Calling lovers of all things creepy: Halloween 2017 is just around the corner!
Yes, the spookiest time of year is upon us again, and New York is utterly jam-packed with amazing events to attend. From scary movie marathons to a few raucous, all-night costume parties, the city has something for everyone this haunted holiday season.
Here at UrbanMatter, we know that finding the perfect Halloween activity can be a pretty daunting task. So we’ve compiled a list of all the best celebrations taking place in NYC between now and the big day. It’s alright, you can thank us later.
What follows is your Ultimate Guide to Halloween in New York City 2017. Use it wisely!
Where to Buy Your Costumes
First things first: you’re going to need a costume. Now, you could go to any number of chain stores and buy the first sexy nurse or pirate costume you lay your eyes on, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, stop by one of New York’s coolest costume shops to find some seriously impressive ensembles for the 31st.
- The Village Party Store – Located just a few blocks from Washington Square Park, The Village Party Store offers one of the city’s largest costume inventories.
- Halloween Adventure – This New York staple has been in the Halloween business since 1981, carrying everything from your standard superhero costumes to creepy victorian garb.
- Abracadabra Super Store – This store specializes in unique costuming. Stop by Abracadabra to find an extra special getup this holiday.
- Gothic Renaissance – This East Village spot has been in operation for decades, stocking only the raddest of alternative clothing and costumes for its customers.
- Screaming Mimi’s – If you can’t tell by the name alone, Screaming Mimi’s is perhaps one of the most interesting costume and vintage shops in the city. Though a costume from Mimi’s might cost you a pretty penny, the extra cost is totally worth it, trust us.
Themed Bar Crawls & Nightlife
When you’re a kid, trick-or-treating means going door-to-door to ask your neighbors for candy. When you’re an adult, the closest thing we have to Trick-or-Treating is going from bar-to-bar asking servers for beer. Spend your Halloween doing the latter at some of NYC’s best drinking establishments and pub crawls:
- Night of the Crawling Dead – Slowly make your way through some of New York’s hottest bars on this Zombie-themed crawl on October 28th!
- Beetle House NYC – Beetle House may not be Halloween-themed per se, but the creepy and kooky decor of this cocktail bar is sure to delight – and fright – none the less!
- Boos & Brews Halloween Bar Crawl – What’s better than a bar crawl full of ghosts and beers? The answer, of course, is nothing. Grab your tickets to the Boos & Brews Bar Crawl for a Halloween experience like none you’ve had before.
- Official Halloween Pub Crawl New York – Why spend your holiday at one party when you can go to upwards of five? Sign up for the Official Halloween Pub Crawl to hit some of NYC’s best parties, bars and events.
Haunted Houses
Looking to get the pants scared off you this Halloween? If you’re feeling especially brave, hit up any one of New York’s most terrifying haunted houses. These locations require no explanation whatsoever.
- Blood Manor
- This is Real
- Gravesend Inn Haunted Hotel
- I Survived the Room: Toxico Sanatorium
- The New York Haunted Hayride
Parties, Masquerades and Balls
Show off your costume making skillz at any of New York’s most popular Halloween parties and balls, occurring the whole month of October all around the city.
- The Monster Ball 2017 – Get your tickets now, Monster’s Ball is one of the most happening Halloween events in New York. Expect to see some of the most amazing performances, DJ’s and MC’s at this October 28th event.
- BangOn! NYC Warehouse of Horrors – Fatboy Slim will grace the stage at this year’s Warehouse of Horrors. Tickets start at $55 for this star-studded soiree.
- The Haunted Mansion Party at Stage 48 – Halloween might be on a Tuesday this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out on the day-of. Hit up The Official Haunted Mansion party at Stage48 on the 31st to send October off in style.
- Stay Classy, New York: Halloween at Ainsworth Midtown – Grab your disco shoes, this Anchorman-themed party requires that its guests arrive in their best 70’s attire. Head to Midtown on October 28th for what is sure to be an incredibly swanky event.
- Gansevoort Park Rooftop: Penthouse of Peril – The Gansevoort Halloween party is one of the most anticipated events on any New Yorker’s social calendar. This rooftop extravaganza features sprawling cityscapes and skyline views alongside a few great musical acts.
- Pizza Zoo – In what is perhaps one of the strangest Halloween parties in all of New York, Pizza Zoo is a wild costume party offering its guests unlimited pizza. Need we say more?
- Das Fest des NYsferatu – This October 26th Halloween bash celebrates More Art’s and Andrea Mastrovito’s beautiful, hand animated film NYsferatu: Symphony of a Century. MC’d by legendary activist and performer Miz Cracker, the event centers on the cultural representations of all things vampiric and encourages guests to think more critically about monstrous narrative. The event will also feature horror trivia, aerial artists, plenty of food and more! Get your tickets here! All proceeds go to More Art.
Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-Treating is a must-do Halloween activity for both kids and parents alike. Though it may be difficult to find a good spot for candy-grabbing in the city, theses neighborhoods boast spectacular Trick-or-Treating routes.
- West Village – Stop by the West Village for some of New York’s best Trick-or-Treating, block parties and other family-friendly events.
- Upper West Side – In years past, The Upper West Side has been home to an epic, kid-centric Halloween blow out.
- Haunted High Line Halloween – On the weekend before Halloween, the High Line in Chelsea transforms into a kind of kiddie fashion show, allowing kids of all ages to don their costumes for face painting, dancing and, of course, buckets upon buckets of candy.
Scary Movies
Prefer to celebrate your Halloween in front of a screen? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best places to watch scary movies this October:
- The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival – This year’s program at The Brooklyn Horror Fest is shaping up to be the most terrifying yet, featuring everything from classics like Friday the 13th to indie flicks like director Tyler McIntyre’s Tragedy Girls.
- Halloween at Nitehawk Cinema – The Nitehawk Cinema is back again this Halloween season to show all of your favorite scary movies. Film buffs and horror lovers alike are sure to love the selection of films offered at this Brooklyn staple.
- NYC Horror Film Festival – Check out some of the newest additions to the horror canon at NYC Horror Film Fest 2017.
- FEARnyc – A relative newcomer to the New York Cinema scene, FEARnyc promises cast appearances, special events and more, including a special tribute to the father of horror himself, George Romero.
Events and Festivals
It wouldn’t be a New York celebration without a few extra special events in the mix. If parties and horror movies aren’t really your style, check out some of the city’s other major Halloween must-dos happening throughout October:
- The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze – Walk along the Pumpkin Promenade to see a light show like none-other. Each and every exhibit at this event is comprised only of candlelit pumpkins.
- Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade – Let Fido get in on the Halloween action at this annual puppy costume parade!
- Merchant House Museum Candlelight Ghost Tour – What is supposedly New York’s most haunted house, Merchant House offers an extra creepy candlelit ghost tour this month.
- Scarecrows and Pumpkins at the New York Botanical Gardens – The New York Botanical Garden shows off some of the most creative pumpkins and scarecrows you’ve ever seen starting September 29th.
- The Village Halloween Parade – The Village Halloween Parade is a New York icon. Stop by to see amazing costumes, floats and yes, giant puppets.
Happy Haunting, everyone!
