No matter your age — or fear level — there’s a terrifying event for that.
Vancouver TheatreSport League
VTSL celebrates the season of goblins and Jack-O-Lanterns with its own spooktacular event — Halloween Monster Match — Saturday, Oct. 28 starting at 7:30 pm at the Improv Centre on Granville Island. For this one night, the Improv Centre will be transformed with haunting décor into an eerie sepulchre worthy of any demon or night-loving vampire. The evening features costumed performers in head-to-headless TheatreSports matches — all but the most cunning ghoul will perish. The audience will be treated to two on-stage matches and shake their bones to the bloodcurdling beats of a DJ at the danse macabre where they’ll be joined on the dance floor by the performers. Have your palm read by Madame Improvo or visit Poe Corner, where the spectre of a long-dead poet will spellbind you with improvised poems that the Raven itself would find beguiling. Mix and mingle with Denizens of the Dark (roving performers) who’ll delight you with their tricky antics. You’ll find devil-may-care specials on potions and poisons at the Neil Macrae Bar and Lounge. And join the Costume Parade — the audience votes for the best costume and the winner receives an invitation to every VTSL opening night for a year. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Visit tickets.vtsl.com.
Sea to Sky Gondola
For an outdoor Halloween experience that turns trick-or-treating into a wilderness adventure, head to Squamish’s Sea to Sky Gondola. At the base of the gondola, a DJ will spin spooky tunes and there will be spooktacular performances by the talented dancers of the Squamish Performing Arts Centre.
Costume-clad kids can grab a trick or treat bag to decorate (available for first 250 kids) and get their faces painted at the Base Camp Café in the valley. A ride in the gondola to the summit will thrill families before they venture off into the forest for trick or treating on the trails. Friendly Sea to Sky creatures including Bernice the Bear and Sally the Salamander will hand out treats at themed stations along Alpine Alley. Admission to the Halloween Trick or Treat is free with a gondola lift ticket or annual pass and the celebration will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Visit seatoskygondola.com.
Fright Night at Playland
Known as Western Canada’s scariest haunt, Fright Nights returns now through Oct. 31, featuring returning favorites as well as never-seen-before attractions including a new haunted house, giving attendees even more ways to get scared. For those looking for a paranormal experience, Haunted Mansion is geared to terrify even the bravest souls, while guests who want to overcome their fear of clowns can face the Car-N-Evil haunted house or face their deepest terrors in Darkness. The Asylum, Fear, Hollywood Horrors and Keepers Doll Factory haunted houses are also back.
Not for the faint-of-heart, returning favourites and Guinness World Record holders Monsters of Schlock will be terrifying guests with three nightly shows now through Oct. 31. Guests will be horrified at shows featuring meat hooks and other cringe-worthy entertainment. Playland’s favourite freak, Singe the Clown, is also back and up to his usual creepy antics (yikes). Other highlights include creepy surprises, rides and a park full of gory ghouls. Visit frightnights.ca.
Potter’s House of Horrors
Forget the hayride. Instead, at Potters House of Horrors in Surrey those who dare can enjoy a coffin ride and see how well they fit into a casket. For 15 years, Potters has been providing spectacularly spooky Halloween fun not only for adults, but also for kids aged 12 and younger with Li’l Haunters. Potters is consistently named one of the Lower Mainland’s biggest and best haunted houses, open now through Oct. 31 with partial proceeds donated to the Critter Care Wildlife Society.
And here’s why: Devil’s Descent: a terrifying vortex of rotted wood, rickety mine-shafts, punishing industrial machines, monsters and zombies. (New for 2017)
Monstrosity: back by popular demand, Monstrosity is sure to delight horror fans who enjoy a good creepy walk through pure gothic madness, featuring nasty creatures, spooky surprises, scary fun —and possibly an evil clown or two.
Li’l Haunters: This kids-only attraction includes two mini haunted houses that aren’t too dark or scary and contain no animatronics or actors. Mystic Village includes a slightly creepy ghost town that sets the tone for fun to follow with the magic and mystery of Spooky Castle. New for 2017 is a fun basketball/ baseball toss and table games including air hockey, foosball and table hockey. Children two and under and parents/ guardians are always free. Braver kids will want to check out Family Hour at Potter's House of Horrors, recommended for children ages 12 and up.
Additional features:
Haunted photo booth — three freakish photos sent directly to your phone or email.
