Halloween is fast approaching, and there are so many ways to celebrate the season in Toronto! From themed pop-up cocktail bars to tours after dark and eerie theatre productions, here are 45 ways to make the most of the Halloween season in Toronto.
1. Hellbar
This ghoulish bar returns with wicked cocktails and forbidden bites. Dare to share ghost stories, face your deadliest sins and experience chilling Halloween events all season. 739 Queen St. W.
2. Nightmare Before Bar
Halloween takes over CC Lounge Oct 3 to 31. Sip themed cocktails, join hair-rasing activities and explore a horror movie–inspired bar that’s equal parts eerie and Instagram-ready. 45 Front St. E.
3. Black Lagoon
Skulls, coffins and eerie-orange cocktails await at Walrus Pub & Beer Hall, Oct 1 to Nov 2. Sip spine-chilling creations like Griselda’s Revenge and Corpse Flower. Halloween never tasted so wicked.187 Bay St.
4. Halloween at the Wych
Halloween at the Wych gets delightfully mischievous Oct 31. Sip Lexy, will you Marry Me? cocktails, revisit last year’s Wych’s Wart and enjoy a night of wickedly stylish drinks. 1150 Davenport Rd.
5. Storm Crow Manor
Storm Crow Manor, always a touch macabre, presents Black Sabbath, its Halloween twist on the French 75. Gin, cassis, sparkling wine, lemon and soda make this witches’ favourite a bewitching sip. 580 Church St.
6. Ricardo’s Kandy Korner
Step inside Ricardo’s Kandy Korner, where 450+ imported treats twist the aisles into a candy labyrinth. Every corner lures with temptation. Can you escape without a bag full of mischief? Eaton Centre, ground floor
7. The Candy Bar
The Candy Bar is a haven luring with imported treats, handcrafted chocolates and eerie delights — where else would you find Prawn Cocktail Crisps or a Cadbury Curly Wurly? 849 College St.
8. Visit a haunted restaurant
Keg Mansion has seen tragedy and hauntings: a devoted maid reportedly took her life, a young boy fell down the stairs and Lillian Massey’s presence is said to still linger. 515 Jarvis St.
The Boiler House, now El Catrin, once paired fine dining with paranormal activity — flying bottles and ghostly apparitions. Since El Catrin took over, the hauntings have (mostly) vanished. 18 Tank House Ln.
Paddock Tavern, once the Slither Club, saw gangster rivalries and mysterious incidents in its back rooms. Today, unexplained footsteps and lingering presences hint that the past hasn’t fully left. 178 Bathurst St.
Since the mid-’90s, the Frog: A Firkin Pub has been a magnet for the unexplained: vanished jackets, mysterious flushes and washroom hauntings keep patrons — and cleaning crews — on edge. 4854 Yonge St.
9. Halloween Nights of Lights
Head to Sherway Gardens until Nov. 1 for Halloween Nights of Lights, an immersive light show featuring Mini Milo, a new 22-foot-tall light-up jack-o’-lantern. Then stop by the Pumpkinville fall fair (home to 15,000 pumpkins).
10. Jaymes White’s Beverley Street Séance
Toronto’s leading mindreader Jaymes White returns for his 10th anniversary with the Beverley Street Séance inviting a small group to attend an authentic Victorian era seance to commune with the dead just in time for Halloween and running until Nov. 30.
11. The Haunted Walk
Trust the Haunted Walk to take you to T.O.’s most eerie spots. Hear about the supernatural phenomena and ghostly encounters at places like the Distillery District or the Village at Black Creek — one of the city’s most active sites.
12. After Dark Tours
Exhibition Place is teeming with secrets — if you know where to find them. After Dark Tours will take you through its haunted past and share some chilling discoveries only known to staff who worked the late shift. Dates TBA.
13. Candy’s Costume Shop
A hidden gem for funky themed attire in Toronto, Candy’s Costume Shop is especially known for its decade picks — think flappers and hippies — as well as some funny finds (like the “upside down dude”). 685 Mt. Pleasant Rd.
14. Thunder Thighs Costumes
Thunder Thighs Costumes does a lot of business with the movie and film industry, but this time of year it also rents out one-of-a-kind costumes. Here, the early trick-or-treater gets the best costume, so don’t delay. 16 Busy St.
