• $1,000 Halloween Costume Party at Flying Saucer: Tonight is Pint Night at Flying Saucer ... AND Halloween? It's gonna be a good night, folks. $5 cover, $3 pints, with shot specials and music by DJ Shy. $1,000 prize for the best costume in the house. Flying Saucer, 9605. N. Tryon St. www.beerknurd.com.
• Buff Faye's Halloween Murder Mystery Drag Diner: Who Gone & Done It? Help Buff solve a murder mystery. Each of Buff's drag divas will perform drag numbers to give you clues as to who committed the crime. Special treats will be given to audience members who guess the correct murderer at the end of the night. For reservations, call 704-347-1841 or email info@bufffaye.com. 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Hartigan's Irish Pub, 601 S. Cedar St., Charlotte. 704-347-1841. www.hartigans.com.
• Costume Party and Screening of Ghost Trek: The Kinsey Report Dress as your favorite zombie or zombie hunter for this shindig, which also features special guest Addy Miller aka "Little Zombie Girl" from The Walking Dead and "pageant princess" from Ghost Trek: The Kinsey Report (to be screened). 8 p.m. The Small Bar, 900 Seaboard St., Suite B3, Charlotte. 704-641-3773. www.smallbarclt.com.
• Bad Moon Rising Film Series Screening 1981's An American Werewolf in London, directed by John Landis. Free. 7:30 p.m. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St., Charlotte. 704-358-9298. www.neighborhoodtheatre.com.
• Billy's Halloween Party Featuring live music by Soul Watt, drink specials and a costume contest with more than $1,000 in cash and prizes. Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar & Ribs, 9005 JM Keynes Drive, Charlotte. 704-503-7427. www.boardwalkbillys.com.
• Night of Terrors: Vampires Vs. Space Zombies at Central Station. Music by Huda Huda and others, live painting, fire poi, and more. $10. 9 p.m. Central Station, 2131 Central Ave.
• Boo Bash at Bad Dog American Pub. Music by DJ L.I.T.Z. Winners of costume contest get $50 cash and a $50 gift card for Bad Dogs. Bad Dog American Pub, 8933-2 JM Keynes Drive. www.baddogspub.com.
Shiprocked hosted the Glam Witch Halloween Ball at Snug Harbor on Oct. 27.
Halo hosted the Halos and Horns Halloween kick-off party on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Don't know what you're doing yet for Halloween? Never fear! Check out this list of Halloween events - including parties, haunted attractions films and other activities- in Charlotte and the surrounding area.
Ongoing
• NC Fright Factory Creative director Martin Barry (also known as Charlotte Roller Girls' freaky clown) has added his own personal and scary touches to the three-part haunted house at NC Music Factory. There's also a paintball shooting range, midway games and live entertainment. Ticket booth opens at 7 p.m. and tours start at 7:30 p.m. each night. $13. Continues through Oct. 31. NC Music Factory, 935 N. Graham St., Charlotte. For more information, visit www.ncfrightfactory.com.
• The Haunted Mill Long time Halloween attraction with frightening rooms and 3D mini golf (an indoor black light putt-putt course). $10 (haunted house only), $19 (combo) for adults; $10 (haunted house only), $12 (combo) for children 10 years old and under. Continues through Oct. 31. Held at 6325 Wilkinson Blvd., Belmont. For more information, call 704-829-6455 or visit www.thehauntedmillnc.com.
• Hickory Grove Haunted Trail This haunted trail in Gaston County features a maze and downright horrific clowns. Continues through Oct. 31. Mountain View Golf Center, 4046 Mountain View St., Gastonia. For more information, call 704-201-4762.
• The Campground Massacre Haunted House Includes a creepy walk through Mina's Mansion and the Campground Massacre. $20. Continues through Oct. 31. The Charlotte/Fort Mill KOA RV Park and Campground, 940 Gold Hill Road, Fort Mill. For more details, call 866-752-7437 or visit www.themassacre.com.
• The Old Haunted School This Albemarle attraction is sponsored by Bethany Volunteer Fire Department. $5. Continues through Oct. 31. Held at Mountain Creek Road and Prospect Church Road, Albemarle. For directions and other information, visit www.bethanyvfd.org/hauntedhouse.
• Scarowinds: Halloween Haunt XI Carowinds’ special feature offers up mazes (that should be off limits to the claustrophobic), scare zones and live shows. $29.99 and up. Continues through Oct. 30. Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte. For more details, visit www.carowinds.com/scarowinds.
• Amazing Maize Maze Approximately 2.5 miles of pathways in a working cornfield. The Amazing Maize Maze challenges folks to think as they look for mailboxes containing clues that lead to the exit. Day maze tickets are $10; $7 for children 5-12 years old; Free for children 4 years old and under. Flashlight Maze tickets are $15; $10 for children 5-12 years old; Free for children 4 years old and under. Fridays, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Continues through Nov. 4. Rural Hill, 4431 Neck Road, Huntersville. 704-875-3113. www.ruralhill.net/amazingmaizemaze.asp.
• Scarrigan Farms The farm has been transformed to a terror attraction with a haunted trail complete with psycho clowns, a 3-D maze, a corn maze, hayrides, a pumpkin patch and more. For more information, visit www.scarriganfarms.com. Continues through Oct. 31. Carrigan Farms, 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Highway, Mooresville. 704-664-1450.
