TopLine's Guide to a Spooky Halloween
Get Spooky this Halloween!
While Halloween may look a little different this year, there are still plenty of ways to get in the spooky spirit this October! Whether you’re looking for some traditional haunted thrills, or looking for frightfully fantastic ways to celebrate at home, we’ve got you covered!
Check out TopLine’s guide to Halloween activities and events throughout the Twin Cities and a list of classic Halloween movies perfect for celebrating the spookiest holiday at home!
Twin Cities Activities:
Weekends in October: Scream Town
Give yourself a scare with this walk–through haunted experience and prepare to scream! Modified to a fully outdoors setting with timed ticketing, stay scared and safe. Tickets $25-$35. 7410 Hwy 212 E, Chaska, 1-888-317-7308, screamtown.com
Oct 9–31: Sever's Fall Lights
Keep your festive spirits up with this Shakopee drive-through light show, complete with over 1,000,000 holiday lights synchronized with music. Tickets range from $7 to $40. 3121 W. 150th St., Shakopee, 952-270-6293, seversholidaylights.com
Oct 15–31: Deadly Drive-In at Rosedale Center
Get your spooks from the safety of your car at this Rosedale Center drive-in. Organizers have created a themed, immersive experience that may be even spookier than your typical haunted house. Tickets $75 per car. 1595 Hwy 36 W., Roseville, 651-638-3553, rosedalecenter.com
Oct 29: Trunk-Or-Treat
Drive-thru trick-or-treat at the Mall of America this year as a safe alternative sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Don’t forget your costume for a photo–op afterwards! All candy will be individually packaged and social distancing will be maintained at all times. All proceeds will go towards ACS #GoldTogetherChampions. Mall of America, 952-883-8800, mallofamerica.com
Oct. 29-31: Twin Cities Horror Festival
Make sure to get your seasonal scares in with the Twin Cities Horror Festival. The all-virtual event will take place from Oct. 29 through Oct. 31 and feature five “spine tingling” films. Tickets will be available to purchase soon. tchorrorfestival.com
Oct 31: First Avenue’s Annual Halloween Party and Costume Contest
Reimagined for social distancing, the iconic venue’s annual party and costume contest will allow you to celebrate this spooky holiday in style. Must be 21 and older, tier one tickets are $10, tier two $125, and tier three $250. 701 1st Ave. N., Mpls., 612-332-1775, first-avenue.com
Oct 31: Grande Day Parade
Anoka’s annual Halloween parade will be modified this year, allowing participants to visit different locations throughout the city instead of a traditional parade route. Further details will be available closer to the event due to reorganization. Anoka, anokahalloween.com
Halloween Movies For the Entire Family!
For the Horror Fans:
Scream (1996)
This clever-yet-scary slasher movie/black comedy stars a variety of big stars, from Courtney Cox to Drew Barrymore, and continues to be a fan-favorite hit.
Get Out (2017)
This new-ish movie quickly became a horror classic. The Jordan Peele-written and directed feature follows a Black photographer going home with his white girlfriend for the first time. Shrouded by casual racism, the dynamics get eerier and eerier as the film progresses.
Halloween (1978)
Few movies are as appropriate for Halloween as, well, Halloween. The slasher movie stars Jamie Lee Curtis and follows a mental patient and murderer who escapes a sanitarium and returns to his hometown to stalk innocent passersby.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
This horror movie served as the inspiration for countless ensuing films, like Paranormal Activity. The movie revolves around three hikers who go to find the legend of Blair Witch and disappear—the movie entirely consists of "found footage," supposedly recovered from the hikers.
Sleepy Hallow (1999)
Yet another Tim Burton Halloween-appropriate feature, this period, gothic drama tells the story of a police constable, played by Johnny Depp, sent to investigate the Headless Horseman murders in small town Sleepy Hollow.
For the Family:
Hocus Pocus (1993)
You can't go wrong with Hocus Pocus. The family friendly comedy stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy star as three Salem, Massachusetts witches, resurrected just in time for Halloween.
Casper (1995)
A young Christina Ricci stars in this sweet movie about a teenage girl's friendship with a twelve-year-old, lonely—yet friendly—ghost.
Halloweentown (1998)
A movie perfect for the whole family, Halloweentown follows a young witch named Marnie, torn between her normal life and her grandmother's home in an enchanted place where it's always Halloween.
Practical Magic (1998)
If you want a Halloween rom-com, Practical Magic is the way to go. In the film, two sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) use their magical powers to fight a family curse preventing them from love.
Ghostbusters (1984)
For another family friendly option, stream the Halloween comedy classic, Ghostbusters. But, be warned, you may not be able to get the jingle out of your head for days.
Wishing you a happy Halloween from your friends at TopLine!