Xtreme Paintball Haunted Shootout — shoot 50 rounds at haunted props and spooky animatronics.
New concession items include neon cotton candy and haunted hotdogs.
On now through Oct. 31. Parking is free and Potters is open rain or shine because the haunted house, box office line, and lines to enter the haunt are all indoors. Concession and snacks are available on-site. Visit pottershouseofhorrors.com.
FlyOver Canada
Broomelda the witch has once again worked her magic to transform FlyOver Canada this Halloween. Aspiring witches and wizards are welcomed into the Haunted Witches Academy before taking off on a spellbinding journey across Canada.
The complete Halloween at FlyOver Canada experience will last between 20 to 25 minutes and includes: The Ultimate Flying Ride FlyOver Canada; a breathtaking eight-minute flight ride experience; Witches Academy Themed Pre-Show; A Witch Academy Diploma to take home; Halloween themed and spine-tingling decorations. On now to Oct. 31. Visit flyovercanada.com/Halloween.
VanDusen Glow in the Garden
The second annual VanDusen Glow in the Garden celebrates the classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland from Oct. 24 to 31 from 5 to 9 p.m. Wear a costume and share photos using #VanDusenGlow for a chance to win a one-year family membership to the garden and an afternoon of tea-for-two at Truffles Café. Purchase tickets online in advance to skip the line. Tickets are available for purchase at the gate on event nights, space permitting. Learn more at vancouver.ca/vandusenglow.
Community centres
Coal Harbour Community Centre is hosting a Halloween carnival and ghostly graveyard Oct. 28.
The West End Community Centre is running its annual Haunted House at Barclay Manor, 1447 Barclay St., Oct. 27 and 28.
For more information on community centre events visit vancouver.ca and type “Halloween” into the search engine.
Mountain View Cemetery
All Souls returns to Mountain View Cemetery from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 with a series of events that give participants the opportunity to honour the dead through ceremony and celebration. Music, film and the opportunity to make personal memorials in a quiet atmosphere highlight the week. Visit nightforallsouls.com.
Vancouver Aquarium
From Oct. 28 to 31, Vancouver Aquarium visitors can enjoy a Spooky Puppet Show daily at 10:45 a.m. in the Teck Engagement Gallery, as well as creepy sea creature face painting. On Oct. 28, the aquarium is hosting a Fish or Treat Sleepover, which includes a guided tour of the galleries and a peek behind the scenes on what’s been dubbed the “Night Stalker’s Tour.” Staff will also be highlighting some lesser known creatures, including ratfish, hagfish, bats and vampire fish (Redtooth Triggerfish). Following a late-night snack, the group will head into the Wet Lab where they will get hands-on with some cool, sometimes slimy, sometimes prickly creatures such as sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Then everyone will head down to the Steller’s Bay underwater gallery for bed time. In the morning, the group will enjoy a continental breakfast and have free time to explore the galleries before heading on their way with a bag of Halloween candy. Visit vanaqua.org.
Halloween Mystery Nights
Thirteen years ago Jimmy Capello was found dead in his downtown Vancouver apartment — strangled, poisoned and stabbed. Now the Terminal City Police Department has re-opened the cold case and it’s up to you to solve it.
Vancouver Mysteries’ Halloween Mystery Nights return this year with Crime in Downtown where teams compete against each other while completing challenges on the streets of downtown Vancouver and Gastown. Was the killer casino boss Greg Flament? World famous psychiatrist Susan Slater? Or party girl heiress Janet Evans? Armed with your game kit and a team of your closest friends, you’ll figure out which of the suspects killed Jimmy Capello. On now through Oct. 31. Each team must be accompanied by at least one adult. Visit vancouvermysteries.com.
Gastown in the 1880s was a ramshackle outpost on the edge of a vast continent, its residents menaced by smallpox and ravaged by fire. For many years there wasn't even a city cemetery to bury the dead. This Halloween season you can step into the dark history of Vancouver's earliest years on the Lost Souls of Gastown.
From the tragic story of the "woman in the well" to the gruesome murder of gold prospector John Bray, the Lost Souls of Gastown weaves a tale through backstreets and alleyways to a dramatic finale in historic Maple Tree Square. The Lost Souls of Gastown doesn't frighten guests with cheap scares and it's not a ghost tour or a paranormal tour, instead it's a gothic theatre adventure that roams the backstreets and alleyways of Victorian Gastown. On nightly until Oct. 31. Visit ForbiddenVancouver.ca.
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