A scene from Super Natural Halloween 2023 at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
Katie Ravas/Drew Altizer Photography
October is here and you don’t need to look far to find supernatural excitement. With loads of spookiness and a cornucopia of autumn festivities on tap, Halloween time around the Bay Area has something to please all the brats, fairies and ghouls in the mix.
Check out the Chronicle’s guide to the best seasonally inspired activities and fine arts events happening through All Hallows Eve.
Halloween events and activities
Randall Museum Family Halloween Day
Come in costume and enjoy spooky Halloween decor throughout the museum, crafts, trick-or-treating, live entertainment with the Luke Schwartz Trio and Brian Scott Magic, a day-glow dance party and more family-friendly fun.
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10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Free admission; low-cost activities. Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, S.F. 415-554-9600. www.randallmuseum.org
Gathering of the Goths
Nothing screams Halloween spirit like celebrating on board a haunted ship filled with goths, ghouls and oddities. The event will include a goth marketplace, costume contests, an elixir bar, workshops, ghost hunting tours, food trucks and live entertainment. Marketplace-only and after-hours party ticket options are available.
5 p.m.-after midnight Saturday, Oct. 19. $20-$75, reservations recommended. USS-Hornet Museum, 707 W. Hornet Ave., Alameda. 510-521-8448. www.uss-hornet.org
The Haunted Bay Ghost Tours
The folks from Amazon Prime’s paranormal series “The Haunted Bay” are offering live ghost tours. Visit sites where some of the paranormal investigations were filmed. Hear ghost stories and explore dark histories of Chinatown and the vice-ridden Barbary Coast areas of San Francisco. Or hear ghoulish tales and true crime stories while walking down dark paths of the UC Berkeley campus and nearby areas, with stops at famously spirited buildings.
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S.F. Tours: 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, 27, Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Meet at 606 Broadway, S.F. Berkeley Tours: Thursday-Friday, Oct. 24-25 and Nov. 14-15; Friday-Saturday, Nov. 1-2, 8-9 and 22-23. Meet in front of the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub, 2630 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. $55, reservations required; $35 student tickets available with ID. www.thehauntedbay.com
Scaregrove
The annual San Francisco Recreation and Parks-sponsored Halloween festival is set to include spooky Big Top-themed fun for all ages. It’s set to include live entertainment and carnival rides, plus a hay maze, costume contest, kids haunted house, craft activities, the S.F. Public Library Bookmobile and Randall Museum activity truck, food vendors and more. Bike parking courtesy of the San Francisco Bike Coalition. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided at this event.
3-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. Free admission. Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, S.F. 415-831-2700. www.sfrecpark.org
Mushroom Masquerade
Get dressed up in mushroom-inspired attire and Halloween costumes for one of the annual mushroom festival’s signature events. The evening will include mushroom-centric bites, wine and mushroom-infused aperitif tastings, a mask making activity and live DJ dance sets from Juan Love.
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5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. $30-$34, reservations recommended. Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Bldg., S.F. www.farwestfungi.com
Pictured, West Portal Elementary’s award-winning entry into a past Leap Sandcastle Classic. This year’s event will be held on Oct. 26 with an “Out of this World” theme at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
Leap Arts in Education
42nd Annual Sandcastle Classic: Out of This World
Local elementary school students team up with architects, engineers and businesses, working together to build giant sand sculptures with UFOs, aliens and otherworldly elements. Observe the builds, enjoy live DJ sets, music and dance performances. Build your own sand creations at a community castle-building area and grab a bite to eat at a food truck. Costumes encouraged. Proceeds benefit arts programming in Bay Area schools.
11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Free. Ocean Beach, Great Highway at Balboa Street, S.F. 415-512-1899. www.leapsandcastleclassic.org
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California Academy of Sciences ‘SuperNatural’
Get a jump-scare start on Halloween with a spine-tingling evening event at the museum. Come in costume for an evening of family-friendly fun with a silent disco in Steinhart Aquarium, live “mad” science, trick-or-treat stations, a teen lounge, face painting, photo booth and more. Enjoy activities inside as well as in the outdoor garden spaces and Living Roof areas.