15. Toronto Dark Arts Market: Hallowmas Market
The annual Hallowmas Market is back at Ground Control on Oct. 18, and it’s the place to be if you opt for treats over tricks. Shop over 40 vendors offering their coolest, creepiest stuff, from demonic artwork to witchy jewelry.
16. The October Witch Market
Every weekend in October, Made for Me Marketplace transforms into the October Witch Market. This magical gathering features occult treasures, tarot readings and tinctures for your most potent potions.
17. Bazaar of the Bizarre
The name says it all — taking over Parkdale Hall this Oct. 18 is a marketplace for all things dark, macabre, weird, whimsical and, well, bizarre! Shop skeleton jewelry, unearthly prints & more.
18. Toronto Sunday Market: Halloween Market
Head back to Parkdale Hall on Oct. 26 for a spine-tingling good time during Halloweekend. Toronto Sunday Market’s Halloween edition will feature shopping, treats and plenty of themed fun.
19. The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary Spectacular Tour
Rocky Horror Picture Show begins with a pair of lips, Patricia Quinn’s lips to be exact, singing “Science Fiction/Double Feature.” Fifty years later, the woman who played Magenta is in Toronto as part of a special screening at Roy Thomson Hall on Oct. 28.
20. Halloween on Church
Halloween on Church is Canada’s biggest Halloween party, turning Church Street into an incredible, all-ages celebration of wild and unique costumes, creativity and good community spirit.
21. Screemers
Toronto’s oldest haunted house, Screemers returns to Assembly Park in Vaughan with seven haunted mazes, unlimited midway rides, live scare actors and the infamous Vampire Lounge.
22. Legends of Horror
Casa Loma is transformed into Legends of Horror, an immersive theatre experience where visitors walk a two-kilometre trail through the castle’s tunnels, confronting scary scenes and spaces never before open to the public.
23. Eternally Yours: The Musical
This campy horror musical hits the Annex Theatre this Halloween, spinning a love story of weddings, Elvis and vampires into a brand new musical packed with romance, dark comedy and plenty of bite.
24. Goth Bingo Night
Goth Bingo Night at Ground Control blends campy fun with dark flair, serving up classic, goth and Tim Burton–themed bingo rounds, with prizes from local makers, to support Parkdale Community Food Bank.
25. Halloween Drag Brunch
This event at Parlour promises a campy, sing-along spectacle with stars from Canada’s Drag Race and Dragula belting out hits from Wicked to Rent, while guests sip cocktails and soak up the spooky vibes.
26. Haunted Halloween Cruise
The Haunted Halloween Boat Party Cruise turns the harbour into a floating nightclub, with 500 costumed revellers dancing across three decks, with DJs and live acts and the city skyline as a spooky backdrop.
27. Doc Wuthergloom’s Little Lib’ary of the Damned
Eldritch Theatre presents Doc Wuthergloom’s Little Library of the Damned, a T.O. Halloween tradition since 1999, where Doctor Pretorious Wuthergloom, the infamous necromancer and arcane medicine showman, regales audiences with ghoulish tales, Oct. 30 to Nov. 9. 922 Queen St. E.
28. ROM After Dark: Trick or Treat
Embrace the Halloween spirit at ROM After Dark’s special event on Oct. 27, RAD: Trick or Treat, a costume-friendly party that transforms the entire museum into a spooky wonderland with activities like face painting, photobooths, crystal ball readings and a thrilling pumpkin scavenger hunt, all while enjoying live music. 100 Queen’s Park
29. Revue Cinema
The Revue Cinema has been hosting two+ weeks of horror flicks and special events, including the classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a few Twin Peaks screenings and much more. 400 Roncesvalles Ave.
30. The Rock Store
Prepare for Halloween by getting an education in necromancy — the practice of communicating with the dead. The Rock Store, set in a hundred-year-old two-storey French-inspired mansion and selling crystals, meditation tools, healing literature, ritual items and yoga items, has an Oct. 22 class that will have you entering the spirit world with ease. 154 Harbord St.
31. The Hermit’s Lamp
Learn the basics of fortune-telling with a tarot workshop at the Hermit’s Lamp. Find out how to read the cards and then whip them out at your next Halloween party for some oohs and ahhs. 1209 Bloor St. W.
