We're lucky this year that Halloween just happened to fall on the sweet spot that is Thursday. Think of it this way: you had the previous weekend to put together a rough draft for a costume and head out for one, two or even three Halloween parties with friends. Now you've had several days to recover, tweak your costume a little bit and head out on Thursday night for more fun. It’s okay; you'll hardly be the only one who's hungover at work on Friday.
Even if you’re a parent with kids old enough to go candy-cadging, trick-or-treating will be over in the early evening. Once the kiddos slip into their corn syrup comas, here are some of the top events around town to check out for Halloween fun — and see about 50 people dressed as Miley Cyrus with a wrecking ball.
Perspectives Talk: Halloween Costumes Inspired by the Blanton Collection
To help get you into a the spirit of the holiday while also allowing for the chance to admire some unique artwork, the Blanton Museum will host a special Perspectives Talk with a Halloween theme. Museum staff will be providing insight into how artwork on display in the Blanton galleries inspired their costumes for the day.
It’s a good primer for admiring art in a new light, and because it's Thursday, any daytime Blanton events will be free and open to the public. Consider this a good choice if you want to start out the festivities on a budget.
If you want to check out a costume party that will put your neighbor’s little gathering to shame, look no further than the Zombie Ball at ACL Live. It’s the costume gala that’s a bit more — for those looking to show off their fashionable attire, with heavier doses of zombie makeup.
The carnival of creepy couture starts off with a red carpet and flashbulbs, but it will be the music that gives this party a real kick. Jesse Dayton and his three-piece, known more commonly as Captain Clegg and The Night Creatures, host this year’s event. They’ll be warming things up for burlesque dancers, Brass Ovaries’ aerial art performances, the Bullwhip Tango of Terror and the Austin godfather of soul, blues and punk, Black Joe Lewis. You’ll definitely get what you pay for at the Moody Theater.
Gourdough’s Public House Halloween Anniversary Party
The makers of your favorite, hedonistic doughnuts would like to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the opening of their first brick-and-mortar location with you. Of course, you can expect plenty of gourmet goodies to fill you up, but Gourdough’s wants to make a party out of it for the holiday. Join them for a carnival-themed Halloween party from the dark side, complete with games and prizes, palm readers, scary movies, karaoke and some bearded ladies for good measure. For once, their doughnuts won’t be the center of attention.
Alamo Drafthouse: Ghostbusters and Rocky Horror
Don’t get stuck at home watching movies on AMC. Have a proper film experience courtesy of the Alamo Drafthouse and the Action Pack; you just need to like interactivity and fun. One choice features the greatest supernatural comedy of all time, Ghostbusters, as a quote-along, because who can ever forget classic lines such as “He slimed me” and “That’s a big Twinkie”?
You can also choose to check out the Action Pack’s version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. A bit of warning to hardcore fans of Rocky Horror midnight screenings — this version of the show might not be your cup of tea, since it tries to play a little more to Rocky Horror virgins and casual fans of the film. Song lyrics, quotes and several of the classic “callbacks” are subtitled, and while you’re welcome to add your own favorites, you might want to pull back on the yelling just a tiny bit. It’s a work in progress still working on the right mix, but it’s fun nevertheless.
For possibly the ultimate Halloween evening, do a double feature of both movies at the downtown Ritz location, and once Rocky Horror is over with, head out to the streets of Dirty Sixth for the ultimate costume cavalcade. Even if that’s not your usual scene, Sixth on Halloween is always worth a trip. You can even make a drinking game of it by counting all of the Heisenbergs and Jesse Pinkmans you see!
Whatever your choice for the evening, just be sure to stay safe in the process of having fun. Make sure a hangover is the worse thing you wake up with on Friday.
Let your inner "Sweet Transvestite" loose with a Drafthouse screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Austin Farm Sanctuary co-owner Chris Fuller-Wigg with one of the farms' many rescued cows. Photo from austinfarmsanctuary.org.
The crew from Keep Austin Beautiful Day 2019. Photo from keepaustinbeautiful.org