This year’s lineup of spooky spectacles is bigger and better than ever. There are plenty of scares, from family-friendly frights at Boo at the Zoo to full-fledged scream-fests at the 13th Floor haunted house, where you can explore new themes such as Crimson Night and Macabre. Feeling artsy? Meow Wolf’s Cosmic Howl promises an immersive experience in which even the walls might give you a jump scare. For those who prefer their frights with a mountain view, the Telluride Horror Show is back for more high-altitude horrors.
Want to find the best-haunted attractions? Check out our guide to the best Denver haunted houses and experiences. And let's not forget, Denver itself has a haunted past. From the creepy beginnings of Cheesman Park (built over old graves, anyone?) to the mysterious happenings at the Lumber Baron Inn, the city’s ghostly history is enough to make even the bravest souls shudder.
So grab your broomsticks, dust off your best costume and prepare to haunt the city in style. From ghost tours to glow-in-the-dark pumpkin displays, we’ve got all the tricks, treats, and terrors lined up for you this Halloween season. Keep reading for the best events lurking just around the corner — if you dare.
Ongoing Denver Halloween Events
Cosmic Howl
Through October 31
Meow Wolf, 1338 First Street
Convergence Station is celebrating Halloween throughout October with spooky activations throughout the immersive installations. From costume contests to Haus L’Whor’s second-annual Halloween Drag Show, Meow Wolf has a bounty of offerings that can be found, as well as tickets, on its website.
Wild Fall and Boo at the Zoo
Through October 31
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, 2300 Steele Street
Back by popular demand and designed with feedback from guests and members, Boo at the Zoo is back on select evenings (October 4 to 5, 11 to 13, 18 to 20 and 25 to 27) with mysterious cryptid creatures, seasonal snacks and libations. There will also be a special sensory-friendly edition of Boo at the Zoo on Oct. 31. Boo at the Zoo is part of the zoo’s Wild Fall festivities, which transform its 80-acre campus with events and experiences that capture the “Falloween” spirit for all ages. For the 21+ crowd, DZCA is hosting its popular Monster Masquerade on Oct. 24 featuring Animal Ambassador appearances, trivia, cool character photo ops, a costume contest and a live DJ. Learn more on its website.
13th Floor
3400 East 52nd Avenue
Through November 9
Enter if you dare! Arguably Denver's most famous haunted house experience, 13th Floor runs at select times through November 9. There are three new themes to explore this season: Nautical Nightmare, Crimson Night and Macabre, all of which promise to provide the screams, thrills and chills the haunt is known for. Thirteenth Floor has also created add-on experiences, including a tiki bar called the Sacred Skull: A Tiki Tarot Experience, a spot to shoot zombies and an experience called No Name's Clown Chaos. Ticket prices begin at $26.49, and you can always reserve your timed spot online to skip the lines.
Dracula is set to be one of Denver's premier theatrical offerings this spooky season.
Courtesy of Deborah Flomberg-Rollins
Through November 3
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard
Forget the capes and castles: Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really brings biting humor to the classic vampire tale. This fresh take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Kate Hamill mixes pop-culture references and feminist fire with all the biting, horror and bloodsucking you expect. Director Carolyn Howarth leads a dynamic cast, including Geoffrey Kent as a menacing yet humorous Dracula, Annie Barbour as a fierce Mina Harker and Prentiss Benjamin as Van Helsing. Packed with sharp wit and thrilling action, it’s the perfect Halloween show for those seeking a smart, spooky night out. Tickets start at $47.
A ferris wheel attraction near the end of the trail at Hudson Gardens.
Photography By: Brandon Johnson (@bjohnsonxar)
Through November 2
Hudson Gardens, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton
Presented by the haunted powerhouse 13th Floor, this is the fourth iteration of Magic of the Jack O' Lanterns at Hudson Gardens. Perfect for a family evening or a date night, Magic of the Jack O' Lanterns adds the glow of carved pumpkin displays to the Gardens; from nautical themes to dragons and monsters, each installation is unique and provides the perfect photo op. Timed-entry tickets to Magic of the Jack O' Lanterns are available now, starting at $17.99.
Spookadelia
Closing date TBD
Spectra Art Space, 1836 South Broadway
Spectra Art Space is a pioneer of Denver's growing immersive art scene, and each year it mounts a psychedelic, ghostly experience in Spookadelia, which won a 2023 Best of Denver award for Best Seasonal Immersive. Make your way through a labyrinth of immersive installations and rooms, and follow along the narrative storyline, which works like a puzzle, with augmented reality and clues throughout the show. Because of its popularity, Spookadelia's run is inevitably extended each year; last year's show was up through this past March. Tickets are $12 to $22.
