Halloween fun in the Bay Area.
We round up Halloween scares and shows.
COVER STORY
Halloween serves up plenty of creep shows in the Bay Area. And lots of good old-fashioned fun, too.
Want to take a white-knuckle tour through a haunted house, broaden your horizons with dead science, watch a ghost story unfold onstage, or bust a move to rapper Too $hort? Check, check, check and check.
Here’s a partial list of Halloween events and attractions in the Bay Area now through Nov. 2.
Major haunted houses, etc.
FEAR OVERLOAD SCREAM PARK >> Featuring two haunted houses and such attractions as “Night Terrors” and “The Tooth Collector. Through Nov. 2; 15555 E. 14th St., San Leandro; $26-$31; www.fearoverload.com.
HALLOWEEN HAUNT >> California’s Great America theme park transforms into a haunted zone at night with haunted mazes, stage shows, scare zones and rides. Special passes allow visitors to proceed to the front of the line. Through Nov. 2; 4701 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara; $32-$80; www.cagreatamerica.com/play/haunt.
PIRATES OF EMERSON >> Featuring nightly entertainment and five haunted attractions staged over 6 acres, including Pirates of Emerson, Mystery Mansion, Hillbilly Holler, Dorm of Doom and Maze Haze. Through Nov. 2; Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton; $10-$65; www.piratesofemerson.com.
SIXFLAGS FRIGHT FEST >> The Vallejo theme park serves up family-friendly thrills during the day, scarier stuff at night; new attractions include Toxic Terror, a post-apocalyptic wasteland; Darke Market, with food, merchandise and games. Through Nov. 2; 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo; $36.49-$72.99; ww.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom.
WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE “UNHINGED” >> A fully immersive, multisensory horror experience, with real-life psychological and paranormal scares, greets those exploring the dark hallways of the haunted Winchester Estate. Not recommended for children under the age of 13. Through Nov. 2; 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose; $44$54; winchestermysteryhouse.com.
SWEETS, SPIRITS & THE BEYOND CEMETERY TOUR, OAKLAND >> A spooky two-hour tour stopping at graves of famous and infamous Bay Area residents; includes treats and libations along the way; for visitors 21 and over. 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Oct. 31 at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; $40; www.localfoodadventures.com.
INTO THE DARK >> Four Halloween attractions at the San Francisco Mint include the Terror Vault, a 45-minute immersive haunted house tour; Apocalypse, part escape room, part laser tag; Morbid Midway Access, between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. enjoy all “Into the Dark” has to offer without purchasing tickets to other attractions; Behind the Scenes Tours, where guests can discover what Terror Vault looks like with the lights on, offered on select Sundays. Through Nov. 10; San Francisco Mint, 88 Fifth St.; $35-$62; www.intothedarksf. com.
DEAD TIME DREAMS >> Featuring two immersive haunted attractions, Demon House and Seven Deadly Sins, plus a Midway of Terror to entertain before and after the main attractions. Through Nov. 2; 2501 Tully Road, San Jose; $20; www.deadtimedreams.com.
Other haunting attractions
ALAMEDA TEEN HAUNTED HOUSE >> 5-9 p.m. Friday, 3-8 p.m. Saturday, 3-7 p.m. Sunday, South Shore Center, Park Street and Otis Drive. Recommended for ages 5 and older. $5-$7; www.alamedaca.gov.
BENICIA HAUNTED DEPOT >> Friday, Saturday and Oct. 31, 90 First St. The railroad depot has been transformed into a frightful depository of ghosts, goblins and spirits. $2$5; beniciamainstreet.org.
BERKELEY HOUSE OF SCREAMS >> 6-9:30 p.m. Oct. 31, MLK Jr. Youth Services Center, 1730 Oregon St.; haunted house; music, cotton candy, a photo booth and more; free admission; www.eventbrite.com.
FAIRFIELD SKREAMZ HAUNTED ATTRACTIONS >> Friday and Saturdays through Nov. 2; 1795 Pennsylvania Ave. Features Karnevil, a spectacle of bizarre and frightful oddities; proceeds benefit Fairfield Police Activities League; $10-$12; www.skreamz. com.
FREMONT HAUNTED TRAIN >> Friday-Sunday, 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont; a fun, spooky (but not scary) ride through the dark forest at Ardenwood Historic Farm designed for families with children under 12; trains operate every 30 minutes between 7-9:30 p.m.; $12; www.eventbrite.com.
MOUNTAIN VIEW ODD FELLOWS HAUNTED HOUSE >> 6-11 p.m. Oct. 31, 823 Villa St.; featuring a lights-off, scary version of the haunted house, and a lights-on, less scary version (the latter space is ADA accessible and has no flashing lights, suitable for all ages); suggested donation $1-$5; www. eventbrite.com.
SAN MATEO HAUNTED HOUSE MAZE @SVE >> 7-11 pm. Friday-Saturday, 56 42nd Ave.; haunted house maze with trunk or treat around the block; includes music, treats for sale; $10; www.eventbrite.com.
WALNUT CREEK ELKS HAUNTED HOUSE >> 6-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 1457 Creekside Drive; $10, free to children with special needs 3-5 p.m. Saturday; www.eventbrite. com.
Performance, exhibits, etc.
THEATREFIRST >> Presents “From the Ground Up: An Anthology of Ghost Stories Made New,” in which eight playwrights adapt ghost stories for immersive stage dramatizations. Through Nov. 17; Waterfront Playhouse and Conservatory, 2020 Fourth St., Berkeley; $15-$35; theatrefirst. com.
TWISTED CABARET’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR >> Frank Olivier’s comedic production about a theater owner who must create a Halloween variety show — aided only by a hunchbacked assistant — after the scheduled performers are detained in a bus crash. 8 p.m. today through Saturday; Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson St., San Francisco; $30-$50; www.eventbrite.com.
THE EXPLORATORIUM >> Interactive exhibit “The Cemetery of Dead Science,” designed like an actual cemetery, explores theories that have been debunked or altered due to our evolving knowledge of science. Through Nov. 7; Pier 15, Embarcadero at Green Street; $19.95-$29.95. The museum is also hosting an After Dark Halloween event with live music, snacks and drinks and access to interactive exhibits; 6-10 p.m. Oct. 31; $14.95-$19.95; www.exploratorium.edu.
OAKLAND BALLET >> Presents “Luna Mexicana,” a Mexican Dia de los Muertos-inspired ballet; 7 p.m. Friday at Amador
Theatre, Pleasanton; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 and 4 p.m. Nov. 2 at Paramount Theatre, Oakland; $30-$59; www.oaklandballet.org.
A NIGHTMARE ON VAN NESS >> Annual party/ concert featuring three floors of live music and DJs, a costume contest and other Halloween events and attractions. Performers include LMFAO, Far Eat Movement, Too $hort and many more. 9 p.m. Saturday; Regency Ballroom, 1300 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco; $45-$55 general admission; VIP and group packages available; www.theregencyballroom.com.