31 Ways to Celebrate Spooky Season in Downtown Phoenix

Downtown Phoenix is summoning the spirit of spooky season, with a packed calendar of thrills and chills creeping its way into the urban core.

So whether you're looking for family-friendly festivities, costumed escapades, boo-zy encounters, or late-night strolls through Downtown's most haunted historic buildings, we've scoured the dark depths of the city to bring you a lineup of events so good, it's scary.

Here are 31 ways to celebrate spooky season this year in Downtown Phoenix:

Family-Friendly

Panels & Pages Halloween

Come out in your best costumes for an action-packed evening celebrating the power of comics, art, and creativity as a special community lead-up event to Halloween ComicFest. 

In addition to the comic artist panel discussion, attendees can enjoy artist vendors, collaborative comic-making activities, a gallery exhibition, and book signings throughout the evening. 

Details: October 23 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Phoenix Center for the Arts (1202 N. 3rd St.) Free general admission. For more information, follow @phoenixcenterforthearts on Instagram. 

MIKIZTLI: Día de los Muertos Festival 

The 15th annual Día de los Muertos festival offers audiences cultural performances, art vendors, food trucks, interactive art activities, and MIKIZTLI’s largest community altar or ofrenda.  

Come early to witness the traditional Danza Mexica ceremony and stay late to join the community procession led by “Las Flacas,” the 8-foot-tall, animated skeleton puppets that kick off a celebration dance party with live music. 

Details: October 24 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Arizona Center (455 N. 3rd St.) Free to attend. For more information, visit diadelosmuertosphx.com. 

Science Skele-bration

Discover the strange, spirited (and even silly) science behind Halloween at the annual Science Skele-bration. Through frightfully fun activities, daring demonstrations and exclusive special activations, the whole family will peer into the world of spine-tingling science. 

Details: October 24 – 31 at Arizona Science Center (600 E. Washington St.). $36 for adults, $30 for ages 3–17, free for ages 2 and under. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit azscience.org. 

Special Night of Play: Halloween Edition

This private, sensory-conscious family play experience offers children with autism and other needs and abilities the opportunity to explore and play across three floors of interactive exhibits in a calmer, less crowded environment than during regular business hours. The Museum will transform into a Halloween wonderland, with staff in costume, inviting families to join the fun and enjoy treats and treasures handed out during the event. 

Details: October 25 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Children’s Museum of Phoenix (215 N. 7th St.) Free to attend – reservations required. For more information, visit childrensmuseumofphoenix.org. 

MASH Unit Halloween Animal Parade

This annual event brings dozens of adoptable dogs from the MASH (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Animal Safe Haven) Unit to the streets of Downtown Phoenix in full costume for a pawsitively adorable animal parade. 

The MASH Unit heals & rehabilitates neglected & abused animals, nurtures them back to health, and adopts them out to loving, forever homes. For questions about adoptions, call (602) 876-1212 or find them on Petfinder.

Details: October 28 at 9:00 a.m. at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office - MASH Unit (102 W. Madison St.) Free to attend. For more information, follow @mcsomash on Instagram.

DTPHX Hallows’ Eve

Get ready for a spooktacular night at Downtown Phoenix's ultimate Halloween festival! Grab your family, friends, and your best costume for an evening filled with sweet treats, a petting zoo, costume contests, giveaways, live DJ tunes, market vendors, a make-and-take craft station, yard games, face painting, photo opps, and more.  

Sign up for one of three costume contests and strut your spooky style down the runway for your chance to win a special prize. 

Details: October 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Arizona Center (455 N. 3rd St.). Free to attend. For more information, visit dtphx.org/hallowseve. 

Trick-or-Treat at the Museum

Bring the whole family for a boo-tiful celebration full of trick-or-treating, dancing, and imaginative play. Featured activities include a Halloween dance party, a fashion fright show, spooky slime making, and themed photo opportunities. Costumes are optional but strongly encouraged. 

Details: October 30 and 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Children’s Museum of Phoenix (215 N. 7th St.)  Included with Museum admission of $19 per person. Children under age 1 are free. For more information, visit childrensmuseumofphoenix.org. 

Art for the Heart Halloween Festival

Keep the Halloween fun going at the Arizona Center! Art for the Heart is back in the city to bring you a fright night to remember. The festival features trick-or-treating, an artisan market, live music, food trucks, themed beverages, and more thrills for the whole family.

Details: October 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Arizona Center (455 N. 3rd St.) Free to attend. For more information, follow @centralartsmarket on Instagram.