Upcoming Denver Halloween Events:
Nosferatu with Radiohead by Silents SyncedOctober 9, October 30 and November 3
Prismajic’s the Night Owls, 4500 West Colfax Avenue, 359, Lakewood
Enjoy a new category of event cinema experience designed to bring new audiences to independent venues, all with the blessing of the bands whose music is synced up to re-imagined re-mixes of classic silent films. The first of the Silents Synced series is a pairing of the most high. Radiohead’s Amnesiac and Kid A are synced with the enhanced 1922 silent film Nosferatu. Enjoy this fusion of contemporary music and vintage film in celebration of the spookiest month of the year for $15.
Victorian Horrors
October 10 to October 26
Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania Street
Victorian Horrors is a theater program inside the Molly Brown House that features deathly tales written by well-known but long-gone authors. These stories are read by acclaimed local actors in a spooky one-hour program. Admission times are every fifteen minutes from 6 to 9 p.m. This is the program’s 31st year of Victorian Horrors. Tickets are $25 for Historic Denver members and $30 for general admission.
Audacious Immersive’s Frankenstein
October 11 and October 12
Odell’s Brewing, 1625 Perry Street
An immersive traveling trunk-show adaptation of the original science fiction work, Audacious Immersive's Frankenstein, written by local Alyssa Bosch, brings the text's original language to life in all of its beautiful, horrifying glory. Face the terrible consequences of unstoppable hubris and ask yourself: what truly defines a monster? Dive directly into all of the action, including breathing life into Doctor Frankenstein’s horrifying monster. Instructions for interactions will be available at the door, as well as additional props and interactive bags for purchase. Tickets are $25-$35.
Rocky Horror at the Elitch Theatre
October 11
Elitch Theatre, 4550 West 38 Avenue
Last year, over 500 people attended a Rocky Horror show at Elitch Theatre. The blend of eerie Halloween ambiance and the theatre’s storied past amplifies the eccentricity and fun of the Rocky Horror experience. Audience participation will be at an all-time high, with props in hand and voices ready to sing along, making it a night of nostalgia, laughter and timeless entertainment led by the shadow cast Neon Fox Collective. Tickets are $15.
Telluride Horror Show
October 11 to October 13
The best horror weekend of the year returns to high altitude! Telluride Horror Show is back for its fifteenth edition. Showcasing an international program of more than fifty films, this year’s lineup brings the latest and best in horror media to Telluride, including film screenings, guest authors and special events. Passes and individual tickets are available now on its website.
Pumpkin Harvest Festival
October 12 and October 13
Four Mile Historic Park, 715 South Forest Street
Pick out the perfect pumpkin or unique local treasure in the marketplace, snack on seasonal favorites like apple cider donuts, and catch live performances from the Autumn Harvest Community Stage. This family-friendly event will offer several activities for everyone to enjoy, including a pumpkin patch, gold-panning, prairie games, face painting, blacksmithing demonstrations, a Western-themed scavenger hunt, an art depot, tractor rides and an opportunity to build your own scarecrow. Denver’s original fall festival is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tickets are available for $17-$45.
Rocky Horror at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House
October 18
Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis Street
Come up to the lab and see what's up on the slab (spoiler alert: it's a blonde man with a tan!) In this cult classic story, sweethearts Brad and Janet discover an eerie castle after their car breaks down during a rainstorm. Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the diabolical mad scientist, lives in the castle with his gang of henchmen. Once inside, Brad and Janet are swept up in a frenzy of dancing, rock and roll, sex, and the birth of life itself. Colorado's Elusive Ingredient, the state's largest and longest-running shadow cast, brings its wildly popular experience to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for $31.85.
Marjorie Park Uncorked: Movie Nights
October 18 and October 19
Marjorie Park, 6301 South Fiddlers Green Circle, Greenwood Village
The Museum of Outdoor Arts is welcoming folks to get their spook on with two Halloween-themed movie nights at Marjorie Park. The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be screened on October 18 and The Witches (1990) the following evening. Bring your own blankets and chairs or you can reserve a fireside table. Concessions are available for purchase and yard games to play before the movie. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the movie starts after dusk around 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, but you must register in advance.
Hauntings in the Hangar
October 19
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 East Academy Boulevard
Get ready for a spooktacular fun time at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Celebrate Halloween with Hauntings in the Hangar, which includes a rat scavenger hunt with prizes, a Black listening station, trick-or-treat candy stations, magic shows from Chad Wonder Magic, a Phantom Photo Booth from MiHi Entertainment and balloon twisting from Clownin’ Around for Fun. Tickets are $12.95 to $19.95.
