Thursday, March 28, 2024

60 spooktacular Halloween events in and around Victoria

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Step in the footsteps of those who have gone before you… and are still hanging around.

Here are 60 spooky, fun or just downright awesome things to do in Victoria and the surrounding area this October!

  1. Vancouver Island Corn MazeVancouver Island’s biggest corn maze with 14 acres of corn and 10 acres of maze trails – Pendray Farms is the place to be! The average time to get through the maze is 2 hours, although some have made it in 45 minutes.  Grab a bag of their famous kettle corn before heading in.  The maze is open Thursday – Sunday from 1pm – 9pm at 9537 West Saanich Road and available for group bookings by reservation Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Email for group info: viccornmaze@gmail.com. Tickets can be purchased online or at the location for Adults 13+ $10, Kids 5-12 $5, Kids under 5 are free.  Good luck!
  1. The Rocky Horror Show – Newly engaged Brad and Janet become stranded with a flat tire during a storm – their only ray of light the mansion of a seductive mad scientist. As their innocence is tested, they meet a houseful of wild characters. Directed by Atomic Vaudeville’s Britt Small, and featuring some of Victoria’s best performance and design talent, this show is big city banging tied with island innovation. Not to be missed. Shows October 19th – 23rd, 26th – 27th at 8:00pm.  Shows October 28th and 29th are 7pm and 10pm. Metro Studio Theatre 1411 Quadra St. Tickets are $32 General Admission and $37 General Admission with the prop kit… you’ll want the prop kit. Wednesday, October 19th tickets are $15.
  1. Go on a Bat Scavenger Hunt. Bats in Trounce Alley, Centennial Square and six city benches around town adorned with bat wings to give brave sitters a chance for a memorable photo.  How many can you find?  The Bay Centre also  transforms into “The Bat Centre” at the Fort Street entrance to welcome folks into a spooky shopping experience.
  1. Take a Downtown Stroll. Take in the sights of our city as it’s donned with spooktastic decor.  Black cats, a creepy witch swooping over City Happy and orange and green lights to sparkle the Government St trees are some of the fun you’ll see.  Shop, have lunch and see the sights as we enjoy our last few weeks of warm weather.
  1. Spooks n’ Spokes Ride – Join in one of the most popular GVCC rides! An easy 15 km where you can learn about the ghosts and spirits who haunt the city. Costumes and decorated bikes are highly encouraged! Front and rear lights are required. Sunday, October 30th, 6 pm-9 pm. The ride starts and ends in Centennial Square. The GVCC’s themed rides are by donation ($5 recommended).
  1. Market Square turns into “Market Scare” with wonderfully creepy decorative surprises.  Wander around the shops and try to spot the differences. Market Square is host to many stories of ghosts and the supernatural. Their secret tunnels are probably only myths, but their hauntings feel very real. The ghosts here are believed to have long ago frequented the saloons, brothels and gambling dens that lined Johnson Street, Victoria’s once infamous red light district.
  1. Pumpkin Pursuit –  Pick up your map and explore Downtown Victoria’s businesses and search for your favourite Jack-o-Lantern in the Pumpkin Pursuit. Vote for your favourite and you will be entered for a chance to win 2 Harbour Air flights. The Pumpkin Pursuit map will highlight Downtown Trick or Treat locations as well as Downtown’s spooktacular Halloween decorations! Monday, October 24, 2016 – 10:00am to Monday, October 31, 2016 – 6:00pm.
  1. An Improvised Edgar Allan Poe – Take a night out of your dark and dreary life to contemplate the strange and unsettling world of the master of the macabre Edgar Allen Poe. Wed, October 26th – Sat, October 29th 8pm. Tickets $15. Intrepid Studio Theatre, 1609 Blanshard Street.
