Happy Halloween! Written by: Jennifer Davis-Lamm Too Cute to Spook: Kids Events in DFW For the little goblins and ghouls in your life, the slash and scream haunted houses may be more nightmare fodder than fun. Luckily, there are plenty of options for pumpkins, candy and (slightly) spooky fun. The City of Desoto’s October Fun Fest on Monday, October 31, at the Desoto Town Center is a free family event that includes treats galore, plus costume prizes, a chocolate shop, pumpkin designing, bounce houses and more. The Dallas Arboretum’s annual Autumn at the Arboretum event, open daily through Sunday, October 31, is a gourd time for all: think 100,000 pumpkins, squash and gourds that make up a stunning fairy tale-themed display, plus mazes and pumpkin houses. Dress the littles in their most eerie-sistable costumes and head to the Meadows Museum Trick or Treat, on Sunday, October 23; this spirited Halloween event brings works of art to life to hand out candy (you read that right) plus crafts and other activities. Got a little Hermione or Harry on your hands? They’ll be spellbound as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams classic score for “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” while the film plays on a giant high-def screen; performances are at the Morton H. Myerson Symphony Center from Friday, October 28 through Sunday, October 30. If you want to max your trick-or-treating returns, hit up these Dallas Halloween hotspots: the Greenville Avenue Fall Festival on Saturday, October 29, offers trick-or-treating for the kids and drink specials for adults at businesses throughout Lower Greenville. Look for participating businesses decorated with orange balloons. And Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets kicks off on Friday, October 28, at Main Street Garden Park in Downtown Dallas—dress your kids and pets in their costumes and grab a map to find participating businesses for all your sugary scares. The Denison Art Council’s Dia de los Muertos Fall Festival and Art Walk offers up a colorful cultural experience for the young, old and dearly departed: on Saturday, November 5, at Heritage Park in Denison. Expect a visual treat, including beautiful costumes and stunning street puppets on parade, plus live music, a Mercado with food and art for purchase, and a children’s area. Frightful Fun: You know what they say about Halloween scares, right? If you’ve got it, haunt it. And nobody haunts it like Screams Halloween Theme Park in Waxahachie, featuring five themed (and terror-filled) attractions that will chill you to the bone. And Plano’s Dark Hour Haunted House is more than just your basic witch: try and escape a nightmarish coven in this world-class scare destination. Trying to out-boo yourself this Halloween? Norcostco is your costume headquarters, with an absolutely massive selection of rental costumes and theatrical makeup—and they also rent fog machines and black lighting so you can outfit your very own house of scares. And for a real treat, fall under the spell of the sexy saloon girls at Baby Dolls saloon this Halloween weekend. Of course, you can’t miss this Dallas tradition: the annual Oak Lawn Halloween Block Party unleashes magic and madness in equal parts onto the 3900 block of Cedar Springs on Saturday, October 29. You’ll be treated to an epic costume parade and contests, drag performances, DJs, and plenty of food, drink and general mischief. LISTINGS: Through October 31 Autumn at the Arboretum Dallas Arboretum 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218 Enjoy the sights at this massive pumpkin and floral installation, with over 100,000 gourds on the beautiful grounds of the Dallas Arboretum. Open daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission is $12 to $20; learn more at dallasarboretum.org. Through October 31 Dark Hour Haunted House 701 Taylor Drive, Plano, Texas 75054 Dark Hour Haunted House is here to scare with its coven-themed attraction featuring five separate scare zones.. This intense haunted house experience will have you shaking in your boots—and is not rec- ommended for kids under the age of 10. Open Thursdays and Sundays from 7 to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. until midnight; and Sundays from 7 until 11 p.m. Extended hours on October 30 and October 31. Tickets start at $40 online at darkhourhauntedhouse.com. Through October 31 Norcostco Texas Costume 1231 Wycliff Avenue #300, Dallas, Texas 75207 Go big this Halloween with Dallas’ best variety of pro makeup and accessories; costumes for rent and sale; and special effects machinery all in one place! Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. through October 29, and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday, October 31. Visit norcostco.com for more details. October 21 through October 29 Screams Halloween Theme Park 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie, Texas 75167 A terrifying and immersive Halloween experience with five haunted houses, the all-new Bootleggers Bayou, live entertainment including DJ, games, food courts, and all the scares you can handle. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 7:00 p.m. until 1 a.m. Tickets start at $42 online at screamspark.com. October 23 Meadows Museum Trick or Treat 5900 Bishop Boulevard, Dallas TX 75205 Explore the museum and score plenty of treats at this annual art-themed trick-or-treating event. Sunday, October 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. Kids under 12 are free; adults are $12. Find more information at meadowsmuseumdallas.org. 14 October 28 through October 31 The Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas 75201 The DSO plays John Williams’ classic score as the beloved film plays on a giant HD screen. Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 30, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $79 and up at dallassymphony.org. October 28 Trick-or-Treat on Downtown Streets Main Street Garden Park 1902 Main Street, Dallas, Texas 75201 Kids, pets and adults alike are all invited to trick-or-treat through the streets of downtown Dallas. Start at Main Street Garden Park, where you’ll find a map of all treat stations. Friday, October 28, 4 to 7 p.m. Visit facebook.com/DtownDallasInc for more. October 29 Halloween Block Party Cedar Springs and Throckmorton, Dallas, Texas 75219 Dallas’ epic Halloween block party will be held in the 3900 block of Cedar Springs. Saturday, October 23, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. October 30 Lowest Greenville Fall Fest Lowest Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75206 Businesses in the Lowest Greenville Avenue area host a family trick-or- treating event, where orange balloons mark participating businesses. Saturday, October 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. See facebook.com/ LowestGreenville for more details. October 31 Baby Dolls Saloon 10250 Shady Trail, Dallas, Texas 75220 Enjoy nothing but treats with the sexy Saloon Girls this Halloween. Open 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturdays; noon until 2 a.m. on Sundays. Visit babydolls.com. October 31 October Fun Fest Desoto Town Center 211 East Pleasant Run Road, Desoto, Texas 75115 A family event loaded with sweets, fun activities, costume prizes, and more. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 31. Admission is free; visit ci.desoto.tx.us for more. November 5 Dia De Los Muertos Fall Festival and Art Walk Heritage Park 324 West Main Street, Denison, Texas 75020 A colorful cultural celebration. Includes art market, a puppet parade, a Mercado with food and drink, and more. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 5. Admission is free; visit facebook.com/pg/ denison.council for details. OCTOBER 20-26, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.com