Safe Streets Halloween
October 19
Centennial Park, 4630 South Decatur Street, Englewood
From 4 to 7 p.m., the Northglenn Police Department will host a trick-or-treat street on Kennedy Drive along Centennial Park. Stops will be provided by Northglenn High School student groups, along with spooky inflatables, music, candy, and trunk-or-treat cars from local businesses. The event is entirely outside, so dress appropriately. City-sponsored stops will have allergy-free Halloween toys and giveaways available; simply ask if you prefer something other than candy. The event is free.
Rocky Horror at the Paramount Theatre with Patricia Quinn
October 22
Paramount Theater, 1621 Glenarm Place
Elusive Ingredient will join a screening of Rocky Horror at the Paramount this time, with a Q&A with the original Magenta actress, Patricia Quinn, beginning at $55.
Glow at the Gardens
October 22 to October 27
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street
At the Denver Botanic Gardens' annual Glow at the Gardens event, explore an immersive, illuminated path lined with live performers and hand-carved pumpkin displays at every turn. While most nighttime Halloween events use foam "funkins," all of these grimacing jack-o'-lanterns and larger-than-life sculptures are freshly carved from real, locally grown pumpkins. Tickets are $24-$32.
BOOnion Station Trick-or-Treat Parade
October 24
Denver Union Station, 1700 Wewatta Street
All are invited to take part in the tenth-annual BOOnion Station Trick-or-Treat Parade at Union Station. This free family-friendly celebration will include trick-or-treating, mini-train rides, balloon artists, face painting and more. The parade will begin at 5 p.m., with three prizes awarded for best costumes.
Labyrinth-themed Masquerade Ball
October 25 and October 26
The Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe Street
Inspired by the David Bowie epic tale, the lower levels of the Denver Savoy will be transformed by talented Starry Night worldbuilders, allowing exploration of a mini labyrinth and interaction with a goblin band played by Denver newcomers, Catharsonist, and an album-release show by the Whimsy of Things. This epic collaboration produced by Starry Night Productions will include aerial dance, acrobatics, contemporary dance, and more by performers from the Soda Shop, Theatre Artibus, Elevated Circus and In the Wings Aerial. Tickets are $45-$220.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert
October 25 and October 26
Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street
See one of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films like never before! The Nightmare Before Christmas, will be projected on the big screen at Boettcher with Danny Elfman’s darkly charming score played live by the Colorado Symphony. Families are welcome and costumes are encouraged. Tickets range from $15-$115.
Dancing in the Dark: A Haunted Hotel Experience
October 25, October 26 and October 27
The People’s Building, 9995 East Colfax Avenue
Life/Art Dance Ensemble and Rocky Mountain Rhythm partner to produce Colorado’s only immersive haunted house-style dance performance, Dancing in the Dark: A Haunted Hotel Experience. The show’s theme this year is "haunted Colorado hotels," so to dive into the state's ghostly history and see the stories brought to life on stage. Tickets are $21.
Thirteenth-Annual Mile High Halloween Bash
October 26
Mile High Spirits Distillery and Tasting Room, 2201 Lawrence Street
Billed as “Denver’s Best 21+ Halloween” party, tickets for the thirteenth-annual Mile High Halloween Bash are going fast and organizers anticipate it will sell out. There will be $1,500 in cash and prizes for best costumes, access to Halloween-themed drinks and shots at a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Halloween pop-up bar as well as live DJs lighting up the dance floor all night. Early-bird tickets are $11.19.
Coloween
October 26
Stockyards Event Center, 5004 National Western Drive
Coloween is back for its fifteenth year, and this year’s party promises to be bigger than ever. It will see the return of Denver’s own Manufactured Superstars, and will include Colorado’s largest costume contest, with a $10,000 grand prize. Leading up to the event, there is also a city-wide scavenger hunt called JustFound Jerry, in which participants search for 100 hidden skeletons around Denver with QR codes leading to exclusive prizes, such as free Coloween tickets. This year’s celebration promises to be the best yet, with festival-level production, over 50,000 square feet of immersive themed space, top-tier DJs, VIP options and more. Tickets are $56 to $87.
Denver Halloween Bar Crawl
October 26
All Access Ballpark Lodo + Larimer Sq Venues, 2000 Larimer Street
What better way to celebrate Halloween than to get shitfaced with your fellow Denverites? This six-hour bar crawl includes dance parties, DJs, live bands, costume contests and scavenger hunts as you venture to a variety of amazing venues this Halloween. Max attendance for this event Is 499 people, so buy early before it sells out. Tickets are $8-18.
Dracula vs. Frankenstein: An Immersive Experience
October 26
Denver outdoors, location to be sent via email before the event
Immerse yourself in a Halloween outdoor escape game in which Dracula and his vampire family face off against Frankenstein and his terrifying monsters. As you walk around the city, you will use your phone to find hidden clues, solve clever puzzles, and complete fun challenges. You can play at your own pace or against the clock to compete with friends or hundreds of other teams parading their fantastic costumes. Access to the event starts at $16.
