Spooky events
Big block parties collectively ghosted us in the pandemic, but the Castro’s annual costume soirée vanished long before that. Pleasant news ahead for us though: the iconic Castro Halloween returns this Saturday and Sunday.
A 2006 shooting sent it on hiatus, but organizers aim to make the event less chaotic by tailoring it for families. Activities include face painting, trick-or-treating for kids, a costume contest, and Halloween movies at the Castro Theatre.
It’s a two-day affair with different schedules depending where you look: Castro Merchants Association shows all the family content ending 8 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, while Another Planet Entertainment has events stretching to midnight on Saturday. The Rocky Horror Picture Show appropriately caps off Saturday:
The Merchants are working alongside the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Manny Yekutiel and Daniel Lurie, who collectively intend the modern Castro Halloween to be “a far cry from the chaotic street parties that once dominated the neighborhood ... It’s all about infusing the neighborhood with a Halloween spirit that’s fun and inclusive for everyone.” Up to $150,000 will fund the affair through the Civic Joy Fund.
The Bold Italic plans to attend and celebrate this festive moment with just a little dubiousness. Parties gonna party in San Francisco, we think; if you create the space for it, the rager might come anyway. Castro Halloween began in 1948 as a costume contest for kids, organized by that eclectic everything store Cliff’s Variety.
Halloween movie lineup at Castro Theatre for Saturday, Oct. 28
Each movie is $5.
- 1:30p: Death Becomes Her
- 3:45p : Edward Scissorhands
- 6p : Hocus Pocus
- 8p: Costume Contest w/ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
- 10p: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
More details at Castro Merchants Association, Castro Theatre, and Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
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