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The Halloween season is finally here and nobody does it better than Las Vegas. Always filled with excitement and intrigue, the Strip and Downtown go all out in late October with special events, attractions, holiday-themed shows and nightclub parties galore. Prepare for outrageous costume contests, celebrity-hosted bashes and specialty cocktail creations that only Las Vegas could serve up.
Here are a few of the many events taking place in and around the city:
Marquee Nightclub – The upscale venue at Cosmopolitan gets into the spooky spirit early this year with a “Seven Deadly Sins” party on Monday October 28th. Put on your sexy/scary best for their $7,777 Costume Contest and DJ Sam Feldt.
Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails – Cosmopolitan’s heavily-themed speakeasy/salon unleashes Faded Karaoke: Rocky Horror Picture Show Edition on Tuesday October 29th. Do the time warp during their weekly Industry Night for karaoke with a Halloween twist starting at 10 pm.
On The Record – The new-ish speakeasy/club at Park MGM hosts three consecutive bashes for All Hallow’s Eve. Wednesday October 30th will be “$10,000 Scary and Sultry Costume Contest” during Industry Night Trick or Treat. Thursday October 31st presents “Little Monsters Ball” with a $10,000 Lady Gaga costume contest. Finally on Friday November 1st, “Nightmare In The Park: Day of the Dead” with a $5,000 Costume Contest and deejays G-Squared, Tony Tone and Judy Elahi.
TAO Nightclub – The longtime favorite at Venetian welcomes DJ Mustard on Halloween night, along with a $5,000 Costume Contest for a few lucky dolls and demons. The party starts at 10:30 pm.
Chateau Nightclub – The two-story indoor-outdoor venue at Paris offers a 21+ bash with gorgeous views of the Strip and sounds by Liz Clark starting at 10 pm. VIP Packages for groups of five and up are available, reservations are suggested.
LIGHT Nightclub – Mandalay Bay‘s supersized club will be presenting singer/rapper Saweetie with a performance for Halloween’s LIGHTMARE. Be a part of the $10,000 Costume Contest beginning at 10:30 pm on the 31st.
Hakkasan at MGM Grand – Resident deejay Calvin Harris lights up the dance floor on Halloween night with special guest Generik. Adjacent Ling Ling Club will feature sounds by Toronto-based producer/deejay Dash.
OMNIA – Steve Aoki returns to Caesars Palace on Tuesday October 29th with “Armies of the Night 2: Unbreakable Hearts”. Then on Thursday, things get cosmic with Fergie as deejay for “Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind” on Halloween night.
Cocktail Collective at Venetian/Palazzo – This trio of upscale lounges at the Strip’s largest resort triples the fun with a bevy of spook-tastic offerings.
- Electra at Palazzo has “Boos” specials in honor of fright night running the 31st through November 4th. On Halloween night they’re presenting a $1,500 dinner-and-bottle-service package to the largest group of coordinated costumers.
- Rosina Cocktail Lounge honors “National Caramel Apple Day’ on the 31st. Enjoy Halloween-inspired cocktails like the Golden Apple (apple brandy, Four Roses bourbon, honey, lemon, all spice, and cinnamon) paired with a pumpkin-spiced caramel apple.
- The Dorsey Cocktail Bar features three signature Halloween cocktails October 31st through Sunday Nov. 3:
- Jame-O-Lantern – Jameson, Yellow Chartreuse, Antica Carpano, Chocolate Bitters, Orange Twist Garnish
- Oogie Boogie – Altos, Falernum, Fresh Lime, Ginger Syrup, Allspice, Fever Tree Soda
- Its Alive! – Absolute Elyx, Lime, Lemon, Simple, Matcha Powder, Egg White, Cream, Fever Tree Soda
- Sample their Halloween cocktails for free between 10 pm-11 pm on Halloween night.
Golden Tiki Lounge – Chinatown’s famed destination for 24-hour fun is on Spring Mountain Road. They’re celebrating Halloween all month long with wacky live entertainment, campy cocktails and celebrity shrunken-head inductions. “Hauntingly Happy Hour’ is every day from 4 pm to 7 pm with half off all “boos and appetizers”.
Troy Liquor Bar – Golden Nugget offers the best view of Fremont Street’s Halloween madness at Troy Liquor Bar. Deejay Exodus provides a booming soundtrack and the dance floor will be open on the 31st until the wee hours of the morning.
Speaking of downtown, the six block Fremont Street Experience is having a month-long “Rock of Horrors” extravaganza that features pop-up experiences and flash mobs. Live music with bands like Alter Igor entertain from the 1st Street Stage while the 3rd Street Stage presents the production “Wicked Dreams” with aerialists, dancers and alluring visuals. Halloween night’s Costume Contest will have a $1,000 top prize.
Of course, Halloween fun isn’t just limited to the nightclubs and bands. SAW Escape Room has unveiled new effects, actors and puzzles just in time for the season of scares. They’ve extended operating hours for the next few weeks due to increased demand, no doubt bolstered by their ranking in USA Today as the number one attraction of its kind in the nation.
Apocalypse Vegas is featuring “Escape From Area 51“, a totally immersive new thrill experience. Get hands-on training by real Special Forces operatives before facing an invading alien invasion army. Take down the little green men and save the planet from total annihilation.
Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum – Step inside the frightening mansion in Downtown’s Art District and face your fears on a tour like no other. With over 30 rooms of horror featuring “The Funeral”, “The Devil’s Rocking Chair” “Dr. Kevorkian’s Death Van” and “Peggy the Doll”, you’ll be fighting off nightmares for weeks to come.
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition – Numerous paranormal sightings have taken place at the attraction on Luxor‘s mezzanine level. From ghostly apparitions to moving objects and frightening after-hours security-cam footage, it appears that souls from the sunken vessel have found their way to Las Vegas. See if you can make contact with the dead at the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, open daily at 10 am.
REAL BODIES – If your affection for the macabre leans towards the visceral, you may want to check out REAL BODIES at Bally’s. Immerse yourself in this raw, openly authentic and awe-inspiring exhibition on human anatomy. Featuring 20 real human specimens, you may never look at people the same way again.
Marvel’s AVENGERS STATION – The superhero attraction at Treasure Island is featuring $10 admission this month from Monday to Wednesday in honor of Halloween. The exhibit presents a family-friendly trick-or-treating event on Friday October 25th from 10 am to 7 pm. Guests will receive a free Marvel sack to collect goodies as they visit each room.
Then there are the countless haunted houses, pumpkin mazes and carnivals that have filled up the valley this month. SCARE at Town Square combines them all into a multi-level attraction with an escape experience, phobia rooms, a haunted maze and an adult-centric nightclub. The top level features live performances, deejays and stunning signature cocktails (this writer’s favorite is the “Minty Ghoul”) and appetizers like “Zombie Bites”.
If you plan to head out west, PKWY Tavern Flamingo will be having a block party on Halloween night. Check out their DJ, inflatable jousting ring, photobooth, LED Swing Set, Bacardi swag and giveaways along with delicious bar bites, festive Bacardi drink specials and a Bacardi cocktail sampling. Beginning at 10 p.m., partygoers who come dressed in their sexiest, scariest and most outrages costumes will have the chance to win $1,000.
Whatever you and and your ghostly companions choose to do this Season of the Witch, have a safe and happy Halloween in Sin City.
Photos: BestOfVegas.com, Alter Igor Band
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