  1. Ghost Walk Tours – October 14th-31st go on a tour of Chinatown, the Inner Harbour, Market Scare and Bastion Square every night at 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm and hear the tales of gruesome murders and ghostly happenings. Adults $15, Children $8. Tours from October 14 to October 31 start from the main archway gate of Market Square, 560 Johnson St.
  1. Zombie Walk – REDUX! Taking place once again this Saturday, October 29th, 3:30pm departing Centennial Square, dress up, make up and show up to the city’s biggest zombie parade. Free to attend!
  1. Arkenham Abbey: Psychological Horror Comedy. Craigdarroch Castle hosts this fantastic theatre show where sanatorium patients take over and threaten to murder the staff unless The Nightwatchman agrees to meet with them. October 20 SOLD OUT, but October 19 tickets still available.  Tickets are $28 for general admission and $25 for members.
  1. Tea Leaf Reading 101Learn the ancient practice of tea leaf reading at Silk Road Tea Store, October 22nd at 10:15am, 1624 Government st.  Admission is $25.
  1. Gruesome Tales of Bastion Square – True stories about the hangings and other ghastly events in and around Bastion Square. Saturday, October 22nd & 29th at 2:00 pm; Sunday October 23rd & 30th at 10:30 am. Meet at 26 Bastion Square with guide Kirby Delaney. Tickets can be purchased 15 minutes in advance from the guide. Cash Only. Adults: $15, Seniors (65+): $13, Students: $13, Children (6-11): $8, Family Special: (up to 2 adults and their children under 16) $35.
  1. Pumpkin Art on Oak Bay Avenue – October 27th to 30th 5pm – 9pm and October 31st 5pm – 10pm. Behind the Oak Bay Municipal Hall, 2167 Oak Bay Avenue. Admission by donation to support Oak Bay Kiwanis and their work with the Mitchell House.
  1. Movie Under the Maltworks: Shaun of the Dead plays at the Phillips Backyard Friday, October 28th at 7pm.  $20 gets you admission, a beer and a gory jello shot.  Dress in your best un-dead attire for Zombie costume contest.
  1. Groove Kitchen Halloween Howl – Come have a Halloween dance party with Groove Kitchen at Hermann’s Jazz Club Saturday, Oct 29, 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM. Doors open 7pm. Costumes are very much encouraged, the band will be dressed up! Regular Admission: $12 advance, $15 at the door.
  1. 14th Annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving – Bring your dive gear, wear a costume or a decorated hood, carving tools and pumpkin to compete in this annual tradition. Meet at the diver statue on Beacon Avenue in Sidney at 10am Sunday, October 30th.
  1. Nightshift Haunted Hollywood – This Halloween the Royal BC Museum are going Hollywood for their annual adult only after hour’s party. Explore the galleries, themed to different horror films, get down to live music and take part in interactives. Featuring a cash bar and nibbles for sale from Truffles Catering. October 29, 8 pm – 11:59 pm. Visit the Facebook page for details and discussions.
  1. Oak Bay Ave Trick or Treating from 2pm – 5pm Monday, October 31st.  Oak Bay Avenue will be closed for traffic to safely host music, entertainment and fun welcoming the trick or treaters and their families.  Pumpkin art and a bonfire at Fireman’s Park to follow at 6pm.
  1. Halloween Fireworks Spectacular – Free admission to this public, annual Halloween Fireworks celebration – open to the Bear Mountain Community and beyond. Come early for games and candy then shortly after dusk watch the one and only annual fireworks display. This is a fun-filled family event! October 31 at 5 PM – 8 PM, Bear Mountain Resort.
  1. Pre-Halloween Horror Hoedown – A night of murder ballads and other spooky songs with best-selling true-crime writer and award-winning songwriter Bob Remington, acoustic bass maven Kelly Sherwin and fiddler extraordinaire Ivonne Hernandez. Costumes (optional) will be rewarded. Zombies will be shot on sight with non-lethal weaponry. Saturday October 29, 8 pm-10:30 pm (doors open 7pm) at Imagine Studio Cafe, 31 Erie st. Tickets $15 advance, $18 door. Available in advance at Imagine Studio Cafe or email reserve at hellostrangerproductions@gmail.com. Seating limited.
