Six Spooky Things to Do in Brisbane This Halloween

Most days of the year, there ain’t no party like a Brightside party, and that proves true on Halloween as well. They don’t call their annual shindig the Frightside Horrorfest without good reason, after all.

Demonstrating the enthusiastic flair regulars know and love, the Brighty folks will be transforming the entire venue into a haunted heaven (or hell, if you prefer), the carpark included. Indulging in the scarier side of things while dancing around on the concrete usually populated by automobiles might not sound like something exciting, but it should — more room equals an increased capacity for more revellers.

That extra space will be filled to the brim, of course, starting with Kissperience and Silkacid offering up creepy tunes. As for the rest of the evening’s agenda, prepare to jump. We mean that in both the tapping your toes and getting more than a few surprises kinds of way, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Black cats and witches go hand-in-hand, if many a fictional tale is to be believed. And even if such stories aren’t 100 percent accurate, no one is going to complain about combining the cuteness of the former with an occasion oft-associated with the latter. No, they’re not, because who doesn’t want to go Black Cat Market this Halloween?

Thank the clever folks behind Annerley’s Lucky Cat Cafe for having a stroke of genius that’ll help you stroke more than a couple of cute kitties. Yes, free mingling with the establishment’s felines is one of the things on offer on October 29, much to the delight of cat lovers around town. So is a vegan bake sale, a sausage sizzle, designer arts and crafts stalls, a raffle, bargain pet supplies and free cat treats.

Halloween is an ideal time for watching spooky movies; however whatever viewing you’ve already got planned, cancel it. There’s one movie that’s even more perfect for the occasion that usual this year, and it’s showing at Dendy Portside for one night only.

With the beloved Gene Wilder passing away recently, revisiting his work in the comedy-horror classic Young Frankenstein is a must. You’ll laugh, you’ll enjoy an all-time great, and you’ll get to watch a masterful performer at his absolute best. Plus, dressing up as Wilder from this or any of his other movies is encouraged.

Before every movie started being turned into television shows, they were adapted into musicals. And before Brisbane’s stage-loving Theatremakers team decided to put on a Halloween event, they clearly brushed up on everyone’s favourite film-to-theatre efforts.

At their Music Theatre Jam on October 31, they’ll host a spooktacular live concert filled with thrilling, frightening and disturbing in musical theatre. Expect songs from Evil Dead: The Musical, Hunchback of Notre Dame: The Musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Heathers The Musical, Sweeney Todd, The Craft and more. Here, even if you’re scared, you’ll be singing.

Everyone’s doing it: taking something not-at-all scary, switching up a word or two, and giving it a frightening twist. You’ve seen it all over social media, and now you can see it in action at the Southside Tea Room’s latest event as well. Yep, the Morningside hangout is hosting the Mourning-side Scavenger Hunt.

You’ll be searching the suburbs as part of this little Halloween spot of fun — or one inner-east suburb, to be precise. If anyone can make Wynnum Road spooky, it’s the SSTR, Death Valley and Red Robin Supper Truck combo. And, once the main quest is over, the latter two places will be hosting a beer garden sing-along screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This Saturday night, Greaser wants you to dress up like you’ve just stepped out of your favourite Michael J. Fox-starring ’80s movie. Okay, your second favourite. At their annual Halloween get-together, Teen Wolf is in the spotlight. Prepare to have a howling good time.

Yep, there ain’t no Halloween party like an ’80s werewolf Halloween party, so you’d best do your part. That means dressing up in your furriest costume and pretending you’re a high school teenager who transforms into a basketball-playing canine monster, for starters. Anything ’80s, horror-ish and college-like will count as well, though you really do want to wear something that’ll stand out in the evening’s neon disco.