“Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… IT’S ALIVE!”
Some think this famous movie line was Dr. Frankenstein talking about his famous Monster, but he was actually talking about Toronto at Halloween time. Just sayin’. TO is already well into its horrifying Halloween events, and we decided to figure out which ones are sure to scare the living sh*t right out of you!
This Halloween will be easily the scariest and most fun yet, with tons of events happening all over town. We have scoured the graveyards and back alleys, searching for the best haunts this town has to offer, and came up with some chilling news: There are tons of places to go… good luck deciding! From black-and-white stage productions to thousands of zombies wandering the streets, Toronto’s Halloween is the place to run to (and from!).
Zombie Walk
Authorities have been trying to suppress the information, but View the Vibe has learned some very important information: Toronto is going to experience a Zombie outbreak! On October 26th! At Nathan Phillips Square! To raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation! With over 6,000 zombies found shuffling along the streets last year, Toronto Zombie Walk is hoping to bring new levels of horror, and money, to the citizens of Toronto. The plague will begin at noon, with photo opportunities and vendor booths before marching down the streets at 3pm. Expect blood baths to help bring some extra pizzazz to your costume and tons of calls for “BBRRRRAAAAIIINSSSS!”
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
You may not have known this, but we’re already in the throes of Halloween celebrations! The ninth annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival started last weekend, showing spooky films from around the world. And don’t expect all those Hollywood remakes and sterile “classics” – After Dark has plenty of international and Canadian premieres that will promise to scare and astound!
Evil Dead: The Musical
“Alright, you primitive screw-heads, listen up! See this? This… is my boomstick!” With those immortal words, Bruce Campbell took campy horror films to a whole new height of horrifying hilarity in Army of Darkness, words that have now been taken to the stage in Evil Dead: The Musical. Expect tons of laughs and buckets of blood (book early to be seated in the “Splash Zone”)! The show has just been extended all the way til Christmas, but Halloween is the best time to see it!
Monster Dash Toronto
The only thing better than a charity race is a charity race with a costume contest! Many a brave soul have decided to combine dressing up for Halloween with participating in either a 5km or 10km run… will you be one of them? Come down to The Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital for the annual Monster Dash! Refreshments will be provided, along with awards for Best Costume and medals for those who can actually run in their outfits! There’s even a Spooky Mile Race for kids who want to participate.
Halloween Haunt
When the sun goes down at Canada’s Wonderland, evil rises, transforming the entire park into the Halloween Haunt, adding spooky mazes and other events to the adrenaline of Canada’s biggest amusement park. Expect appearances by Jack the Ripper, evil aliens, horrifying monsters, and Mysterion the Mind Reader, who will be on site to read the minds of unsuspecting victims, err, guests.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Phantom of the Opera. West Side Story. Rent. None of these musicals have Dr. Frank-N-Furter and for that they are but shadows of greatness. Seeing the film version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show is the quintessential movie-going experience, but seeing it live at the Lower Ossington Theatre, as the play it was originally intended, takes the experience that much further. Come dressed up as your favourite characters and be prepared to yell out your most memorable callbacks!
Night of the Living Dead Live
Evil Dead isn’t the only movie to find new life on the stage: Night of the Living Dead, the most iconic zombie movie of all time, is being reanimated at Theatre Passe Muraille until October 27th. The play will be shown in the original black-and-white and feature multiple endings and put attendees right in the middle of the action! No word yet on whether or not the play is backed by a butcher like the original film (oh yes, those meaty bits on the zombies were real meat), but that may be for the best!
Halloween at TIFF
For those who want to see those classic horror movies on the big screen, TIFF Bell Lightbox is presenting some old favourites this Halloween season. Highlights include The Changeling and The Exorcist and will all be running, very appropriately, with TIFF’s David Cronenberg retrospective. Expect TIFF’s usual high quality theatre experiences with guest speakers and introspectives.
Screemers
Screemers will be taking over the CNE grounds again this year with spooky rides, mazes, monsters, and an arcade! The annual carnival has expanded with a scary wax museum, but still has all the old favourites. For those too old to Trick-or-Treat, there’s even a Vampire lounge cooking up some tasty brews.
Church Street Block Party
Toronto’s biggest outdoor Halloween night is shutting down Church Street! Come on down to the heart of Toronto’s queer community to join thousands of people in what will surely be the best dressed All Hallow’s Eve around! The street will be shut down to vehicular traffic at 7pm.
Parties Aplenty
Liberty Halloween
Nightmares at Tattoo (Thursday the 31st)
World War C at Cinema (Saturday the 26th)
King Street Massacre at COBRA (Saturday the 26th)
Blackout Halloween Night at Maison Mercer (Thursday the 31st)
Diablo Halloween Ball at Guvernment (Friday the 25th)
