Underground
The Washington Ballet is heading underground for a brand-new dance series accompanied by music from Emmy Award-winning Blake Neely. The series, “Dance for All,” is located at Dupont Underground with performances from Thursday, Oct. 3 through Saturday, Oct. 5. Regular tickets cost $25 with VIP priced at $50.
Oktoberfest festivities
Head to The Wharf for steins, polka and dog racing this Saturday, Oct. 5. The daylong event starts with the annual Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash, followed by German fare, Bavarian decor and costumes and plenty of Octoberfest beer to go around. For more Oktoberfest events, check out WTOP’s Oktoberfest event guide.
Literary Hill BookFest
Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market has a full roster of authors, panel discussions and family-friendly activities to look forward to this year. On Sunday, Oct. 6, the Literary Hill BookFest returns for its thirteenth year, completely free and open to the public. Following the main event is a poetry open mic.
Maryland
Takoma Park Street Festival
This popular neighborhood festival connecting Takoma Park, Maryland, to D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood returns on Sunday, Oct. 6. Guests can expect over 185 vendor booths, live music from 18 local bands, food trucks and more. For more festivals to look forward to, check out WTOP’s fall and winter festival guide.
Silver Spring Arts & Crafts Fall Fair
At Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring, Maryland, check out over 80 local art vendors and seasonal crafters at this free, family-friendly event.
Anderson. Paak and The Free Nationals
Tickets are still available at Merriweather Post Pavilion for the Anderson. Paak concert with The Free Nationals on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Award-winning musician Anderson. Paak is known for his singing, rapping, drumming and genre-blending.
Virginia
Catpack
Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia, is showcasing the Los Angeles-based trio altogether known as Catpack. The band’s music is playful, joyful and cat-themed with multilayered vocals on top. General admission tickets cost $31 with “Premier Plus” tickets costing $46.
Art on the Avenue
On Saturday, Oct. 5, Alexandria, Virginia’s Del Ray neighborhood is hosting a free multicultural arts and music festival. This event has been hosted for 17 years now and is hosted along Mount Vernon Avenue, between Hume Avenue and Bellefonte Avenue.
Oysterfest
Feast on oysters at the 15th annual Oysterfest at Hank’s Oyster Bar in Old Town Alexandria on Sunday, Oct. 6. Expect a wide array of oysters: on the half shell, fried, BBQ and more. Tickets are priced at $100 with entry including all-you-can-drink local craft beers, wines and punches.
Have an event you’d like featured in WTOP’s Things to do in the D.C. area weekly guide? Let us know!
