Halloween is not far away, and for those who want to do more than carve a Jack-o'-lantern or go trick-or-treating near or on October 31, here are some suggestions.
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Halloween Trivia Night
On Friday, October 27 at The Canberra Wine House in Dickson from 6pm, wear your best Halloween costume, have a themed drink, and from 7pm test your knowledge on all things eerie and mysterious. Special K will perform in the lounge at 9pm.
Crystal Ballroom
This month's social dance welcomes witches, wizards and other Halloween-themed folk. Drink on arrival (beer, wine or soft drink). Supper, tea and coffee are included (bring your own beverages). It's on Saturday, October 28 at 7pm. See: crystalballroomcanberra.au.
Halloween Spooktacular
On Saturday, October 28 at Luna Bar will be a spooktacular degustation dinner curated by your culinary caretaker, the 2023 Australian Hotels Association Chef of the Year Adrianne Davo. From strip loin with Vegemite, coffee sauce and pickled radish to chicken supreme featuring black rice and housemade pineapple sauce, the food will be complemented by such potions as the Black Margarita, Morticia's Elixir or Lurch's lethal libation, a blend of Makers Mark bourbon, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit, and mint. There will be 6pm and 8pm sittings and you can choose from a three-, six- 65 or eight-course 85 degustation. A booking fee of $20 a head is required which will be deducted from each degustation order at the bar. See: lunabar.com.au.
Dance of the Dead
On Saturday, October 28 at 8pm at Transit Bar, this immersive experience will feature hair-raising Halloween attractions and decorations, blood-curdling visuals, scary fairy floss, spooky popcorn, and grisly drink specials. Outrageous outfits are encouraged (there will be prizes). See: eventbrite.com.au.
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Scream and Scream again
Two instalments in the slasher series that revitalised the genre with knowing humour as well as horror are screening at Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive on Saturday, October 28. Venus Mantrap will host the original Scream (1996) at 7pm and the latest instalment, Scream VI (2023) at 9.30pm. Tickets are $18/$15 for a double pass or $12/$10 individually. See: nfsa.gov.au.
Irish Halloween
On Sunday, October 29 from noon to 1.30pm at the Canberra Irish Club, Hallowe'en - Oiche Shamhra/Samhain will showcase Irish customs and games in an event for children under 12 accompanied by an adult. There will be prizes for best costume and face painting. A light lunch will be provided. $5 a child, adult tickets are separate. See: trybooking.com.
Free Halloween Party
On Tuesday, October 31 from 5 to 7pm at Holy Convenant Anglican Church, 89 Dexter Street, Cook, will be a free Halloween party. People of all ages can dress up and have fun. The church's assistant priest and community chaplain Reverend Wendy Robertson said, "Halloween is a great opportunity for the people in our neighbourhood to get together and have fun. Holy Covenant will be joining in with treats and games for kids small and grown up."
House of Horror
At Dendy Canberra on Tuesday, October 31, horror will take over. There will be screenings of five films, from cult classics to modern must-sees.
In the original Halloween (1978, 6.45pm), 15 years after murdering his sister on Halloween night, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield to kill again.
The subtitled Japanese movie Cure (1997, 8.45pm), has cgruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done.
There will be a 4K 50th-anniversary screening of the original theatrical version of The Exorcist (1973, 6.30pm) in which young Regan (Linda Blair) is possessed by a demonic force.
Hausu (1977, 9pm) is another subtitled Japanese horror film, telling what happens when Gorgeous (Kimiko Ikegami) and six of her friends visit her aunt's remote mansion. And in the original Night of the Living Dead (1968, 7.20pm) a group of people try to keep a plague of flesh-eating zombies at bay.
Horror movie ticket holders wearing a Halloween costume will receive a free medium popcorn. See: dendy.com.au.
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