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Your guide to 14 Halloween boo-zy and spooky events in Philly

If you're looking for Halloween-themed cocktails, witchy brews, and interactive events, here's where and when to find them in Philly.

Ready for ghoulish boo-ze? Craftsman Row Saloon and other bars are offering Halloween themed treats this season.
Ready for ghoulish boo-ze? Craftsman Row Saloon and other bars are offering Halloween themed treats this season.Read moreCody Aldrich

There’s a slight chill in the air. Crispy yellow leaves piled high on the sidewalk. Ghosts and goblins in every other window. Vecna, the villain in the fourth season of Stranger Things, roams City Hall’s beer garden. Zombie Barbies and Kens are partying in Society Hill. And from doughnuts to mac and cheese, pumpkin is everywhere.

Spooky season is officially here.

And you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy all the ghoulish fun — those mini Hershey bars and Kit Kats are for you too, grown-ups. Not to mention, the city has plenty of haunted bars serving all the boo-ze you could possibly wish for.

Here’s where and when to party with spirits and witchy brews around the city.

Uptown Upside Down

Things have turned “upside down” again at Uptown Beer Garden. The Center City venue transports you to Stranger Things’ 1983 Hawkins, Indiana, where demogorgons and demodogs run amok. Creepy inside-out villain Vecna menacingly invites you to join his victims — or you can ignore him and enjoy cocktails like the Blood Bag ($18), City Distilling vodka with lemon juice and berry simple syrup, and Nancy’s Night Out ($15), an fruity Absolut, lemonade and cranberry sipper with edible glitter, the Hawkin’s Snow Ball seating area..

You’ll also find Eddie Munson rocking out atop the Surfer Boy Pizza van..

Note: Children and teens under 21 are welcome with a parent or guardian any day of the week, except after 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

📍1500 John F Kennedy Blvd, 📞 267-639-4493, 🌐 uptownbeer.com, 🕑 Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight

Kedera

Last year, Uptown Beer Garden offered “general Halloween fun” in the front tent and Halloween tunnel with Uptown Upside Down through the back gate of the tent and taking over the back courtyard, second bar, and area outside the DJ booth and cabanas. This year, Kedera is Uptown Upside Down’s light-hearted counterpart. About two dozen skeletons of all shapes and sizes play music and get into mischief around every corner of the backside of Uptown garden. Enter this tiki skelton bar with a homage to Weekend at Bernie’s for some family friendly fun. The menu will be the same as Uptown Upside Down with some extra tiki-themed drinks.

📍1500 John F Kennedy Blvd, 📞 267-639-4493, 🌐 uptownbeer.com, 🕑 Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight

Witches of East Passyunk Bar Crawl

Bars and restaurants on East Passyunk Avenue will try to put a spell on you with their craft beers and food specials on Oct. 25 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Crawlers are encouraged to start at Pistolas del Sur. After that, you’re free to choose your route. Earn stamps along the way by purchasing beers, food, and other beverages at the locations — if you collect four or more, you might win a gift certificate prize package.. Expect cocktail and beer specials throughout the crawl. It’s pay-as-go at participating locations, including Pistolas del Sur, Ray’s “Happy Birthday” Bar, The Dutch, and Cartesian Brewing.

📍Multiple locations, 🌐 visiteastpassyunk.com/events

Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge

Over adozen Northern Liberties bars and restaurants are going all out to get your vote for the fourth annual Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge. From Oct. 21 to 22 and 28 to 29, guests are invited to taste each bar’s haunted Bloody Mary concoctions and rate them on spice, taste, bling, and “Halloweeniness.” Locations include Anejo, El Camino Real, Figo Ristorante, Jerry’s Bar, Standard Tap, and Urban Village Brewing Company.A winner will be awarded in each category and for best overall bloody mary in the neighborhood.