32. The Occult Shop
Whether you’re planning to banish evil spirits, cast some spells or arm yourself against errant ghosts this Halloween, visit the Occult Shop — around since 1979, pagans, Wiccans and spiritual folks know this is the real deal. 1371 Bathurst St.
33. Happy Soul
Get in touch with your spirit side with Happy Soul, a store that specializes in metaphysical products, with most of its goods also incorporating educational instructions. The sizable freebies help to draw in customers looking for candles, incense, tarot oracle cards, sound bowls and other products. 961 Bloor St. W.
34. Shanti Baba Trading
At Shanti Baba Trading, they believe that the power of healing comes from within. However, they also believe that it can be harnessed and channelled through the use of shamanic and spiritual tools. From crystals and minerals to aromatic smoke products, Shanti Baba Trading offers a wide range of items that can help to improve your mental, physical and emotional well-being. 546 Queen St. W.
35. Eyesore Cinema
The home of Toronto Indie Horror Fest, Eyesore Cinema also happens to be the city’s top horror video store. With its over 2,000 frightening films available, rent a bunch and have a macabre marathon to get in the spooky spirit. 1176 Bloor St. W.
36. Grand Order of Divine Sweets
Be prepared for any Halloween party thanks to the Grand Order of Divine Sweets — this Queen West bakery makes everything from bloody brain cupcakes to Beetlejuice chocolate bars and Pennywise cakes. 1162 Queen St. W.
37. Lucha de los Muertos
What says Halloween better than a Mexican wrestling extravaganza! Lucha De Los Muertos returns on Oct. 30 with an awesome night of masked grapplers flinging themselves around the squared circle with reckless abandon. 1605 Queen St. W.
38. Curiosa
If Halloween is more about magic and witchcraft than demons and gore for you, visit Curiosa. From mystical jewelry to fantastical movie memorabilia, this shop has everything you need to make this thrilling season a success. 320 Harbord St.
39. Halloween Howl
For the nature-lovers at home, on Oct. 19, High Park’s Halloween Howl will take you through the woods to learn all about the animals that go bump in the night. Then get cosy around the campfire and make some hair-raising art! 375 Colborne Lodge Dr.
40. Scaryfest
The historic Markham Museum is getting a ghostly transformation from Oct. 25–26! At Scaryfest, walk the plank at pirate paradise, witness a mad scientist show, find out your fortune in a crystal ball and enjoy the monster mash bash! 9350 Markham Rd., Markham
41. Magic Mel’s Amazing Magic Show
On Oct. 25, Toronto Public Library is hosting a legendary Halloween magic show with The Amazing Magic Mel! Come in costume and prepare for an interactive (and comedic!) spectacular. 1806 Islington Ave.
42. Howl’oween
There’s a Halloween party on Oct. 25 — but it’s just for dogs! At Howl’oween, enter your pet in a costume contest (with some four-legged celebrity judges), enjoy the costumed pup parade take them trick-or-treating (emphasis on treat) and, of course, snap a pic together at the pet photo booth. Don’t forget the themed music, photo station, cozy drinks and plenty of local vendors to make it a party for the humans too!
43. Haunted Harbour
An immersive storytelling boat cruise that takes you through the Toronto Islands, past the Gibraltar Point lighthouse and through the city’s creepiest buildings, Haunted Harbour will tell you spooky stories of phantom ghost ships, lost lighthouse keepers and more! 1 Queens Quay E. @ TDot Water Taxi
44. Boo at the Zoo
Animal lovers rejoice at the return of Boo at the Zoo — perfect for kids who like their Halloween magic with a side of furry creatures, from wolves to werewolves. The Toronto Zoo is hosting the event from Oct. 18–19 and Oct. 25-26, which features a pumpkin patch, a limited time virtual reality experience featuring a spooky fun fair, a visit from special superhero guests, and the opportunity to adopt an arctic wolf! And the best part — kids in costume get 50 per cent off.
45. Howl-o-Ween Unleashed
On Oct. 26, Dogsview Park will transform into Howl-O-Ween Unleashed: a fun-filled vendor market where your pup can unleash the inner beast (or pumpkin). Show off your pet’s costume, shop the market by Toronto Dog Moms and snag some treats!