  1. Sidney Treat Street!Downtown Sidney hosts a family-friendly event with treat stations, on street corners all over town Monday, October 31st from 4:30pm – 6:30pm. Be sure to catch the dog costume contest at Beacon Park from 4pm-6pm and pick up and work your magic on a Treat Street colouring page for a chance to win some great prizes! The Panorama Rec Centre is offering a fun time at the Mary Winspear Centre from 4pm-6:30pm.  All events are free!
  1. Be Your Own Vampire… sort of – Blood donation has saved so many lives and being on the other side of a life-saving endeavor feels pretty awesome. The Canadian Blood Services would be happy to help you find more information on how you could be a hero, while you dress up like one this October.
  1. Free Community Pumpkin Carving – Sunday, October 30th from 1pm – 3pm is the day for Sands Funeral Home’s 5th annual pumpkin carving event.  Sands provides the pumpkins, carving and decorating gear for you along with face painting, hotdogs and Halloween treats.
  1. Monsters HouseFear on the Pier is all anyone’s been talking about.  A haunted house exploding with monsters and fright from October 13th – October 31st, 6:30pm – 11pm.  Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween they’re open 6pm – 11:30pm. Opening night the 13th is two-for-one admission!  Regular priced admission is $13.  Tickets can be purchased -cash only – onsite or at Incharacter Costumes locations in the Hillside and the Westshore Centers.2016_monsters_hh_729x90_banner
  1. Ross Bay Cemetery Tours – Sunday Tours start at 2pm. The cost is $5 for non-members;  $2 for members and tours start in front of Oregano’s, Fairfield Plaza, 1516 Fairfield Rd. No reservations needed. Visit www.oldcem.bc.ca or 250.598.8870.
  • Oct 16, “A Day of Signs and Wonders.” This tour title is the name of award-winning author Kit Pearson’s just-released novel about the fictitious meeting between Emily Carr and Kathleen O’Reilly on a beach one day in 1881, a day in which a comet appears. Kit is a frequent tour leader at RBC and is author of many novels for young readers.
  • Oct 23, Psychic Tour. Mediums Debra Doerkson and Diana-Lynn Beatty will lead a walk through the cemetery and share information from the location or the spirits they encounter. They will also explain what clairvoyance is and demonstrate some basic techniques they use.
  1. Nightmare Alley: An Eerie All Ages Experience –  Be Afraid. Wander through Nightmare Alley, but be careful…you may stay forever. Featuring a Dark Dance party, witches and warlocks welcome, monsters, spooks, ghouls and zombies. A Costume Shop will be set up as well, for those lacking the final bits on their costumes. Entry by Donation. Saturday Oct 29th 6 – 9 pm
  1. The Art of the Cocktail – For a different kind of “spirits” this October, check out the city’s best from behind the bar.  The Grand Tasting is Saturday, October 22nd Crystal Gardens 713 Douglas St, VIP Tickets are $90 and General Admission is $65.  The Competition is Sunday, October 23nd, 2016 at 10 Acres Commons – 620 Humboldt St and tickets are $10.  Tickets and more information can be found online.
  1. The Moss Street Market Apple Pie Celebration – Once again apple pie is being celebrated at the market, Saturday, October 22, 10:30am. The pies always sell out FAST (usually within an hour). $5 for three samples. Profits going to Growing Chefs, Dandelion Society, and Moss Street Market. 1330 Fairfield Road. Not spooky, but fun!
