Arts & Culture Bars & Nightlife Community Deal Family Featured Food, Restaurants & Dining Music & Events Travel, Shopping & Leisure Fara Illich October 22, 2015

Gore in the Core Halloween
It may just be the best week of the year. From kid-friendly festivals to adults-only soirees, Downtown Phoenix has the best Halloween events in the Valley.

The Exorcist Has No Legs

October 23, 24, 29 & 30 @ Playhouse On The Park
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Celebrate Halloween a little different this year by seeing a puppet-infused depiction of an epic horror tale. This may be the funniest show based on the scariest movie ever made. The show starts at 8 p.m. nightly and tickets cost $18.

Once Upon A Fall Ball

Saturday, Oct. 24 @ Children’s Museum of Phoenix
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It’s a fabulous affair for the whole family. Dress in your best fairytale attire for some magical activities, sweet confections and a few surprise encounters. The event starts at 6 p.m. and admissions is $30 per person.

Zombie Walk 7

Saturday, Oct. 24 @ Heritage & Science Park
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Zombie Walk 7 is a free, family-friendly event at Heritage & Science Park. The spectacular 1.5-mile walk through the heart of Downtown Phoenix is an awesome spectacle that attracts a large crowd of gawkers. So come for the zombies but stay for the live music, costume contest, makeup tent, children’s activities, vendors, street food and beer gardens from 2-11 p.m. The Walk begins at 6:30 p.m.

Rumble on Central

Saturday, Oct. 24 @ Squid Ink Sushi
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Rumble on Central returns to CityScape Phoenix with a classic car show, zombie pinup models, live music from world-renowned Nekromantix and more. A portion of the proceeds benefit Aunt Rita’s Foundation. The event is from 4-11 p.m. and admission is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Kids 12 and under are free.

Arizona Storytellers: Fall Frights

Monday, Oct. 26 @ Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel
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A night of frightening, unnerving and spooky real-life ghost stories – hosted by Republic Media and Alliance Bank of Arizona. Located at Skyline, the beautiful fifth-floor patio at Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The show starts at 7 p.m. Admission is $12.

Red Dead Saloon

October 26-31 @ Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen
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Don your spurs and chaps for a western-themed Halloween party. Drink specials, costume contest and more. Mosey on in at 5 p.m. No cover.

Ghostly Stories With Marshall Shore, The Hip Historian

Tuesday, Oct. 27 @ Arizona Humanities
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Celebrate great storytelling, Arizona history, and learn the meaning of All Hallows’ Eve with Marshall Shore, The Hip Historian. It’s a chilling journey through the local ghost stories of Phoenix. Enjoy snacks, arts and crafts, a costume contest and other family-friendly activities from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Admission is free.

The Toxic Avenger

October 28-31 @ Phoenix Theatre
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The unlikely hero, Toxie, is a mutant freak with superhero strength and a heart bigger than Newark, New Jersey. Add in a charming love story, a dash of corruption and stiletto-wearing backup singers and you have an uproarious, R-rated rock musical that will have you falling in “Hot Toxic Love.” For mature audiences only. Tickets cost $30 to $60 and performance times vary.

The Vampire Affair

Thursday, Oct. 29 @ The Corner
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Sip some Count Hopula Blood Red Imperial IPA and Devil’s Ale West Coast Pale Ale from Arizona’s own SanTan Brewing Company from 5-7 p.m. Costume contest and prizes for the best vampire. No cover.

Orpheum Ghost Tours

October 28-31 @ Orpheum Theatre
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Discover the paranormal activity inside Phoenix’s oldest theatre and learn about its rich history. Tours include stories of the spirits that dwell there and a chance to explore places guests rarely get to go. Proceeds support Friends of the Orpheum Theatre. Tours start every 45 minutes from 6-9 p.m. and admission is $30.

Shakespeare After Dark

Thursday, Oct. 29 @ Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center
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From sonnets to soliloquies, take a look inside the darker works of Shakespeare. Full of witches, ghosts, greed and murder — this is truly a Halloween spectacle. General admission is $25 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Cirque Du Freak

Thursday, Oct. 29 @ Club Palazzo
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The freaks come out at night — especially on Halloween. Celebrate this magical time of year with exotic and bizarre performances including razor swallowing, acrobatics, aerial stunts, fire breathers, zombie burlesque and more. The event starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 at the door.

Bump In The Night Cabaret

Friday, Oct. 30 @ Valley Bar
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Celebrate Halloween with wild costumes, sing-a-longs and humor, featuring special guest Alanna Kalbfleisch. This live performance brings the style of New York cabaret to Phoenix featuring a mix of pop, jazz and musical theater. The show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

Le Dérangé Burlesque Show

Friday, Oct. 30 @ Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center
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A guided tour through Arizona’s oldest mental institution, where discarded deviants — now patients in the asylum — have been swept under the rug by mankind. Watch as they unleash their psychosis through song, dance and dark theatre. For mature audiences only. Show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $32.50.

 7 Minutes in Hell

Friday, Oct 30 @ Space 55
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A no-holds-barred Halloween variety show where local artists and performers get seven minutes on stage to literally do whatever they want. Full of laughs and surprises, the show starts at 9 p.m. Admission is $10.

Halloween at CityScape

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ CityScape
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CityScape’s restaurants, retailers and entertainment venues offer up some fiendish fun and spooky scares for kids and adults. Visit the website for a full list of deals and events.

Happy Halloweenie

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Short Leash Hot Dogs Sit…Stay
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Short Leash is throwing its first ever Halloweenie party with dog costume contest, red carpet dog walk, food and drink specials from 3-9 p.m. No cover.

Arizona Horror Story

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center
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An extreme Halloween party with DJs, live painting demos and a special performance by the Scorpius Dance Vampires. The event starts at 8 p.m. with costume contest, cash bar and prizes. Admission is $20.

Sean Watson’s Halloween Costume Ball

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Crescent Ballroom
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This may be biggest Halloween Party in DTPHX featuring Dirty Doses Klu, DJ Kris The Fist, Vox Urbana and Flamenco Por La Vida. Costume is mandatory — no costume, no entry. Show starts at 9 p.m. Admission is $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Spafford Halloween Weekend

October 30 & 31 @ Last Exit Live
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An eclectic blend of dancey rock and funk, Spafford is a band that beckons to be seen, heard and felt. Both shows starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

PoeFest

October 23, 24, 30 & 31 @ Hotel San Carlos
Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Rosson House Museum
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The Arizona Curriculum Theater will perform the works of Edgar Allan Poe for two weekends at the Ghost Lounge, located inside the Hotel San Carlos at 8 p.m. A special reading of “The Raven” will be performed every twenty minutes inside the Rosson House Museum on Halloween night from 7:30-9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Hotel San Carlos. Click here for the full schedule. Tickets are $15 to $26, depending on the venue.

Classic Novel Horror

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
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Dress up in your favorite horror novel or classic literature-inspired costume while sipping spooky cocktails at Bitter & Twisted’s classy Halloween bash. The event is from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Monsters Ball

Saturday, Oct. 31 @ Alwun House
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Unleash you inner monster, beast, vamp or tramp at this Halloween art party. Featuring eye-popping performances by an award-winning troupe of vaudeville burlesque performers. Adults only. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.