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Jeffrey Hatcher's stage adaptation of the 1886 novella is augmented by CAST's special brand of experimental theatrics. Continues through Nov. 6. Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST), 2424 N. Davidson St., Charlotte. 704-455-8542. www.nccast.com.
Other Halloween shindigs
Wednesday, Oct. 26
• Spooktacular Family-friendly Halloween event with trick-or-treating, complimentary goodie bags, pumpkin decorating, face painting, train rides, balloon artists, and a pet costume contest with a $100 prize. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Morrison at South Park, Colony Road and Sharon Road, Charlotte. www.morrisonsouthpark.com.
• Pop Life "Halloween Edition" aka Nightmare On College Street Featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff. Hosted by Skillz. Costumes are optional, but encouraged. 21 and up only. $10. 9 p.m.Re:Public, 314 N. College St., Charlotte. 704-375-0733. www.republicofcharlotte.com.
Thursday, Oct. 27
• Shiprocked's Glam Witch Halloween Ball The spooky (and fabulous) rock 'n' disco shindig features glam witches, booze, candy, games, dancing and other special performances. Costumes encouraged. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St., Charlotte. 704-333-9799. www.snugrock.com.
• GUTS: Pumpkin Carving Contest & Silent Auction Set-up begins at 3:30 p.m. and carving is from 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. After the carving ends participants will have 15 minutes to arrange their creation on the judging stand. See "carving rules" for full requirements on size and portability. A silent auction follows the carving with the chance to bid on. Winners to be announced after the auction. Benefits Levine Children's Hospital. $50 per individual to enter. NC Music Factory, 935 N. Graham St. For more information, visit www.gutscharlotte.com.
• Give A Hoot, Get Crafty A craft workshop for making cute felt owls. Registration is $30 and includes materials for making two owls, as well as complimentary wine & snacks. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Plaza Muse, 1200 Central Ave., Charlotte. 704-970-9676. www.plazamuse.com.
• Dr. Funkenstein's Cameo Thursday Halloween Bash Three-level party featuring DJs Frenzy Red and other special guests, as well as drink specials and a costume contest with cash prizes. Phoenix, 300 N. College St., Charlotte. 704-375-8765. www.phoenixofcharlotte.com.
Friday, Oct. 28
• 6th Annual Halloween Howler Costume Bar Crawl Meets at Buckhead Saloon at 7 p.m. for registration and check-in. From there folks will hop over to Town Tavern, Tilt, Howl at the Moon, and Suite. Costume contests (best overall guy costume, best overall girl costume, most creative and sexiest). $10. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Buckhead Saloon, 201 E. 5th St., Charlotte. 704-370-0687. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://halloweenhowlerclt.eventbrite.com/.
• Buff Faye's Spooks & Horrors Friday night party bus party with drag diva Buff Faye. Bus check-in will be from 7 p.m.-7:45 p.m. at the NC Fright Factory at NC Music Factory. Bus patrons will have free admission to the NC Fright Factory from 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The Party Bus departs at 8:30 p.m. for stops at LGBT-friendly bars where participants will have VIP access. and go til 2 a.m. returning to the NC Music Factory. $250 in prizes for best Halloween costumes (most sexy, most scary and Buff's favorite). For more information or to RSVP, email info@bufffaye.com. $25 (includes admission to NC Music Factory, VIP access/covers to bars and party favors). 7 p.m.-2 a.m. NC Music Factory, 935 N. Graham St., Charlotte.
• First Bite Friday Folks who arrive before midnight dressed as either a vampire or a victim of the fiend will get in free. Drink specials include $2 Miller Lite bottles and $5 "pumpkin" bombs. Whisky River, 210 E. Trade St., Charlotte. 704-749-1097. www.thewhiskyriver.com.
The Fresh Prince of mixing is coming back to Charlotte for a special Pop Life: the Halloween edition.
To help kick off your Halloween celebrations off on the right foot, The Sol Kitchen brings you "Nightmare on College Street" at RE:Public. Costumes are suggested at tonight's festivities, and it's $10 at the door. DJ Jazzy Jeff is known to bring out the masses — he packed the club when he came to Phoenix earlier this year for CIAA — so you'll probably want to go ahead and secure your advance tickets. It's going to be a night of good music.
The New Renaissance opened up for the Revolution's Fashion Theatre 2011, which took over Suite on Oct. 21.
The annual SiHK-or-Treat music and horrors festival took place at Tremont on Friday, Oct. 21.
The monthly nightlife event Su Casa — featuring cool tunes and art — returned to Dharma Lounge on Oct. 21.
ID Saturdays kicked off at Phoenix this past weekend, on Oct. 15. Not sure what it's all about? Here's a blip from the press release:
Digging a fresh path into the belly of the progressive underground where things new, forgotten, unheard of, and untried are coveted, legendary DJ and nightlife impresario Andy Kastanas is breathing new life into the Phoenix downtown with ID Saturdays. As ID Saturdays mercifully spin us into the hybridized eclecticism of music that simultaneously defies and defines tastes, the stripped down attitude and relaxed dressed code is like a slumber party where Carrie Bradshaw and Adina Howard show up with nothing but their t-shirts and panties on — everybody’s welcome, you don’t have to buy the table to sit at it, the joint is relaaaaaaxed, and the vibe is inexplicably bangin’!
All the more reason to check out Phoenix this weekend!
As our photographer noted, there was "a lot of crazy stuff going on" at the Chop Shop on Saturday, Oct. 15. The night benefited Project Halo, with live music, vendors, aerial artists — and your general shenanigans.