Halloween season is on the horizon and we couldn’t be more excited. In addition for kicking off the holiday season, October is a time of year to binge-watch scary movies, spin your favorite niche goth playlist, paint the town red (literally), and eat all the candy your pillowcase can hold. To get the most out of this spooky season in the city, sink your fangs into our list of 10 spellbinding things to do this Halloween season in Houston.
1. Trick or Treat Halloween Pub Crawl
Prepare yourself for a thrilling journey o Houston’s finest bars, all in a single evening! Take a nostalgic journey back to the days of trick-or-treating, but with a grown-up twist. Instead of candy, you’ll be treated to a variety of enticing libations. Throughout the night, you can revel in exclusive drink deals that won’t dent your wallet, ensuring an unforgettable experience.
2. Chilling Candlelight Concerts
In celebration of the most hallowed time of the year, Candlelight presents a series of spellbinding concerts coming to cast a spell on audiences in Houston this fall. For these magically macabre performances, some of the city’s most magnificent venues will be lit up with the enchanting glow of candlelight.
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at The Bell Tower on 34th
- Candlelight Open Air: Día De Los Muertos
3. Scary Movies on a Rooftop
Rooftop Cinema Club is back with another thrilling Halloween program for Houston. From nostalgic Halloween hits like Hocus Pocus, to all-time horror cinema such as The Shining and Halloween (1978), to some mildly spooky flicks for the kiddos like Halloweentown, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this season at Rooftop Cinema Club. Featured screenings include:
- September: 9 The Nightmare Before Christmas
- September 11: American Psycho
- September 17: The Blackening
- September 24: Hocus Pocus
- October 1: Halloweentown
- October 1: Scream (1996)
- October 5: The Shining
- October 7: Get Out
4. Scream your Head Off at Texas’s Largest Horror Amusement Park
Scream Fest Houston stands apart from your typical amusement park. While others may offer occasional frights with specific rides and experiences that can provoke a few screams, akin to the scream canister moments from Monsters, Inc., Scream Fest Houston takes things to a whole new level, making other theme parks seem as gentle as a beloved Pixar film.
5. Enter the 13th House
Rated one of the “top 5 most terrifying haunted houses in the U.S.A.” 13th House is an essential Halloween experience in Houston. Opening September 16, 13th House is celebrating 5 years of fear with three thrilling attractions: Chop House, Legends of the Deep, and All Hallow’s Eve
6. Zoo Boo
Among over 5,000 animals, over a dozen exhibits, and numerous dining, drinking, and shopping establishments, Zoo Boo hosts a variety of amazing seasonal events including the Halloween-themed Zoo Boo. Beginning September 29, the Houston Zoo will be reprising its thrilling Zoo Boo event, this year with some new spooky installations including a pumpkin tree, pumpkin arch, and spooky forest!
7. Venture out to Texas’s Most Haunted Places
To kick off the eerie festivities, we’ve put together a compilation of the most haunted locations in and around Houston, along with the chilling stories that surround them.
8. Boo at the Boardwalk
Boo on the Boardwalk returns for another year on October 6, bringing a treat-filled experience for all age groups. Every weekend in October, the Kemah Boardwalk will host themed evenings filled with Halloween-themed activities. Whether you visit for Freaky Fridays, Scary Saturdays, or Spooky Sundays, you’re in for a delightfully eerie time, complete with live music, mesmerizing magic shows, and festive entertainment.
9. Pop into this Over-The-Top Halloween Bar
Amidst the array of exciting and celebratory activities this season, make sure to include the Wonder Bar on your must-visit list. Renowned for its ever-changing photo-op exhibits, the bar has morphed into a full-blown haunted spectacle.
10. Go Medieval at The Texas Renaissance Festival
The 49th edition of the Texas Renaissance Festival, the biggest renaissance fair in the country, is poised for a grand comeback this weekend, starting on October 7th, offering a realm of entertainment suitable for the entire family.