Windows are covered with spiderwebs, werewolves are howling into the night and candy is attacking the shelves of a grocery store near you. This can only mean one thing: Halloween is here.
Have no fear. You don't need to be a fan of the holiday season to enjoy these ten events going on around Tempe, downtown Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale.
Salt River Fields Spooktacular Balloon Festival
This hot balloon festival will blow you away with its colors, food and activities. Over 20 hot air balloons will be on display, while 4,000 pounds of candy are available for trick-or-treaters. Visitors may enjoy live music, food, drinks, a Kids Zone, vendor market, balloon rides, a haunted house and much more. It will take place on Oct. 23 and 24 from 5 to 10 p.m. The night will end with a bang of fireworks.
Halloween at Hogwarts
Join the Phoenix Symphony with the group's magical 90 minutes of seasonal selections and music from the Harry Potter films. You should go on Friday to embrace your inner wizard, though Muggles, witches and wizards alike are welcome to attend this year's event. Dress up as your favorite Hogwarts character or Halloween costume of choice, and you might just win a prizes to reward creativity.
13th floor
Take a risk by visiting a haunted house voted as 13th most haunted in the country. This may not be the Taylor Place dorms, but it will scare you more than the elevators that break down. Creatures of the night and your fears will attack in the darkness. Feral Moon and Patient Alpha are the attraction events this year. Pick your poison between creatures and clones. Don't worry about having to visit it soon, as it will run until Nov. 14. Hours generally run from 7 to 11 p.m.
Downtown Phoenix Zombie Walk 7
Join the living dead in a walk around the ghostly downtown Phoenix. Blood, gasps and pain will tear through the streets — and that's just talking about the walking part. Zombies of all types are welcome to scare everyone on Oct. 24 from 2 to 11 p.m.
Monster Mash Music Festival
Although Halloween season brings a lot of deathly creatures to the surface, you can still feel alive with the jams provided by this music festival. It's the graveyard smash of the century. Santana, Linkin Park and the Deftones are just a taste of the killer vibes that will be taking over Tempe Town Lake on Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
Howl-O-Ween and Boo at the Zoo
If you prefer to "aww" instead of "ahh," this is the event for you. All activities are broken down as either “Merry” or “Scary.” Those listed as Merry are appropriate for all ages. Scary events are for guests eight years and older. The Phoenix Zoo will be hosting it's event featuring activities such as camel rides, an extinct animal graveyard, headless horseman haunt and much more on Oct. 23 to 24 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
The Great Pumpkin Festival
Challenge your inner child and catch a hayride at this festive activity. In the event plaza there are carnival style games, pony rides, concessions and live Western music. Enjoy the natural Halloween spirit of Desert Botanical Garden from Oct. 23 to 25 at 8:30 p.m.
Halloween at Butterfly Wonderland
Spread your wings and fly out to Scottsdale to celebrate Halloween with butterfly friends. These bugs won't scare, but welcome you to the fun within the nets at Butterfly Wonderland on Oct. 24 to 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Downtown Phoenix Zombie Ball
Dance the night away with your friends and raise the roof of Club Palazzo until two in the morning. Dress up as your favorite character, either pretty or scary and you might just win their contest. A zombie circus will be an event to die for as freak show acts take over on Friday at 9 p.m.
Sanctum of Horror
Once upon a time this haunted house used to actually be in the Kaul family's house. It has moved on to be a professional haunt in Mesa. Lenore, a little girl murders her family, and as a guest you will look into her past. From an insane asylum and an experiment gone bad, blood curdling screams fill the walls of the haunt. Only the bravest will survive to the end.
These events are to die for, make sure to take a risk and leave those monsters under your bed and play with the big boys throughout the Valley.
Reach the reporter at rsantist@asu.edu or follow @ryanerica18 on Twitter.
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