Guided Tours

Central Phoenix Screamix 

Explore the city after dark, hear the chilling stories and reported hauntings tied to some of the city's most iconic landmarks, and take part in hands-on ghost hunts. Along the way, your guide brings Downtown Phoenix history to life through strange legends and true stories connected to the places where they happened. 

Details: Every Friday in October from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at multiple Downtown locations. $45 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit getghostedphx.com. 

Seances and Spiritualists Tours

Dive into the Victorian fascination with the supernatural on a special tour of the historic Rosson House at Heritage Square. Discover how Victorians attempted communication with the dead through seances, learn how visiting the morgue was considered entertainment, and wander up to the attic to hear ghost stories that haunted the 19th century.  

Details: Multiple October dates at Rosson House Museum (113 N. 6th St.) $45. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thesquarephx.org. 

Phoenix History, Mystery & Ghosts

Haunted history where it happened, real investigations at select stops, and a finale inside two historic Downtown landmarks. This tour uncovers the true stories behind its most haunted establishments, allowing guests to take part in paranormal investigations using real ghost-hunting equipment. 

Details: Every Wednesday – Saturday in October from 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at multiple Downtown locations. $45 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit getghostedphx.com. 

Spooks, Spirits & Speakeasy

A haunted Downtown, a hands-on investigation, and a private ghost hunt. For the tour finale, you'll head inside a haunted speakeasy before it opens to the public for an exclusive ghost hunt and the chance to order custom cocktails created just for the evening. 

Details: Every Friday and Saturday in October from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at multiple Downtown locations. $49 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit getghostedphx.com. 

Monsters, Mobsters & Mayhem: A Phoenix True Crime Tour

If true crime, dark history, and questionable Saturday-night decisions are your thing… consider this your official summons.  

Walk the actual blocks where some of Phoenix's most infamous crimes unfolded. Your guide takes you through the murders, mobsters, trials, and scandals that have shaped the city and the headlines. 

Details: October 17, 24, and 31 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (550 W. Jackson St.) $45. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit getghostedphx.com. 

Haunted Jails, Rails & Grave Tales

Uncover Phoenix's darker side while exploring nearby locations tied to crime, incarceration, rail history, and reported hauntings. Your guide will share stories of the city’s darker history, from historic jails and the courthouse to Union Station and the Warehouse District. 

Details: Every Friday and Saturday in October from 8:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. at multiple Downtown locations. $39 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit getghostedphx.com. 

Haunted History Tours

Discover the secrets hidden within the walls of the Orpheum Theatre, where history and hauntings intertwine. This exclusive guided tour takes you behind the curtain to explore ghostly encounters, mysterious happenings, and the dramatic past that still echoes through the halls. 

Details: October 23 – October 31 at Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St.) $30. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pccticketing.com. 

Lights Out Paranormal Investigation

It’s a rare chance to experience the historic Orpheum Theatre’s spirited legacy—up close and after dark. This exclusive 90-minute paranormal investigation tours the theatre, including some non-public spaces, and investigates some of its most active areas. 

Details: October 25 – November 1 at Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St.) $43. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pccticketing.com. 

Entertainment

18th Annual PoeFest

Eighteen years ago, PoeFest launched in Downtown Phoenix with just six people in the audience. By the following weekend, it was sold out, and an unforgettable live horror theater experience was born. For the Halloween night finale, 'The Raven' will be performed every 20 minutes on the grand staircase inside the historic Rosson House.   

Details: October 31 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Rosson House Museum (113 N. 6th St.) Tickets start at $20. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit poefest.org. 

The Classics: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Catch this spooky classic on the silver screen in a historic Downtown venue as part of The Classics film series, presented by Friends of the Orpheum Theatre and Downtown Phoenix, Inc. Follow the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." 

Details: October 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St.) Tickets start at $11. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pccticketing.com. 

National Theatre Live: Frankenstein

Captured live on stage in 2011, this thrilling, sold-out production became an international sensation, experienced by almost half a million people in cinemas around the world. Guests can enjoy a telecast screening of the iconic performance, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation, playing in an art-centric, urban setting. 

Details: October 31 at 1:00 p.m. at Phoenix Art Museum (1625 N. Central Ave.) Tickets start at $15. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit phxart.org. 

Trick-Or-Roast

This live comedy showcase blends sharp stand-up, playful roasts, and Halloween-themed humor for a hauntingly hilarious night in a lively atmosphere with plenty of interactive moments. Attendees can also enjoy a craft beverage from 35 self-pour taps featuring beer, wine, champagne, and seltzers. 

Details: October 31 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Tap That Downtown (909 N. 5th St.) Free to attend. For more information, visit tapthatbeer.com. 

