Welcome to October, the month of all things Halloween and spookiness. For some people in Calgary, Halloween festivities start on October first, while others wait until after Thanksgiving to get in the spirit. No matter which one you are, here’s a look at some of the best Halloween events, stores and costume shops in Calgary.
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Halloween Calgary
There is no shortage of Halloween themed events in Calgary. Whether you’re looking for some family-fun, some spooky nights out or some adults only events, the city has got you covered.
Ghouls Night Out
Heritage Park hosts family-friendly Halloween events. For those with children between ages 3 and 9, the park hosts Ghouls Night Out. The event runs the evenings, October 28 to 30 and during the afternoon on October 31 and provides a safe and entertaining night out for young families.
There is trick-or-treating at the village homes, family photo booths and carnival games. Be sure to check the website for times, as the entrance and closing times change each day. There’s ahnoutdoor dance party, listen to some spooky storytelling and celebrate Mexican traditions at the return of the festive Día de los Muertos display.
New this year: All ticket holders can Trick or Treat at six of Heritage Park’s haunted historic homes, all four days of the event!
Screamfest
Would it really be Halloween in Calgary if Screamfest wasn’t happening? This year, Screamfest is back October 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-31. Screamfest is intended for ages 12 and up as it’s pretty freaky.
Set foot in the Bates Motel, walk with Zombies or check out Clown Town all within the Grandstand area of Stampede Park. Not for the faint of heart, the thriller rides include a coffin ride, zombie simulation rides and axe throwing.
It takes place both inside and out so make sure you dress appropriately.
Halloween Boos Brunch
One of our favourite Calgary restaurants, Charbar is hosting a fantastic looking Calgary brunch on Halloween day itself at 11 am. In addition to noshing on a Halloween themed menu (dry aged steak bites hash, shakshuka and some amazing looking pull apart cheesy bread), they’ll be classic Halloween movies and there’s a spooky drag show, too. Of course there’ll be spooky cocktails and bubbles and I’m told a decadent crème brûlée will round off the meal.
Be sure to costume up! Email [email protected] for more info.
ZooBOO
If your family loves the Calgary Zoo, take this as your cue to head to ZooBOO. At this family-friendly event taking place October 29-31, kids to dress up early, trick-or-treat at the zoo, and enjoy seeing their favourite animals. The best part? Your kiddo gets to have fun while supporting an important cause — wildlife conservation!
All activities taking place for ZooBOO are included with day admission or memberships.
Halloween Brunch
There are no tricks, only treats at the zoo’s Halloween Brunch! Enjoy a spOOky (not scary!) brunch experience in the heart of Destination Africa and support the zoo’s wildlife conservation initiatives while biting a fang-tastically themed breakfast.
Stay for ZooBOO and get double the seasonal fun! Head to the zoo’s website for a look at the menu, seating times, and ticket prices
Halloween Stores in Calgary
As per normal during Halloween season, many costume shops have taken over empty storefronts and seasonal based stores in Calgary. Before these stores move out and make way for the Christmas version, it’s a good idea to check them out for your costume, décor and makeup needs.
There are many different variations of these stores including Halloween Store Calgary, Halloween Alley and Spirit of Halloween. These are a great place to find reasonably priced Halloween gear.
The largest of these is Halloween Store Calgary. Besides all of the costumes, the store has great options for decoration. From blow-up lawn decorations to motion-activated caged children and favourite Halloween characters. With over 20,000 sq. ft of space, it’s your one stop shop for all of your Halloween needs. It’s located at 6711 Macleod Trail SW.
Costume Shop Calgary
When it comes to trick-or-treating or Halloween parties and events, the right costume is a must-have. Without a doubt, the best-known costume shop in Calgary is… The Costume Shoppe, located on Blackfoot Trail. They have everything from full costumes to wigs, masks and makeup.
If you love your costume idea, you can buy the costume directly from the store or online. Not sure what costume you want or only need it for one night? Check out the rental section of the site.
They also recognize that humans aren’t the only ones who dress up for Halloween and so they have an entire section of pet costumes. You can search by theme, type of costume or by individual accessories. If you live in the city, be sure to stop by the store and get some in-person costume shopping advice.
Don’s Costume & Make Up Shop
Another costume shop Calgary legend is Don’s Costume & Make Up Shop. Don’s has plenty of costumes for your Halloween needs and you can even search the website by decade, theme, movie and age. Don’s also can set you up with your Halloween décor needs, so if you’re throwing a party or just decorating, you’ll find plenty to make your house extra spooky.
Both stores have extended Halloween hours so you can do your Halloween shopping even later at night.
What are you doing to lead up to the spookiest night of the year? Happy Halloween!
P.S. You may also be interested in:
What to do with all the leftover Halloween candy nobody wants
A quick trick for mind-blowing pumpkin pie
Post written by Maya Smith