Howl-a-Ween Pet Parade
October 26
Denver Union Station, 1700 Wewatta Street
Shake off your four-legged friend's favorite superhero, clown, or princess costume for the Halloween pet parade, a fun outdoor event held on the Terminal Bar patio with great drink specials and more. Bring your furry friends dressed in their spookiest, funniest, or most creative costumes to this festive pet parade, which runs from noon to 3 p.m. This fun-filled event is ideal for both pet lovers and families, with plenty of photo opportunities, prizes for the best-dressed pets and the opportunity to celebrate Halloween with your four-legged companions.
Sleightly Impossible’s Spooky Magic Show
October 26
Wonder’s HUB Stage at 40 West, 6501 W Colfax Avenue, Lakewood
Sleightly Impossible provides great magic with fun, laughter and a few thrills with Matthew C. Brandt and Gene R. Gordon at its Spooky Magic Show. Sleightly Impossible is a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that blends the unique styles of two of Denver's best magicians. Tickets are $14-$28.
Spirits & Spirits
October 26
Four Mile Historic Park, 715 South Forest Street
Catering to adults, this event offers an opportunity to explore Four Mile Historic Park after dark while entering the otherworldly realm of Victorian Spiritualism, the nineteenth-century movement that maintained that the spirits of the dead possessed both the ability and the desire to communicate with the living. To complement the evening, tastings from local spirits vendors will be served. The Metaphysical Marketplace will return to Spirits & Spirits this year, offering guests a chance to buy unique crystals and curiosities. Attendees will be able to tour the Four Mile House for a Victorian mourning ceremony and revel in a variety of entertainment on the Sundry Stage featuring drag bingo, live music and mystical performances. Tickets are $25 to $75.
Is Mrs. Brown Still Here?
October 29
Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania Street
Do you have what it takes to meet a ghost in the historic Molly Brown House Museum? Head to the program Is Mrs. Brown Still Here? for a rare opportunity to learn about various ghost-hunting methods in the historic home of Margaret Tobin Brown. This program will host two sessions, at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., with Otherworld Paranormal on October 29. Tickets are $80 for Historic Denver members and $90 for general admission.
Howl at the Moon, a Bird Dog Halloween Special
October 30
Halycon, 245 Columbine Street
Raise the “woof” eight floors atop Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek, with a spooky Halloween event for guests and their four-legged friends, who can participate in a costume contest at Howl at the Moon. The dog costume contest includes three categories: comedy, impersonation (movie character, actor or owner) and culinary cuteness. The winner for each category will receive a Halcyon Hounds staycation, use pet-friendly gear from the Gear Garage for Cherry Creek Trail walks and enjoy homemade treats. During Howl at the Moon, guests can indulge in happy hour drinks while dogs will have their own menu. The event is free to attend.
The Nasty Show: Halloween Edition
October 30 and October 31
Comedy Works South at the Landmark, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village, and Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th Street
Come to Comedy Works for the laughs and stay for the frightful fun. The Nasty Show is sure to have you howling with laughter with a lineup of especially dirty, slightly spooky and mildly off-color comics. They’re here to deliver an evening of laughs, covering topics from the risqué to the considerably mischievous, and just the right amount of filthy content. Tickets are $14.
Adam Bodine Halloween Spooktacular
October 31
Nocturne, 1330 27th Street
In its annual Halloween celebration, Nocturne will host a hauntingly special evening of music with pianist and bandleader Adam Bodine. Guests can expect a bubbling cauldron of rock and pop Halloween tunes, all with a subtle improvisational twist. There are two sets available on Thursday, October 31, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 to 10 p.m. Bar reservations start at $22, while "Dinner and a Show" reservations, which include a three-course dinner, start at $89.
Science Lounge: Pick Your Poison Halloween Bash
October 31
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard
The Pick Your Poison Halloween Bash at Denver Art Museum allows you to explore the institution’s hallowed halls after dark while learning with libations in hand. Check out its Power of Poison exhibit focusing on poisons, venoms and toxins, which will be open all night to explore. Dr. Erin Baxter Presents will also give a lecture on cannibalism, poisoning and the science of death, and there will be a spooky scavenger hunt. Member tickets are $25, while general admission is $35.
Hallowmass
October 31, November 1, and November 2
Truss House, 3400 Arkins Street
Hallowmass is an annual ritual for Denver's famed sixty-member drum troupe itchy-O, and this year celebrates the tenth year of the immersive, experiential concert. Billed as a "Celebration of Impermanence," Hallowmass is more of a ceremony than an ordinary concert, steeped in philosophical lore to produce what itchy-O calls a "vehicle of ultimate transcendence." The group will play two sets each night, with one beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the next at 10:30 p.m. Tickets start at $40 and tickets are selling fast.