  1. “Festival of Fear” Galey FarmsGaley Farm’s signature event features a Haunted House for kids, the much scarier 6000 square foot Carnevil Haunted House for adults, a haunted corn maze, Crazy Train and Seance. The Cornfield of Horror is fully animated and features The Haunted Mansion, Pirates Island, The Addams Graveyard and many more fabulous displays. Fun for all ages during the day, but gets much spookier after 6 pm. Oct 13th – Oct 31st, open nightly 6:00pm – 10:00pm. General Public Admission: The first ticket is $12 per adult, $8 per child (12 and under). Second, third and fourth venue ticket may be purchased for only $6 each for adults, $5 each for kids 12 and under. All prices plus taxes.  For groups over 20, please use the online booking feature.
  1. A Spooky Kindergym Party – Thursday, October 27th 9:30am – 11am, Panorama Recreation, for kids aged 1-5 years with a parent.  Halloween fun and activities, inflatables, crafts and costume parade – don’t forget your costume!
  1. Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre – at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, October 28th and 29th 6pm – 10pm.  With your full Dinner Show experience, enjoy a three course dinner consisting of a starter, entree and dessert served at your table in the Oak Bay Beach Hotel’s beautifully appointed David Foster Foundation Theatre. After dinner, it is time to sit back and enjoy the drama unfold. Tickets are $94 a person and can be bought online.
  1. Atomic Vaudeville Halloween Cabaret – Remember when Halloween wasn’t kid friendly? Remember when everything didn’t have to be child-friendly, child-proof, and child-safe. We do.  Adults $18, VIP $35 and all shows start at 8pm – October 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st at The Victoria Event Centre 1415 Borad St.  The October 31st show will have a DJ dance party following the performance.
  1. Ghost Bus Tours – Ghost expert John Adams leads Ghost Bus Tours – two-hour coach tours past Victoria’s most haunted places – October 22, 28, 29, 30 and 31 at 7pm. The Old Cemeteries Society has run these popular tours for 18 years with a different route and new ghost stories each year. Conducted exclusively by John Adams on behalf of the Old Cemeteries Society. Reservations required for all Ghost Bus Tours. Tickets are $38 and available here. General inquiries call 250.384.6698 or email discoverthepast@telus.net.
  1. Haunted Horse-drawn Tours Take a ride back in time on the haunted horse drawn trolley down the dark streets of Victoria and hear about the scary occurrences in the most haunted neighbourhoods on the west coast – you just might see a ghost or two! Tours run October 27 – 30 between 5:30pm – 8:30pm. These 45 minute tours are fully narrated and the tour description was written by local “spooky” historian John Adams!  Located at the corner of Menzies and Belleville. Cost: Adults: $20, Seniors/Children under 12: $14 Call for reservations (250) 383-2207 (Group rates available).
  1. Halloween Burlesque at Logan’s Pub 1821 Cook St, Saturday, October 22nd 8:30pm D’Lishious Entertainment presents their first annual dark and sexy Halloween Burlesque show with special guest Shirley Gnome. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here
  1. Halloween in MetchosinMunicipal Grounds at 4450 Happy Valley Road – October 31, 6pm – 9pm. The Metchosin Volunteer Firefighter’s Society and the District of Metchosin will be hosting their annual Halloween party at the firehall on Halloween night.  Doors open at 6pm, costume judging at 7pm and fireworks to begin immediately after sunset.
  1. Spooky Splash!Tricks, treats, crafts and fun for the whole family. Panorama Rec Centre 1885 Forrest Park Drive in North Saanich Saturday, October 29th from 1:30pm – 3:30pm.
  1. Bear Mountain Monster RunTrick or treat your way through the course collecting goodies generously donated by sponsors. Run or walk between stations, but be sure to let out your inner Monster and have fun filling your official Monster Run loot bag! 1km, 3km and 5k races.  Children ages 6 – 12 are $30, Students 13 – 19 are $35, Adults ages 20+ are $40 to register.  The race is held at Bear Mountain Resort, 1999 Country Club Way 11am Saturday, October 29th.  Registration online.
