Sac’s Got Spirit: 7 Upcoming Events to Celebrate the Halloween Season in Style

How appropriate of a show for Halloween week. Michale Graves, best known as lead singer for the 1990s re-incarnation of legendary horror punk band Misfits, will be bringing his American Monster Tour to Holy Diver (1517 21st St.) on Friday, Oct. 25, where he and his band will be performing tracks from the classic Misfits albums American Psycho (1997) and Famous Monsters (1999). Bet you $20 they close with “Dig Up Her Bones.” That song still kills. Snag tickets quick, this will sell out! Holydiversac.com.

Everyone loves dressing up their dogs (don’t you?!?), so bring your pooch (OK your kids, too) in his or her cutest outfit to Marshall Park (915 27th St.) on Saturday, Oct. 26 for the annual Midtown Halloween Festival and Pooch Parade. Best-dressed pups and humans alike will win prizes like gift cards to Sutter District restaurants. There will be an off-leash “Pop-Up Dog Park” along with face painting, a bounce house, arts and crafts and live music. Event runs from noon to 3 p.m. For more info and to register for the Pooch Parade, check out Exploremidtown.org/midtown-halloween-festival.

Local psych-rock band Yo! And the Electric and some cohorts are throwing an all-day event called Freak Fest on Saturday, Oct. 26 honoring the musical works of Frank Zappa with local art and music from bands like LaTour, Instagon, A Tribe Quartet, Rruhb, Bongo Furys and many others. It all goes down at Two Rivers Cider Company (4311 Attawa Ave. #300) starting at about 2:15 p.m. Bands outside and inside, tacos from A New Kitchen, plus vendors, a Zappa look-alike contest and more. All ages, donations at the door. Look up Facebook.com/yoandtheelectric for more.

If you like creepy, cool shit, check this one out! The rad folks at The Red Museum (212 15th St.) are hosting their second annual Halloween Live Score, and this year local musician Tyler Baldwin (of the band Tentacult) will be laying down an original analog synth composition for the silent docu-horror masterpiece Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922). DJ Lady Grey will be spinning before the show. Wearing black is highly encouraged, kicks off at 8 p.m., $5 at the door, all ages welcome.

If you’re looking for a fun party with awesome live music on Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31, head to Press Club (2030 P St.) to see local band Vinnie Guidera and the Dead Birds’ Fourth Annual Halloween Cover Show. Vinnie and his band will perform as Misfits, Shotgun Sawyer will play as ZZ Top, Chrome Ghost as White Stripes, and lastly, members of local bands Captain Cutiepie, Baddest Beams and Deacon Free will perform as The Damned. 8 p.m., 21-plus, $10.

If you’re looking for something different to do on Halloween night, check out Nightmare at the Museum at Crocker Art Museum (216 O St.), where you’re invited to dress up and take a guided flashlight tour of the Crocker family parlor. Plus there will be karaoke, psychic fun and spooky storytelling for all ages, along with killer drink and food specials at the Crocker Cafe by Supper Club. For the general public, tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for ages 6–17, and kids 5 and under are free. Starts at 6:30 p.m. Crockerart.org for more.

Another one of the hottest parties happening in Sacramento on Halloween night will be at Harlow’s (2708 J St.) when Spacewalker’s Funky SPOOKtacular takes over the popular venue with live music from Ideateam, The Midnight Dip and DJ Larry, along with a pre-show carnival on the patio starting at 7 p.m. This one’s gonna be all kinds of funky, in a good way. Harlows.com for more.

Check out our calendar section for even more events!

**This piece first appeared in print on page 8 of issue #303 (Oct. 23 – Nov. 6, 2019)**