Milwaukee is a Halloween City with gobs of activities that range from eye-of-newt witchy to eat-candy easy. In plainer English, you can celebrate as much or as little as you want to – just get out there and enjoy the spookiest season of the year.
Here is a list of local events – Halloween parties, costume contests, scary storytelling and more. The list will be updated regularly, so send us your event to molly@onmilwaukee.com.
Happy spooky season to all!
Partner Pick
8 p.m. - 12 a.m. Get dressed up and celebrate Halloween with Awkward Nerd Events as they transform the iconic Turner Hall Ballroom into the world of Fallout with an array of exciting, post-apocalyptic games, video game experiences and themed cocktails. Whether you're a hardcore gamer, a cosplayer decked out in your most inspired costume (Fallout-themed or otherwise) or you simply want to enjoy the festivities, there's something for everyone at this event. Plus incredible photo opportunities and a dance floor powered by The Threepios and The Shake Ups. Get tickets
Friday, Oct. 18
The Quilz at Humboldt Pumpkin Pavilion
Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave.
Check out hundreds of lit jack-o-lanterns; performance by The Quilz
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Haunted Halloween on Historic Downer Ave.
Downer Avenue business district
Family friendly; costumes encouraged. Face painting, balloon creations, pumpkin carving contest, free chocolate cookies and more.
1 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Hallowings Pumpkin Festival
Gazebo Park, 5798 Broad St., Greendale
This family-friendly event runs through Sunday, Oct. 27 and features live music, costume contests for humans and adults, free pumpkins to carve and display, food, drink, a special visit from the Ghostbusters and Ecktomobile and more. For more information, click here.
Partner Pick
Thursday, Oct. 24
Gothic Wisconsin: Twisted Tales from the Middle Coast
Waukesha Civic Theatre, 264 W. Main St.
6:30 p.m.
More info here.
Nadja’s Vampire Club pop-up
Lost Whale, 2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Calling all "What We Do In the Shadows" fans. This pop-up's for you.
Through Sun., Nov. 3
Friday, Oct. 25
Bad Moon Saloon's "Dead & Spooky Icons" Costume Party
4035 S. Clement Ave.
Dress as your favorite dead famous person and dance to the jams of Ruben Ramos all night long. Starts at 9 p.m .
Cathedral Square Costume Contest
520 E. Wells St.
Sponsored by Room Seven, Belmont Mke, The Sofie, Taylor’s, Allure Mke, Sportsclub, This Is It, Experts Only
8 p.m. bar crawl and costume contest with $1,600 in cash prizes.
Fluid Halloween Bash
819 S. 2nd St.
Featuring Miss "Spencer" and friends and a costume contest.
8 p.m.
Friki Reggaeton Halloween Party & Costume Contest
The Rave/Eagles Ballroom, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Enjoy two rooms of music with Reggaeton and EDM music from some of the city's top DJs. Plus, enter the Halloween Costume Contest for a chance to win $1000 in cash prizes. More info here.
Haunted Honey Creek
Honey Creek Park, 8405 W. National Ave.
Flashlight cemetery tours, campfire ghost stories, tarot card readings, ghoulish face painting, s'mores, live music.
4 to 9 p.m.
More info here.
Pilot Project Brewing $1 Beers
1128 N. 9th St.
Wear a costume to the Pilor Project between Oct. 25-31 and buy one beer, get one for $1.
Third Space Resurrects: Tales from the Cripes
Third Space Brewing, 1505 W. St Paul Ave.
Anyone in costume gets two beers for the price of one. Winner of the costume contest receives a $50 Third Space gift card. Plus, live music from Cripes (5 to 8 p.m.), delectable bites, $16 beer "frights" and free pumpkin carving.
Walker’s Pint Scare-E-Oke & Costume Contest
Walker's Pint, 818 S. 2nd St.
8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26
Clementine’s Halloween Soiree
Clementine's Tavern, 3143 S. Clement Ave.
Dig into 30 free pizzas and 300 jello shots.