📍Multiple locations, 🌐 explorenorthernliberties.org

The festivities began on Friday, Oct. 13 with specialty “bloody” cocktails made with Crystal Head vodka as horror films screen at the Gayborhood haunt.

Carve pumpkins on Oct. 21 and 22 with a complimentary cocktail. The Saturday event will be at 1:15 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. and Sunday at 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. Book tickets online for $25, includes a pumpkin per person, carving tools, a work station, and a complimentary cocktail or nonalcoholic cocktail.

Or try your hand at Crystal Head Bottle Painting on Oct. 26 from 8 to 10 p.m.. “Bloody” cocktails made with Crystal Head vodka are on the menu. Tickets are $25 per person — you’ll get an empty skull bottle, art supplies, and a complimentary cocktail.

📍1305 Locust St., 📞 732-538-7630 (Ext. 5), 🌐 thecauldron.io/philly

Nightmare Before Tinsel

The Nightmare Before Tinsel is back again decked out in ghoulish glory. If you’re looking for “blood bags,”other cocktails, and seasonal craft beers , head to South 12th Street, next to Finn McCool’s, and bartenders dressed on theme will serve. Check out the photo booth, drink, and dance to custom DJ playlists. The baropens Oct. 13. Tinsel is 21 and up only. Enter for free, except Friday and Saturday nights — pay an $5 fee at 8 p.m. and after.

📍116 S. 12th St., 📞 (215) 397-3308, 🌐 nightmarebeforetinsel.finnmccoolsphilly.com, 🕑 Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 2 p.m. to midnight.

Once Bitten, Twice Dead!

Head to the vampire-themed murder mystery party at Wilder. Red Rum Theater and the Without a Cue team partners with the Center City restaurant for a bloody party. Fangs will flash as vacationing vampire couples Edwardo and Ella and Dracula and Lucy fight for what they desire. Figure out who will leave alive or dead on Oct. 31. Dinner and the show are $125. Tickets go live on Oct. 2 on Wilder’s reservations page.

📍2009 Sansom St., 📞 215-309-2149, 🌐 wilderphilly.com, 🕑 Oct. 21, 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Resurrecting the Divine Lorraine

On Oct. 29, Cicala is stirring up spirits at the historic The Divine Lorraine Hotel with a costume and cocktail party. Dig into hors’ d’oeuvres, plus sweet and savory stations including candy apple bar, a bar with temperance (nonalcoholic) cocktails, and a table of cakes with trinkets inside. Dress to impress and win a prize for best “spirit of The Divine Lorraine.” There will be a ghost tour with stories of activity from 7 to 9 p.m., tarot card readings, and more. Tickets are $20, which will be available online on tk.

📍699 N Broad St., 📞 267-886-9334, 🌐 cicalarestaurant.com, 🕒 Oct. 29, 7 p.m. to midnight

McGillin’s Olde Ale House

Spotted at the bar on Drury Street: servers dressed in costumes serving pumpkin martinis, fall harvest cosmos, hot spiced apple cider, and maple whiskey sours. The bar is decked out in all things Halloween. Don’t forget to wear your costumes on the weekend of Halloween — on Sunday, do the Monster Mash to “scare-oke” a.k.a. costumed karaoke. Costume contests and prizes on both days.

📍1310 Drury St., 📞 215-735-5562, 🌐 mcgillins.com, 🕑 Monday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Craftsman Row Saloon Nightmare Before Halloween

Nightmare Before Halloween takes over the Jeweler’s Row restaurant and bar in all its ghoulish glory from floating witches hats to giant spiders and cobwebs.

Till Oct. 31, sip on spooky cocktails including the Blood Bag, a

rum, grenadine, apple cider, cranberry cocktail for $15, and the Funny Bone Old Fashioned, a whiskey, maple orange cherry for $15. Each sipper comes with a festive spooky spirit garnish.