  1. All Aboard the Pumpkin Express!This event will be a shared event between VIME (Vancouver Island Model Engineers) and SHAS (Saanich Historical Artifacts Society).  A creepy and family-friendly day full of pumpkin carving, face painting, a haunted house and other surprises. There will be a concession stand for munchies. Heritage Acres, 7321 Lochside Drive, October 21, 2016, 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm only $7 per carload.
  1. Quadra Village Carnival and Creeeeeep House – Haunted house (2 floors of fun!), carnival games, photo booth, costume show and dance (8pm-9pm). Friday, October 28th, 6pm – 9pm at the Quadra Village Community Centre. Admission is by donation. Proceeds go towards the QVCC Youth Program.
  1. Halloween Mixed 3KO Tennis Tournament – Friday, October 28th – Sunday, October 30th, 11:30am-4pm and $50/team to enter for a guarantee of at least three matches. Email info@panoramarec.bc.ca for more information and to register.
  1. Self-guided Ghost Walking Tour – Follow the map and read the stories of some of Victoria’s most haunted downtown locations.  The map can be printed at no financial cost – just the cost of your own caution!
  1. Alice in Wonderland Afternoon Tea – The London Tube Restaurant at 642 Johnson St. will be all set with Halloween decor and a themed menu featuring their famous Alice in Wonderland Tea.  See website for menu and details.
  1. The William Head Onstage Theatre Society Presents – Sleeping Giants, a play performed completely by the inmates of the federal prison at 6000 William Head Road, a 35 minute drive from Victoria. Oct 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, 29th and Nov 3rd, 4th, 5th. Gates Open at 6:15pm, Gates Close at 7:15pm.  Show Begins at 7:30pm.  Absolutely no late-comers and screening is mandatory. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Box Office: 101-804 Broughton St 250-590-6291, or online at www.ticketrocket.co or cash-only at the Metchosin Country Store 4384 Metchosin Rd, (250) 478-2405  or contact whonstage@gmail.com
  1. Horror Escape Rooms – New to Victoria with an overwhelmingly positive response, these escape rooms are group interactive games meant to immerse you completely in the experience.  Scare actor after 6pm on Saturdays and an additional scare actor nights October 21st, 28th and 31st. Adults $25, Students $20, 523 Broughton St, Victoria. Private events can also be booked.
  1. Wicked Victoria – A shutdown of Government Street in downtown Victoria for a pedestrian-only family event Sunday, October 30th, noon – 5pm. Games, pumpkins, live entertainment and more! Free admission. More information here!
  1. Zombie Zoo Public Skate – Dress up in your favourite costume for a group skate Saturday, October 29th from 2:30pm – 4pm.  Location: 527 Fraser St at the Archie Browning Centre in Esquimalt.  Admission is $2/person with limited skate rentals at $3.25/pair or bring your own. Free glow sticks while supplies last!
  1. Haunted Zipline!Haunted Night Zipline Tours are full of terror and fun! There are strange creatures running amok and spooky tales to be told. Ghosts, monsters and tall tales are all a part of this very interactive experience, available only around Hallowe’en.  Space is limited and early booking is encouraged. Adults $80, Youth ages 5-17 years $70.  There is a 60lb minimum weight for haunted zipline. 5128C Sooke Road.  See website for more details and for booking.
  1. Heritage Haunted House – Not for the faint of heart. Do you dare?? Admission is a suggested cash donation to the Help Fill a Dream Foundation aiding children with life threatening illnesses. Monday, October 31st, 3808 Heritage Lane 5:30 – 9:30pm.
  1. 7th Annual Monster Bash Ages 9 – 13 Years Old – Friday, October 28th 7pm – 9pm at the James Bay School Centre. The best Halloween party for youth ages 9-13! You won’t want to miss the 7th annual Monster Bash complete with music, food, costume competition, games, inflatable bouncy castle and more! Youth from various community centres around the city come together for this fa-boOoo-lous event!  Sign up to attend this event at the community centre front desk.
