NYCGuide
13 Things To Do For Halloween In NYC If You Haven’t Made Plans Because You’re A Boring Adult Now
Whether you’ve been dressing up since the first of October or your friends just told you “lovable curmudgeon” isn’t an acceptable costume, you’ve got to figure out your Halloween plans for the weekend. Here are 13 ideas that include an ‘80s dance party, a Beetlejuice costume contest, a cemetery tour, and more. Pick an event and go out, or stay home and face the worst horror of all: groups of children descending on your door asking for things.
Yes, Halloween is an American Holiday, but the British are very spooky, so Halloween High Tea makes perfect sense. This weekend, the Williamsburg Hotel is remixing their afternoon tea towers with Halloween-themed flavors. High Tea is available from 12-5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Make a reservation in that window as you normally would, and then let them know you’re there for tea when you get there.
Even if you aren't looking to rage on a Monday, you can still attend a festive dinner. Charlie Bird is hosting a masquerade dinner party with a great view of the NYC Village Halloween parade. The four-course truffle dinner is also in celebration of the restaurant being in business for 10 years and will feature Charlie Bird classics from the wine cellar. Seatings are at 6pm and 8pm. Make your reservations here.
At the Green-Wood Cemetery, Halloween is any day you want it to be. But if you’re looking to have an especially frightening time, explore Green-Wood After-Hours. You’ll visit some famous graves and get to see the creepy catacombs, which are usually closed to the public. If you’re too afraid to party with the dead at night, join a historian for one of their Spirited Strolls on Saturday or Sunday morning to hear tales of the bizarre spirits and souls buried around you.
We love to put a dog in a costume, and once we do, that cutey-patootie pumpkin with legs needs to be seen by the outside world. Show off your dressed-up dog at Sally’s Howl-Aween Doggie Costume Brunch this Sunday from 12-4pm. All doggies in costume get free dog treats, and their humans will get a free mimosa. The brunch doubles as a fundraiser for Howls Rescue, and they’ll be accepting donations of cash, food, toys, etc.
photo credit: Kyle Knodell
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Get into some seaside spookiness at the Rockaway Hotel on Saturday night. There’ll be light bites and a live DJ, and the party is on the rooftop so you can look out for ghost ships in the distance. Tickets to the Sinister N' Surreal Ball can be purchased here.
On Sunday, Nat’s on Bank invites all who’ve still got stray glitter and face paint on from the night before to keep the party going at an all-day Halloween Hangover Brunch from 11am-9pm. Costumes are optional, but there will be drag queen performances, games, and a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar. No ticket necessary—reservations can be made as usual on Resy.
Ridgewood’s Flying Fox Tavern is a horror-themed bar, so you know they’re going big for Halloween. On both Friday and Saturday night, they’re hosting Feast of the Vampires, a four-course dinner for you to eat amongst the family of bats and severed heads crowding the bar. There are two seatings each night. Buy your tickets here.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
There’s ghosts, there’s ghouls, and then there’s the French, the most frightening of them all. Niche Niche’s words, not ours. On Monday, Soho’s favorite dinner party will be throwing a French Fright Fest, featuring spooky snacks and all-you-can-drink Champagne from some of France’s best sparkling producers in the world. Buy your tickets here.
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Dress like your favorites '80s icon (or even an extra from the "Thriller" video) for The Roof at Park South’s Video Killed The Radio Star '80s Halloween Party this Saturday. Dance on the roof until midnight, then head to GG Tokyo downstairs for the after-party until 2am. Your ticket includes a complimentary cocktail.
At Happiest Hour’s Halloween bash, say "Beetlejuice" three times and a whole crowd of fake Michael Keaton’s will appear. You could be one of them. Come by in your best Beetlejuice-themed costume for drinks and dancing this Saturday at 10pm. Buy tickets here.
Stop by the William Vale this Friday to get a tarot reading that will not only tell you to stop dating people just because they have cute dogs, but also what cocktail you’ll be drinking in the next 10 minutes. The bartenders will concoct a special craft cocktail based on your reading. Reserve a table at Westlight from 7pm-9pm.
If you're going to celebrate Halloween with an actual kid in tow, Fort Greene’s Halloween Fest is a great opportunity for both of you to have a good time. There will be live performances, arts and crafts, and more at Fort Greene Park from 1-4pm this Saturday.
This massive neighborhood costume parade is a 49-year-old tradition, and it's also genuinely terrifying. Don’t you dare try to drive or walk across 6th Avenue from Canal to 16th Street between the hours of 7pm to 11pm. We made that mistake in 2019.