6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. 5 p.m. early-admission and VIP tickets available. $40-$200, registration required. California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, S.F. 415-379-8000. www.calacademy.org
SuperNatural Halloween 2023 at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.
California Academy of Sciences
Trick-or-Treat at the Ferry Building
Try out your costumes a few days early and trick or treat inside the Ferry Building Marketplace. Event includes a mushroom scavenger hunt, face painting, spooky crafts, a live pumpkin carving demonstration and more.
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11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. Free, reservations recommended. Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Bldg., S.F. 415-983-8030. www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com
Witches on the Water
Enjoy watching from the shore or get witchy and join the Halloween paddling parade. Bring your own gear or rent at nearby Sea Trek outfitters. The approximately one-hour route will depend on the wind.
9:30-11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. Free-$20, reservations recommended. Mike’s Paddle, 1120 Ballena Blvd. #200, Alameda. 415-295-2925. www.ohanapaddleclub.org
After Dark: Creepatorium
Celebrate spooky season during an evening costume party at the Exploratorium. Explore the galleries at night, extended creepy science exhibits and live entertainment. Food and drinks available for purchase.
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. $22.95; 18 and older, reservations recommended. Exploratorium, Pier 15, S.F. 415-528-4444. www.exploratorium.edu
The California Academy of Sciences will host its annual family-friendly “Supernatural” night at the museum costume party on Oct. 26 in San Francisco.
California Academy of Sciences
Fright Nightlife
Come in costume for an evening of live DJ sets and performances by Oaklash artists, cocktails, planetarium shows, cafe food and more.
6-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. $24.50; 21 and older, reservations recommended. California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, S.F. 415-379-8000. www.calacademy.org
The Speakeasy: All Hallows Eve
A 1920s-themed Halloween costume party features characters from the venue’s “Age of Scofflaws” theatrical production along with extras created just for the spooky-chic event. Activities include a séance, Ouija boards, tarot readings, magic show, a haunted photo booth, a ghostly jazz band and dance floor, casino games, vaudeville-style shows and more. Premium entry is at 7 p.m. and includes a short theatrical production and live music. Vaudeville shows nightly in the cabaret area begin at 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 31-Nov. 2. $85-$125, reservations recommended. Palace Theater, S.F. 415-226-9680. www.thespeakeasysf.com
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival: Halloween Hoopla
Enjoy an afternoon of family-friendly frights and delights and live music from Circus Bella performers. It’s set to include juggling and circus arts performances, palm reading, craft and activity tables from Children’s Creativity Museum, Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy and the Mexican Museum. The event culminates with a Halloween costume parade with live music in the garden geared toward kids under 10.
Noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. Free. Yerba Buena Gardens Children’s Garden, 799 Howard St., S.F. 415-543-1718. www.ybgfestival.org
Testament will perform as part of “Klash of the Titans” shredding double bill with Kreator at the Warfield in San Francisco on Oct. 27.
Stephanie Cabral/Mia Demonz
Halloween arts events
Nightmare in Concert
Join Sixth Station Trio and the Pumpkin King for a theatrical live musical performance featuring composer Danny Elfman’s hits from Tim Burton’s seasonal film favorite, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
7:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. $25-$35, reservations recommended. Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. 415-749-6300. www.gracecathedral.org
Cal Performances presents “Mummenschanz: 50 Years” on Saturday-Sunday Oct. 26-27 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall.
Mummenschanz Foundation / Noe Flum
Mummenschanz: 50 Years
Though not specifically a Halloween performance, these guys do costumes right. The classic Swiss mime troupe will visit Berkeley with a retrospective program celebrating its inventive, silent storytelling style. The ensemble will resurrect creatures and creations from its favorite repertoire, including the clay masks and toilet paper faces, delicate air-filled giants, pipe creatures and others presented with trademark charm and wit.