  1. Vic West Halloween FUN – Saturday October 29th from 2pm – 4pm come in costume and have a spooktacular time at this family event.  There will be ghoulish games, creepy crafts, and tricks and treats.  Ideal for families with children under 9 years of age. $3/child
  1. Visit over 30 haunted locations around Victoria – the most haunted city in British Columbia, if not all of Canada. Almost every building in the downtown core has a ghost story. Some say it’s a result of our Wild West beginnings during the Gold Rush, when the streets were full of fortune hunters, pleasure houses, saloons, public hangings, opium dens and vice was around every corner. The mystery around Haunted Victoria remains. Thus we have compiled some of the most famous and active locations of paranormal activity in the city. As can be expected, most center around what was once Fort Victoria, the foundation of our town. Check out our Guide to Haunted Victoria!
  1. Victoria Symphony Halloween Spooktacular! – Sunday October 30th from 2:30pm – 4pm come in costume and have a spooktacular time at this family-friendly event. Listen to Halloween classics, maybe even including music from a Harry Potter film! Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St., Victoria. $10-$25 depending on seating location. Purchase tickets online or by calling (250) 386-6121; or toll-free at 1-888-717-6121.
  1. Halloween at the Mansion – Friday October 29th from 2:30pm – 4pm Monsters Haunted House will be presenting the nearly sold out Halloween event at the at the 100-year-old English Inn, located at 429 Lampson Street in Esquimalt. There will be killer prizes, deadly drinks, fiendish food, music, dancing, costume contest, and tons of door prizes, including a trip to Hawaii. Must be 19 or older to attend. Tickets $50.
  1. Paranormal Investigation at the Maritime Museum – Two nights to choose from, October 30th or 31st, from 9:30 pm to midnight. The Maritime Museum of BC, and renowned clairvoyant Dawn Kirkham and her paranormal investigation team are pleased once again to offer mini Ghost Investigations – this time in the new museum location and never before investigated, Nootka Court. Tickets $30 per person. Reservations can be made at the Maritime Museum of BC. Call (250) 385-4222 ex.103. Or stop in at 634 Humboldt Street. Space is limited and this is an age 18+ event.
  1. The Halloween Whale & Wildlife Watching Kids Deal! – On October 30th, take your little captain on the seas and experience a real treat! Guests in Costume receive 25% OFF & Kids ride for FREE! Departing Fisherman’s Wharf 10:00 am and 2:30 pm – 3 hour tour on 4 Ever Wild. Please call direct to book (778) 403-6021 OR book online.
  1. Victoria VestaFire Halloween Show! – On October 30th, 4:30-5pm, Come see Vesta’s fiery interpretation of the Pandora’s box mythos. Part of the Greater Victoria Festival Society’s Wicked Victoria event! Outside Irish Times Pub, 1200 Government Street.
  1. Fernwood Halloween Bonfire – On Monday October 31st, 6pm-10pm, Fernwood’s family friendly bonfire will continue to light up your Hallows Eve this year. Come on down in your creative Halloween attire to Stevenson Park, the field behind the Fernwood Community Centre at 1240 Gladstone Avenue, for the Halloween Bonfire. The Community Centre gym will be open housing every child’s favourite ­activity: ­a Bouncy Castle! Take a minute to drop in and relax while your child bounces out their candy fueled energy levels.
  1. Halloween Club Crawl 2016! – Friday, Oct. 28th – Starting at V Lounge. Doors open at 6:00pm. Buses depart at 7:00pm. The 2016 Halloween Club Crawl Pass’ Includes: 4 Halloween Nightclubs and Parties, party bus transportation between clubs, no cover charges and no waiting-in-line, costume contests & prizes. Cost $31.50. Tickets nearly sold out.

Did we miss one? Email us the details tips@victoriabuzz.com !

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Nicole Bentham
They don't let me write articles anymore. Selfies only.

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