Your Houston Halloween Guide — How to Still Have Scary Good Fun in 2020

Run to the grocery store, fight your way through the aisles, and slide all those fun size candy bags straight into your cart. It’s candy time.

While there may be a pandemic trying to spook us from celebrating Halloween the proper way, we shouldn’t feel scared to pig out on a million ridiculously-too-small candies (“fun size” isn’t all that fun) and dress up as some wonderful or fantastical character.

To be frank, Halloween has never been so relevant. I mean seriously – when has wearing a mask out in public ever been so normal and mundane? 2020 is all about challenging the status quo.

So this year, savor every one of your candy-for-dinner days, celebrate all that’s good and sweet in the world, and make it a Halloween to remember by attending these 2020-adapted spooktacular events. This is your complete Houston Halloween guide:

Boos and Booze at Brennan’s

Head to Brennan’s to sip sweet concoctions from the limited-time Boos and Booze cocktail menu, available now through Sunday, November 1.

The featured lineup includes a Candy Corn Martini (vodka, heavy cream, pineapple juice, and a Candy Corn rim), Pumpkin Punch (vodka, Kahlua, house pumpkin cream, pumpkin spice), Jack O’Lantern (Jack Daniels, Kahlua, and Sambuca Black, all topped with orange juice and garnished with black licorice), Dusk Til Dawn (Teremana Reposado Tequila, PAMA Pomegranate Liquor, orange juice, garnished with orange slice), and finally Haunted Graveyard (Maker’s Mark, house sweet potato simple syrup, Cynar, dash of sweet potato tincture, garnished with a cinnamon stick).

If you’re not going trick-or-treating, I think this is a sweet alternative.

Halloween Movies in the Park

As if 2020 needed any more spook, Memorial Park Conservancy will be screening two spooktacular Halloween movies – perfect for easing into your Halloweekend festivities.

The first screening will be The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Wednesday, October 29. Keep in mind this is “Adult Night,” so if you’re looking for a family-friendly film, stop by the next evening to enjoy the 1995 classic, Casper. The gates will open at 6 pm each night, giving you just enough time to grab bites from Mr. Sizzles food truck and find a spot on the lawn before the films begin at 7 pm.

Individual tickets are $10, with family tickets available for $50. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Masks are required.

Truck Yard Annual Halloween Bash

Your favorite truck yard in EaDo is starting the Halloween festivities early, beginning at 11am on Saturday, October 31. Arrive to Truck Yard early with pups and pals in tow to secure your spots in the Dog Costume Contest and Human Costume Contest. The bash will also feature live music, pumpkin smashing, drink specials and a heck of a good time.

Don’t forget your mask. It’s part of the costume contest.

MECA Hybrid Festival Days

Every year, MECA puts on its Día de los Muertos Festival as a way to celebrate the age-old Mexican and Latin American tradition. But we all know how 2020 has shaped out to be. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, MECA will present this year’s two-day event both virtually and in-person, but with in-person attendance limited to just 60 audience members per performer (done on a first come first serve basis).

If you’re not up to the in-person event, you can still experience the vibrant lineup of performers, workshops, demonstrations and more – all from your home. Grab some pan de muerto or pan dulce from any local Mexican bakery, and you’ve got yourself a pretty sweet party.

The festivities will be streamed live on MECA’s Facebook and YouTube pages this Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1.

Jones Hall

If enjoying world-class music is how you prefer to get some good Halloween mojo going, then don’t miss this weekend’s set of concerts at Jones Hall.

The Houston Symphony will share its orchestral magic throughout the weekend, with performances of Haunted Halloween POPS from Friday through Sunday, and Ghosts, Ghouls & Goblins on Halloween Saturday. The concerts will feature tunes from Psycho, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and more. Livestream tickets are $20.

Added bonus: Whip up these select “Boo”zy Delights to sip while you stream.

Zoo Boo

The Houston Zoo has been hosting its Halloween-themed Zoo Boo throughout October, but, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Head to the zoo this weekend to enjoy the final days of its spooktacular festivities, which includes a Spooky Train Village, Friendly Dragon, Wildlife Carousel, Instgrammable photo ops and more. Arrive in costume to make it extra Halloweeny.

General Admission is $17.95 for children and seniors, and $22.95 for adults. Zoo Boo ends on Sunday.

Xfinitiy Día de los Muertos

Discovery Green will also be streaming their Día de los Muertos festivities on the Discovery Green website and Facebook page, allowing you to safely continue the celebration from your home. Tune in on Monday, November 2 to learn more about the cultural tradition as you enjoy a special performance by Las Fenix, music and dance performances by Nueva Luna Ballet Folklorico, a face painting tutorial and more.

To go the extra mile, head to the Xfinity Día de los Muertos webpage to submit a picture and memory of a loved one, so you can honor your ancestors in a uniquely 2020 way.