Looking for things to do Halloween weekend in Philadelphia? We’ve got you covered.
8th Annual Hound-O-Ween Fall Festival and Pet Costume Contest
Northern Liberties’ 8th Annual Hound-O-Ween will feature activities full of fall fun—including its main act, the Pet Costume Contest. As a release states, dozens of furry contestants will compete for prizes in various categories, plus try to win best of show. Registration for this annual benefit is only a $30 (or $20 extra per additional) donation per pet. The winner will ultimately receive a $500 cash grand prize courtesy of Wilson’s Estate Jewelry, and all proceeds benefit Street Tails Animal Rescue in their mission to help homeless and unwanted animals in the Philadelphia area.
On top of the contest, Hound-o-Ween in Northern Liberties will also feature vendors, music, a charity auction, pet caricatures, raffle prizes and more. Outdoor food and beverage will be for sale by El Camino Real (with options including a pulled pork sandwich, El Camino Margarita, a Backyard Burger, Mexican sodas, and more.) El Camino will also tap a special keg of Dos Equis, courtesy of Origlio Distributors, with all proceeds going directly to Street Tails. The event will take place this Saturday, Oct. 29 from noon to 5 p.m.
700 Block of N. 2nd St., explorenorthernliberties.org
Immersive Edgar Allan Poe Halloween Ball
This Sunday, in Collingswood, New Jersey, Edgar Allan Poe’s immortal plague tale “The Masque of the Red Death” will be brought to life. From acclaimed Philadelphia horror writer, director, and producer Frank W. Juchniewicz, the event will bring Poe’s short story to the area through seven different colored chambers decorated like Prince Prospero’s abbey from the tale.
And as a release states, it’s all done by incorporating even more of Poe’s macabre themes from his works, specifically those written in the city as Poe once called Philadelphia his home. Audience members will be fully immersed as actors from Without A Cue Productions interact with them in a series of mystery challenges and games where they will become part of the stories. The event will take place from 7 to 11 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, at The Collingswood Grand Ballroom and Scottish Rite Auditorium. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and guests are asked to dress in their best masquerade attire. Tickets can be bought online.
315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, envouteentertainment.ticketsauce.com
Family-Friendly Fun in Fishtown
Both Fette Sau and Frankford Hall will be celebrating Halloween weekend in Philadelphia. On Sunday Oct. 30, each venue will be offering themed activations from 2 to 6 p.m.
First up, Fette Sau will be hosting pumpkin painting with Play Arts, a dog costume competition, and spooky-themed food specials (including a dirt pudding dessert with candy worms). Then at the Biergarten at Frankford Hall, the staff will be decked out in costume, while the space will be decked out with themed decorations. Activations at Frankford Hall also include arts and crafts with Play Arts, face painting by Fabulous Faces, and a special screening of a family-friendly Halloween movie.
1208 Frankford Ave., fettesauphilly.com and 1210 Frankford Ave., frankfordhall.com
Halloween Spooktacular at The Twisted Tail
Looking for things to do Halloween Weekend in Philadelphia? Down in Headhouse Square, The Twisted Tail will be hosting its Halloween Spooktacular—aka an annual Halloweekend fête, on Saturday, Oct. 29, starting at 6 p.m. Mikey Jr and his band—the venue’s Maintsay—will be delivering live tunes at the upstairs Juke Joint starting at 8 p.m., while costumed guests can also participate in a costume contest with prizes awarded at the end of the evening.
And as a release states, both the Juke Joint and main dining room bars will feature rotating drink specials, as well as a very special Witching Hour from 11 p.m. to midnight, during which they will serve different themed concoctions every 15 minutes, ranging from jello shots, syringe shots, to punch, and much more. The Halloween Spooktacular is free to attend with prior registration and guests can register online through Eventbrite.
509 S. 2nd St., thetwistedtail.com
Spooky activations with Historic Philadelphia
There are a few ways to celebrate the fall season with Historic Philadelphia. For one, the Spooky Twilight Tours are back at the Betsy Ross House (239 Arch St.) on Friday and Saturday evenings until Oct. 29. While on the tour, according to a release, visitors can take a trip back in time to Philadelphia in the 1700s to learn about the city’s gruesome history of infection and inoculation. Hear true, macabre tales about bloodletting, smallpox, yellow fever, and other gross experiences while finding out what it was like to live in the ghastly 18th century while there.
After the tour, visitors can then head into the house for another leg of the experience, a “spooky shadowy tour.” Tours run from 6 to 9 p.m. and cost $12.
At Franklin Square (200 N. 6th St.), there’s another way to experience the season if you’re looking for fun things to do in Philly this fall. Spooky Mini Golf is in full swing at Franklin Square and continues nightly, 6 to 9 p.m., through Oct. 31. All decked out in Halloween finery, the course will now feature spooky music, lights, smoke and special effects throughout the course. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children 3-12 and can be purchased on-site or in advance at Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
Even better, on Fridays and Saturdays, Philadelphians can make a night of it by purchasing a Spooky Twosome, which includes a Spooky Twilight Tour for two and a round of Spooky Mini Golf for just $25.
historicphiladelphia.org
Nightmare Before Tinsel Pop-Up Bar
There will be tricks and treats at Philadelphia’s Halloween pop-up bar, Nightmare Before Tinsel. The local favorite has plenty of scary photo opps, witches bru cocktails, seasonal fall beers, costumed bartenders, and tons of frights and flights. Nightmare Before Tinsel takes visitors through an apocalyptic zombie-scape, into a vibrant haunted mansion festooned with pirate skeletons, hulking beasts, and famous monsters from across the decades.
Exhibits, props, decorations and photo opportunities range from scary and gory, to ironic and funny, the retro and vintage. Nightmare has dozens of lifesize as well as “larger than life” fantasy and horror figures throughout the space this season, from fuzzy nostalgia to “knock your socks off scary,” with hundreds of curious artifacts and custom artworks throughout the space. Come party, if you dare.
116 S. 12th Street, nightmarebeforetinsel.com