21+ Events

Drunk Dracula

One actor takes five shots of whiskey and attempts an epic retelling of Transylvania’s thirstiest bachelor… DRACULA! The Drunk Shakespeare Society is paying homage to the original drinker and bringing its brand of mayhem to the spooky season with this interactive experience. 

Details: Multiple October dates at The Rose Theatre (455 N. 3rd St.) Tickets start at $49. For more information, visit drunkdracula.com.

Sugar Skull Paint ‘n’ Sip

Create your own ceramic sugar skull with Miss Danielle Doll. ️Each ticket includes a drink, all painting supplies, and guided instruction. 

Details: October 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Barcoa Agaveria (829 N. 1st Ave.) $42. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit events.humanitix.com/skullptg. 

The Paranormal Project: Where Science Meets Supernatural

Embrace the eerie with a spirit in hand as you venture into the curious corners of reality. From paranormal pop culture to supernatural romance and seance tours—prepare to uncover the unusual, question the unknown, and discover what happens when Science Meets Supernatural. 

Details: October 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Arizona Science Center (600 E. Washington St.) Tickets start at $20. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit azsciencecenter.org. 

Michael Jackson Thriller Paint & Sip Costume Party

Step into a fully immersive MJ-inspired atmosphere featuring a guided painting session, a live DJ performance, themed drinks & food menus, and a best-dressed-as-MJ contest with prizes and bragging rights on the line. 

Details: October 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at MATCH Market & Bar (1100 N. Central Ave.) For more information, follow @matchphx on Instagram. 

Pumpkin Paint ‘n’ Sip

Paint a sugar skull pumpkin with Miss Danielle Doll. Tickets include all supplies and one drink. Faux pumpkins will be used, so you can add this to your Halloween decor for years to come. 

Details: October 28 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sana Sana Cerveceria (915 N. 4th St.). $40. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit events.humanitix.com/pumpkinskull.

Halloween Paint & Sip

Enjoy a guided tasting featuring Angel’s Envy Bourbon paired with seasonal bites while local artist Carmen Bradford leads a step-by-step painting session featuring a Halloween-inspired design.

Details: October 30 at 5:00 p.m. at Carcara @ Sheraton Phoenix Downtown (320 N. 3rd St.) $35 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit opentable.com.

Phoenix Halloween Bar Crawl 2026

Dress to impress (or to terrify) and crawl your way through some of the city’s top bars. As darkness falls, join a thrilling mix of goblins, witches, vampires, and party seekers in taking over the urban core, one spooky saloon at a time. 

Details: October 31 from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Crown Public House (333 E. Jefferson St.) Tickets start at $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com. 

Nightmare on 2nd Street

Your worst nightmare is taking over 2nd Street... Head to The Pemberton on Halloween night for an eerie experience featuring a 2-acre haunted house, costume contest, DJ performances all night, and plenty of reasons to stay out past your bedtime. 

Details: October 31 at The Pemberton (1121 N. 2nd St.). Cover after 9:00 p.m. For more information, follow @pembertonphx on Instagram.

Halloween Costume & Dance Party

The Halloween fun kicks off with live tunes from local DJs, who will be taking over the music hall to perform all your favorite hip hop, R&B, and reggaeton hits. Don't forget your masks and frightful ensembles at home! The best costume of the night will win a $100 cash prize. Spooky drink specials will also be available for purchase. 

Details: October 31 at 8:00 p.m. at Valley Bar (130 N. Central Ave.). $5 at the door. For more information, follow @valleybarphx on Instagram.

Halloween-Themed Pop-Up Bars

Horror Movie Takeover at The Pemberton

Downtown's one-of-a-kind, art-forward venue, The Pemberton, is transforming the entire property with 10 Halloween-themed bars, each inspired by a different spooky movie. Experience them all throughout the entire month of October, and be sure to snap a pic at your favorite horror movie 'zone'.

Details: Every Thursday-Sunday in October, starting at 6:00 p.m. at The Pemberton (1121 N. 2nd St.). No cover. For more information, follow @pembertonphx on Instagram.

The Haunting at Little Rituals

Enter a nostalgic and wonderfully strange world where immersive décor, inventive cocktails, and Halloween traditions come to life. This October, Little Rituals becomes a Halloween hideaway filled with over-the-top décor, original cocktails, exclusive collectible glassware, and spooky surprises around every corner.

Details: Every Tuesday-Sunday in October, starting at 5:00 p.m. at Little Rituals (132 S. Central Ave., 4th Floor). No cover. For more information, visit littleritualsbar.com.