Prepare yourself, Boo-klyn!
Halloween is more than a week away, but spooks are bursting out of their coffins early. Trying to choose between frightful festivals is enough to drive you mad! But save the mayhem — we have hunted down the most spook-tacular events over the next nine days!
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You can have a double-dose man-eating plant action this Halloween, with two free outdoor screenings of the musical horror romp “Little Shop of Horrors” in Carroll Park on the 23rd, and in Fort Greene Park on the 24th! The latter screening will also have a costume contest for kids at 5:30 pm.
Carroll Park, (Carroll Street between Smith and Court streets in Carroll Gardens, carro
Fort Greene Park on the lawn (Washington Park, between Dekalb and Myrtle avenues in Fort Greene). Oct. 24 at 6 pm. Free.
The strolling dead
Explore the spectral streets of Brooklyn Heights with the “Boroughs of the Dead” walking tour. The hour-long trek will include stories of the Sea Captain Ghost of Montague Street, mystery houses, a stop by the home of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, a haunted churchyard, and more.
Meet on Court Street [at Pacific Street in Cobble Hill, (917) 409–8533, www.borou
Inn-fernal!
The high-tech haunted hotel “Gravesend Inn” returns with eight rooms of chills and thrills, each triggered by visitors carefully creeping through chambers created by Theatreworks students at the New York City College of Technology.
Voorhees Theatre [186 Jay St. between High and Tillary streets, (718) 260–5592, www.grave
Fear the fluff
Sleepless souls will stumble through a haunted-house style theater experience in “Nightmare Before Insomnium,” as visitors are led through four horrifying 10-minute plays, including “Night of the Living Beanie Babies.” The shows are followed by a costumed dance party, music by Klokwise, and plenty of drinks throughout.
The Paper Box [17 Meadow St. between Waterbury and Meadow streets in Bushwick, (718) 383–3815, www.insom
Be on your guard-en
Dodge past the terrifying toddlers and roam the fiendish flora of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s “Ghouls and Gourds” festival today. You (and a host of costumed children) can rock out to bands, meet horrifying hissing cockroaches in the Bug Day Afternoon Insectorium), witness Phydeaux’s Flying Flea Circus of Fate (at noon), and join the costume parade alongside larger-than-life puppets.
Oct. 24, noon–5:30 pm at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens [900 Washington Ave. at Eastern Parkway in Prospect Heights, (718) 623–7200, www.bbg.org]. $15 (kids 11 and younger free).
Beastly boos
Kids can meet the creepy, crawly creatures of the Prospect Park Zoo, which busts out the bats today for its annual Boo at the Zoo party. A spooky barn might terrify younger kids, but candy, a costume parade, and a dance party will soothe the frightened tykes.
Prospect Park Zoo [450 Flatbush Ave. between Empire Boulevard and Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park, (718) 399–7339, www.prosp
Double screamed
Any fright is worth having twice! The fiendish art show “Monsters, Maniacs, and Mayhem: Part II” pays tribute to horror movie sequels, with paintings from the deranged minds of Cultural Compulsive Disorder collective.
Oct. 24 at 8 pm at Irish Haven [5721 Fourth Ave. at 58th Street in Sunset Park, (718) 439–9893, www.ccd.nyc]. Free.
Ladies of the Night-mare
Learn the terrible secrets of butter-churning at this screening of the scandalous 1922 Swedish film, “Witchcraft Through the Ages” with appearances from the Devil, Jesus, and a 1922 psychologist (all played by the same actor). This silent film has music provided via Victrola.
Morbid Anatomy Museum [424 Third Ave. at Seventh Street in Gowanus, (347) 799–1017, www.morbi
The terror of Tiny Rhino
Six playwrights create horrific 10-minute plays, with six playwrights each incorporating a blood-curdling scream, a hidden weapon revealed, a reference to a famous horror movie, a startling noise, and the lights going out. Each time these things happen, drink!
Littlefield [622 Degraw St. between Fourth and Third Avenues in Gowanus, (718) 855–3388, www.littl
Creeps and geeks
The Halloween installment of Kevin Geeks Out focuses on the film oeuvre of horror-meister Stephen King, from the fantastic (“The Shining”) to the terrible (“Lawnmower Man”). Special guests will compare and contrast the three versions of “Carrie” and discuss King’s recurring themes, and Kevin’s mom will explains why she’ll never read another Stephen King book.