For a nonalcoholic option, try the This is Halloween milkshake, chocolate ice cream blended with sugar cookie, house-made Jack cookies, black rock candy, black and white sprinkles, or the Halloween Basket shake, vanilla ice cream blended with kit kat, Reese’s-twix-chocolate candy toppings, sugar candy wedges, rope candy, halloween sprinkles, and served in a keepsake pumpkin basket. Milkshakes are $17 to $18.

Pair your drink of choice with pumpkin mac and cheese, mummy stromboli, and other festive eats.

📍112 S 8th St., 📞 215-923-0123, 🌐 craftsmanrowsaloon.com, 🕑 Wednesday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday to Saturday noon to 11 p.m., Sunday noon to 9 p.m.

South Street’s Halloween Costume Crawl & Bar Bash

Join the parade of ghouls and goblins down 5th and South Streets to 2nd and Lombard Streets in the Halloween Costume Crawl, then get exclusive access to specials at the Bar Bash on Oct. 31.

Beginning at 7 p.m., host Jarbeaux of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret will lead the way down South Street. There will be four categories, including spooky and scary, silly and wacky, sexy and sultry, and pop and trendy, with $1,000 goodies from the district businesses. Participants must be 21 years or older.

Bars, restaurants, and shops on and around South Street will offer scary good specials, deals, and discounts all night long. Pop into O’Neals Pub, where you’ll find a blood orange vampire punch served in a blood bag and a caramel apple spiced rum cocktail. Other bars include Tattooed Mom and Queen & Rook Game Cafe.

📍South Street, 🌐southstreet.com, 🕑 Oct. 31, 7 p.m.

Haunted Barbie Halloween Party

Halloween is all about pink sparkles at The Twisted Tail in Society Hill. You’re invited to the Haunted Barbie Halloween Party, an annual Halloween party on October 28 with live music starting at 8 p.m. hosted by The Mikey Junior Band. Say hi to spooky Barbie and Kens as you sip on Barbie-themed Witching Hour drink specials, check out the ice luge and a haunted Barbie photo booth, and compete in the costume contest. Concoctions are $6, including enchanting Malibu Barbie, the mysterious Blackout Barbie, the vengeful Barbie’s Revenge, and the radiant Disco Barbie.

General admission is free, and a 32-seat VIP section with dedicated servers will also be available for a minimum spend of $75 per guest (exclusive of tax and gratuity). To secure these reservations, send an email. The event is for ages 21 and up.

📍509 S. 2nd St., 📞 215-558-2471, 🌐thetwistedtail.com, 🕑 Oct. 28, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Royal Boucherie

In Old City, there’s a Haunted Happy Hour on Oct. 31 for you. The extended happy hour service at the bar area will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be ghostly, holiday-themed cocktails and food specials — think blood-colored cocktails served out of IV bags and more. Haunted Happy Hour is open to the public — no reservations needed.

📍52 S 2nd St., 📞267-606-6313, 🌐royalboucherie.com, 🕑 Oct. 31, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy

Celebrate the stories of author Edgar Allan Poe with a four-part cocktail experience. Just blocks away from the Poe Mural and Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Northern Liberties, the immersive speakeasy by Rock Star Beer Festivals will pop-up at Craft Hall event space from Oct. 12 to 14. Listen to retold and reimagined Poe stories and sip on four themed cocktails, including the Edgar’s Twisted Brandy Milk Punch, Kentucky Bourbon meets with French Brandy mixed with vanilla cream, milk syrup, and half and half, then topped with star anise. Note: Alcohol-free cocktail options and allergy substitution cocktails will be available upon request.

The 90-minute experience is at 6 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m. on Oct. 12 and 13. Shows will be at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Oct. 14. Tickets are $55 each, including four drinks, venue admission and the live experience — act quickly, space is limited. Cocktail or Poe-inspired attire is suggested, but not required. This event is for ages 21 and up.

📍901 N Delaware Ave., 🌐 edgarallanpoebar.com, 🕑 Oct. 12 to 14, various times