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26; 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. $31-$116, reservations recommended. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. 510-642-9988. www.calperformances.org
Santa Rosa Symphony: Snoopy’s Spooktacular Extravaganza
Dress in costume for a spellbinding musical adventure as Francesco Lecce-Chong conducts the symphony in a family concert series event with Snoopy as a guide. It will feature musicians dressed in costumes inspired by works included in the afternoon program and an instrument “petting zoo” one hour prior to the performance.
3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. $10-$20, reservations recommended. Weill Hall, Green Music Center, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 707-546-8742. www.srsymphony.org
Join Stanford Live and hostess Peaches Christ on Sunday, Oct. 27, for an “UnHoly Sunday” afternoon filled with glitz, glamour and live performances on the Bing Studio cabaret stage.
Stanford Live/ Jose Guzman Colon
UnHoly Sunday with Peaches Christ
Join an afternoon of glitz, glamour and fabulous performances featuring Peaches’ signature blend of humor, music and outrageous costumes. Guest artists include Jason Brock, Cheetah Biscotti and members of Stanford’s Dragfest Troop. Come dressed in your spookiest costumes for the chance to win tickets to Terror Vault and “A Night in the Piano Bar” with Brandon James Gwinn.
5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. $15-$45, reservations recommended. Bing Concert Hall Studio, 327 Lasuen St., Stanford. 650-724-2464. live.stanford.edu
Klash of the Titans: Testament and Kreator
Get your hair whipping, heads banging and prepare for some shredding heavy metal thunder with an epic double bill featuring the unstoppable energy of two high-octane, genre-defining acts. One local (Testament originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1983) and the other a classic German thrash metal band. Old-school Testament fans will get treated to a set featuring deep cuts from the band’s landmark early releases as well as tunes from their most recent album, “Titans of Creation.”
6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. $50-$127, reservations recommended. The Warfield, 982 Market St., S.F. 415-345-0900. www.thewarfieldtheatre.com
Drummer Smith Dobson will perform tunes from jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones’ 1958 album “Blues for Dracula” with his quintet at SFJazz on Oct. 31.
SFJazz
Smith Dobson: Blues for Dracula
Join Bay Area drummer Smith Dobson with trumpeter Erik Jekabsen, tenor saxophonist Matt Renzi, pianist Keith Saunders and bassist Eric Markowitz in a performance of legendary jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones’s 1958 album “Blues for Dracula.” With saxophonist Johnny Griffin’s humorous title composition, the original release features a band of jazz royalty, with pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Johnny Griffin, trombonist Julian Priester and bassist Jimmy Garrison.
7 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. $25, reservations recommended. SFJazz Center, 201 Franklin St., S.F. 866-920-5299. www.sfjazz.org
Death by Aria
Enjoy an evening of spellbinding arias, spine-chilling melodies and villain-inspired music performed by sopranos Olivia Smith and Arianna Rodriguez, tenor Sid Chand, mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, baritone Edward Nelson, oboist-vocalist Jesse Rex Barrett and pianist Ronny Michael Greenberg. Costumes encouraged.
7:30-11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. $60-$100, reservations recommended. Green Room, War Memorial Opera House, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F. www.tasteoftalent.org
SFJazz and Grace Cathedral present a Halloween night screening of 1927 silent film thriller “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog,” accompanied by organist Dorothy Papadakos.
Grace Cathedral
SFJazz and Grace Cathedral: ‘The Lodger’
A special Halloween screening of director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 silent thriller “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” will feature live musical accompaniment performed on the cathedral’s 1934 Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ by organist-composer Dorothy Papadakos.
8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. $25-$35, reservations recommended. Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. 866-920-5299. www.gracecathedral.org
Reach Anne Schrager: [email protected]
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