Oct. 29 at 9:30 pm at Nitehawk Cinema [136 Metropolitan Ave. between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street in Williamsburg, (718) 384–3980, www.niteh
Ermahgerd!
It’s a merme pehrty! The foulest corners of the Internet invade real life tonight at the Meme Gurls: Spoopy Times party, where troll faces, pizza rats, and people in is-it-blue-or-is-it-gold dresses will play pinball, dance, and drink heavy. Make sure your costume is on fleek — the best wins a free bar tab!
Jack Bar (143 Havermeyer St. between S. First and S. Second streets in Williamsburg). Oct. 28 at 8 pm. Free.
That’s so Craven!
The recently-deceased master of horror just might live on in your nightmares! Imprint his horror stories on your brain at this Wes Craven Film Festival, which will also feature Craven-inspired puppet shows between each film.
Oct. 27: Last House on the Left (1972), A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
Oct. 28: The People Under the Stairs, Scream, Swamp Thing
Oct. 29: The Hills Have Eyes (1977), The Serpent and the Rainbow, Scream 2.
All shows start at 8 pm at Standard ToyKraft (722 Metropolitan Ave. between Manhattan and Graham avenues in Williamsburg, www.stand
The Time Warp? Again?
Revel in the throwback horror tropes as alien invader and sweet transvestite Dr. Frank N. Furter menaces Brad and Janet in this free screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” in McCarren Park. Show off your deep knowledge of the flick at the trivia contest at 5 pm and costume contest at 5:30 pm.
McCarren Park Pool Deck (475 Lorimer St. between Driggs Avenue and Bayard Street). Oct. 30 at 6 pm. Free.
It’s a g-g-g-g-g-ghost!
The undead dominate this cartoon carnival of “Halloween Hijinks,” a night creepy classic animation from the 1920s to the 1940s, featuring walking skeletons and ghoulish figures alongside well-known figures like Casper the Friendly ghost and Felix the Cat.
Standard ToyKraft (722 Metropolitan Ave. between Manhattan and Graham avenues in Williamsburg, www.stand
Man’s best fiend
The annual Pup-kin canine costume contest lets dashing doggies show off their finest haberdashery! The Fort Greene Halloween festival also features hay rides and pumpkin giveaways, but it’s all about the dogs! Registration starts at 11 am, the judging starts at noon.
Fort Greene Park at the bottom of the monument steps (Myrtle Avenue at St. Edwards Street, www.fortg
Dawn of the Shaun of the Dead
Zombies roam the streets, so there’s just one thing to do: have a nice cold pint and wait for it all to blow over. Videology bar turns into The Winchester, the pub from “Shaun of the Dead,” with a new sign out front, jukebox, a Winchsters rifle prop behind the bar. The movie will play on a loop all day, costumed bartenders will serve drink specials, and a makeup artist will steadily turn the crowd into zombies (6–8 pm).
Videology [308 Bedford Ave at S. First Street, (718) 782–3468 www.video
This house ain’t clean
This South Slope tavern gets dressed up in its scariest ’80s get-up for a “Poltergeist” dance party, decorating like the haunted house that frightened the pants off so many of us during the Reagan years. And if you win the costume contest at midnight, you get free drinks for the rest of the night.
Mary’s Bar [708 Fifth Ave. at 22nd St. in Park Slope, (718) 499–2175, www.faceb
Mash it up!
The annual Monster Mash party features New York bands dressing up as other bands and covering Kiss, Simon and Garfunkel, and Blondie, among others. And at midnight, the party undergoes a terrifying transformation into the Haunted Hop dance party of spooky vinyl music.
Secret Project Robot (389 Melrose St. between Knickerbocker and Flushing avenues in Bushwick, www.secre
Dead before dawn
If you don’t go to sleep, the monsters can’t invade your dreams! Keep yourself up all night with A Night to Dismember at Nitehawk, an all-night festival of horror films that will keep you going until dawn. Between screenings of “Poltergeist,” “House of Haunted Hill,” “Bay of Blood,” and “Scream,” will be costume contests, drink specials, and for those who survive the night: breakfast.
Nitehawk Cinema [136 Metropolitan Ave. between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street in Williamsburg, (718) 384–3980, www.niteh
