If you’re scrambling to find plans for Halloween, you’re not alone. Whether you’re an introvert seeking more intimate festivities or you want to dance your heart out in a crowd, here are some ideas. 

Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland

Familiar funnel cake, thrill-inducing rides, and play-till-you-win fair games — we’re talking about Canada’s Wonderland. What was once the abode of childhood dreams, though, has become the subject of nightmares. 

The once-friendly theme park is now a notorious scream park. Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt from September 22 to October 29 occurs from 6:00–11:00 pm. Event attractions include mazes, haunted houses, ‘scare’ zones, people in monster costumes roaming around, unique night rides, and live entertainment. With a variety of celebrated live performances such as the “Inferno” stunt show and a Day of the Dead concert, Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt is a Canadian tradition. If you haven’t been there yet, it’s worth dragging your friends to — you can take Line 1 up to Vaughan Mills station. 

Black Lagoon Pop-Up

Black Lagoon Pop-Up is headed to Toronto! A combination of macabre, gothic, and metal themes, the Black Lagoon Pop-Up is a high-concept bar perfect for Halloween. The Black Lagoon experience, which has pop-ups all over North America, has finally found a home in Bar Mordecai in Toronto. 

The ghoulish vibes don’t just invite souls to sip on their creepy cocktails — the immersive bar also offers a variety of live entertainment such as tarot card reading, Emo Night, Burlesque, Drag Brunch, and more. If you want to experience Halloween as you have never before, this bar deserves a visit — it’s on from now until October 31. 

Legends of Horror at Casa Loma

Being one of the only castles in North America, Casa Loma is already an exceptional location. It becomes an even more unique experience when it becomes the Legends of Horror for Halloween. 

Beginning in the lower gardens of Casa Loma, Legends of Horror is a trail that delves through the castle’s tunnels, and the castle even shows the audience dark locations that the public is usually not privy to. It is a one-hour immersive experience that exhibits unique and compelling theatrical sets. A 3D presentation on the castle walls lights up the story they hope to tell. If you would like to feel the haunt of a regal power, then be sure to venture to Casa Loma. 

Trico-Tri Party at Hush Hush club

If you’re in the mood to bump and grind while in costume, Hush Hush bar has what you need. From Saturday, October 28 at 10:00 pm to Sunday, October 29 at 3:00 am, the well-frequented nightclub is hosting its “Trico-Tri” spooky Latin Halloween dance. The club will play Reggaeton, Dembow, Salsa, Bachata, and club anthems throughout the night. 

Halloween Haunt at Hart House 

Hart House, the centre of student life at U of T, is hosting a haunted house on October 28, from 6:00–10:00 pm. The dark academia vibe emblematic of Hart House is now blending with the evils of Halloween. 

If the bone-chilling haunted house in the basement is too much for you, there are activities for everyone to participate in. These include a costume dance party in the Great Hall, a horror film double-feature in the Arbor Room, and pumpkin carving in the Reading Room. If you are a registered member of U of T, don’t miss the opportunity to mingle with new friends while being haunted at Hart House.

CN Tower Paranormal Investigation

Whether your idea of ghosts is limited to a white sheet with cutout eyes or it encompasses tales of sightings and radars, learning more about the supernatural is never a bad idea. Travel up the CN Tower to delve beyond the dead. The CN Tower functions as a tall antenna that sends and receives radio signals, but should it end there? A 75-minute journey available on October 26 and October 30, the CN Tower Paranormal Investigation allows you to investigate the paranormal hands-on. 

Horror movie marathons

What is more Halloween than fake blood, blood-curdling screams, and creepy twins? To experience Halloween, there’s no need to step foot outside your room; instead, revel in the eerie thrill of watching movies alone, or have friends over for the night. Don’t stop at the classics of The Shining, Psycho, and The Silence of the Lambs. Continue your marathon with Us, Hereditary, and Midsommar. 

Regardless of your queue-up, the night is incomplete without scary amounts of popcorn and coma-inducing levels of chocolate. Though it may be counter-intuitive to ask you to curl up with company like Chucky, horror movies will make for a quintessential Halloween night.

Toronto is a maze of a city with countless parties and infinite options for clubs. However, if you’re not Nancy Drew and need help finding locations for your night out on the town, the Instagram account @wheretopartytoronto is your hub for clubbing knowledge. The page will display various party options on the weekend of Halloween.