Halloween Bar Crawl - Downtown
Participating Downtown bars
Toss on a costume, check in from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 90S2K CAFE or Brothers Bar & Grill, and then proceed to 15+ participating bars for a Halloween bash/bar crawl. Get tickets and more info here.
Halloween on Brady Street
Large bar crawl and costume contest with a $1,000 first prize.
All the details here.
Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee
Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Visirt this family-friendly, free outdoor Halloween display. The first 400 guests to attend will pick a free pumpkin. Trick-or-treat goodie bags will also be available while supplies last. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
La Piña Halloween Party
La Piña, 1801 S. 3rd St.
Costumes, tequila and more!
MKE Brewing’s 27-Year Anniversary and Halloween Bash
Bay View Taproom, 2335 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Free drink ticket for costumed guests, costume contest, live music
12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
New Baron's Halloween Party
New Baron's Brewing Cooperative, 2018 S. 1st St.
Tattoos (yes, real ones), DJ Taylor Fresh Batch, costume contest, Big O's BBQ. Go here for more info.
4 - 11 p.m.
Red Maple Spooktacular DJ
Red Maple, 100 W. Maple St.
8 p.m.
Bay View/Saint Francis Halloween Pub Crawl
Stop in at Salty Dog, redbar and Trailer Park Tavern for Halloween happenings.
Steny’s Costume Contest & Halloween Bash
Steny's, 800 S. 2nd St.
Drink specials and costume contest with a $500 first prize.
X-Ray Arcade's Halloween Spooktacular 3
X-Ray Arcade, 5036 S. Packard Ave.
Live music and costume contest. Get the details here.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Spooky Burlesque Show
Bad Moon Saloon, 4035 S. Clement Ave.
Featuring Chapell Moan, Holly Garland and more. Starts at 9 p.m.
Halloween trivia and costume contest
Creed's Foggy Dew, 3672 S. Kansas Ave.
7-9:30 p.m.
Prizes for best costume and first, second and third in trivia.
Riverwest Witch’s Dance
Corner of Pierce and Townsend Streets
Dress like a witch and come dance!
7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tech-O-Ween Masquerade Party
Up-Down, 615 E. Brady St.
3:30 to 6 p.m.
Get ready for an evening of tech, games and Halloween fun at the 1st Annual Channel Champions & Adaptiv Networks Tech-O-Ween Masquerade 2024. This spooky celebration is all about coming together, connecting with the channel community and having a blast while exploring the latest tech innovations. More info here.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Awkward Nerd Events Halloween Party with a Postapocalyptic Twist
Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.
This unforgettable event will transport guests to the world of Fallout with live music, video games, photo opportunities and more. Go here for all the geeky deets.
All Month Long
Beans & Barley October Breakfast and Brunch
1901 E. North Ave.
Halloween breakfast and brunch featuring pancakes with a cinnamon swirl and a sweet cream cheese topping.
Biersel Tavern Halloween Celebration
5520 W. Vliet St.
A full month of Halloween happenings. Click here for all the details
Halloween at The Streets of Old Milwaukee
Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St.
Leaves falling from above (literally), vintage Halloween decor and the Haymarket Candy Store will be open for business!
Details here.
Halloween Village
Baird Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.
The outdoor attraction, which runs through Thursday, Oct. 31, features a seasonal scene for photo ops. Visitors can pose for pictures with a ghost, scarecrow, Frankenstein and witches, as well as walk through a giant 12-foot pumpkin. On Saturday, Oct. 26, the 3rd annual Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee will haunt the space from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The first 400 guests to attend will pick a free pumpkin, courtesy of Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market. Trick-or-treat goodie bags will also be available while supplies last.
Haunted Mini-Golf
Nine Below, 1905 E. North Ave.
Thirteen horrifying holes of indoor putt-putt. Ghoul-approved cocktails. All the deets here.
Spirits of the Silent City: Dead Reckoning!
Forest Home Cemetery, 2405 W. Forest Home Ave.
Under theatrical lighting, the cemetery becomes a stage for professional actors who bring the stories of the cemetery to life. New route; new stories.
Oct. 11-12; 18-19.
Details here.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
