Looking for spooky fall fun and Halloween events in Seattle?
You’ve come to the right place! Seattle loves to go all-out for Halloween. We rounded up a wide range of 2023 Halloween events in Seattle, from spine-chilling live performances and haunted houses to costume contests and dance parties. There’s something here for every budget and every scare level.
Whatever you choose to do for Halloween in Seattle, be sure to make your plans fast before events sell out.
Read on for our list of the top Halloween events in Seattle this year, and check back soon as we add more!
1. The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival
This 21+ event is a fun way to ease into spooky season this September! The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival will be held at Seattle Center on September 29-30 and tickets are on sale now. In addition to all the yummy seasonal beer there will be a costume contest, food trucks, music, and more.
2. Throw on your house colors and plan your trip to the Wizarding World
An interactive Harry Potter experience is coming to Seattle this fall, so we suggest getting into the spirit by dressing as your favorite Hogwarts student and starting to plan your trip to Harry Potter: Magic at Play.
Expect magical moments throughout the massive 13,000-square-foot adventure, from stepping into a recreation of the Dursley residence to making your way to the Great Hall! No matter if you’re a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin, you’ll enjoy every moment of this experience. Plus, it’s fun to journey through it in costume, so another use for it if you decide to dress up as a wizard for Halloween this year! If you’re looking for costumes, check out the exclusive merchandise at the Harry Potter: Magic at Play store to scoop of all sorts of things like your house robes, shirts, scarves, unique wands, and more!
Get your tickets here!3. Enjoy a haunted musical evening at a Candlelight Concert
Experience Halloween in a memorable way at a haunting evening of music. A string quartet will perform classic spooky songs, from the Psycho theme to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Each concert takes place in a stunning Seattle venue lit up with hundreds of candles for a moody ambience.
Tickets for each show are going fast, so grab yours here:
- Candlelight: Friday the 13th Special – Favorite Halloween Movie Themes at The Arctic Club Hotel
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at The Museum of Flight
4. Trick or Drink Seattle Halloween Bar Crawl
Excited to paint the town red on Halloween weekend? Get out there with your friends and see the best bars that Seattle has to offer with this Halloween bar crawl! There are three available dates: October 27, 28, and 31. Costumes aren’t required but highly encouraged. Get your tickets for this popular Halloween bar crawl before it sells out!
5. Experience a true fright at the Georgetown Morgue
Did you know that the Georgetown Morgue is allegedly the site of one Seattle’s most disturbing unsolved crimes? This haunted experience was ranked as one of the country’s top 13 most haunted houses and we’re not surprised. It opens for the 2023 season on September 22. Read all about how to visit Seattle’s Georgetown Morgue (if you’re feeling brave).
6. Walk through a haunted house or maze
There are even more haunted experiences you can scare yourself and your friends with in and around Seattle, from creepy corn mazes to an unsettling orphanage. See our list of nine scary Halloween experiences around Seattle and check out even more options below:
- Laurelhurst Haunted House
- Laina’s Haunted Carnival at the Stone House Cafe
- The Seattle Chocolate Haunted Factory Experience
7. Catch a scary movie
Several of our favorite Seattle movie theaters are showing spooky and downright scary Halloween movies all throughout October. Below are a few of the best options:
- The Descent, Rear Window, Candyman, Hocus Pocus, and more at Central Cinema
- L’Inferno with a live musical score at Grand Illusion Cinema
- A four-week Korean horror film series at SIFF Cinema
8. See a spooky live performance
From spooky cabaret shows to witchy drag queen performances, Seattle has lots of festive live entertainment this October. Below are some of the best live shows in Seattle that you can enjoy for Halloween throughout this season:
- The Hitchcock Hotel at The Can Can from September 21 through November 12
- Carnevolar XI: DéComposition at Emerald City Trapeze on select October dates
- This Is Halloween burlesque musical at The Triple Door on select October dates
9. Get dressed up for a Halloween dance party
We’re excited for all the Halloween dance parties in Seattle this year. One of our top picks that is back from last year is the Fashionably Undead Bash at Museum of Pop Culture on October 27 (there will be a $500 costume contest prize!). There were over a half-dozen Halloween dance parties to choose from last year so we’ll update this post as we hear about more!
10. Attend a Halloween costume ball
If you’d prefer a more formal Halloween soirée, you should get dressed up to attend the annual Ghostly Gala at Hotel Sorrento. Hotel Sorrento is a historic Seattle hotel that is known to have plenty of ghosts lurking in each room. The date for the 2023 gala has yet to be announced; we’ll update this soon!
11. Celebrate Halloween at the Seattle Aquarium
Don’t forget your costume for the annual After Hours: Halloween at Seattle Aquarium. This spooky 21+ event at the Seattle aquarium typically has DJs, drag queen performances, food, and a bar. The 2023 date hasn’t been announced yet but we’ll update this with a link soon!
12. Enter your pup in a Halloween costume contest or parade
It wouldn’t be Seattle without a dog-centered event—or two. First is the Halloween Pet Parade at Volunteer Park on October 8. There will be a costume contest, food trucks, and music; plus it’s free!
There’s also two more annual doggy Halloween events in Seattle that have yet to announce their 2023 dates. The Park Pups Spooktacular at Freeway Park which will have live music and treats in addition to the canine costume contest. Then there’s the annual Downtown Dog Lounge’s Howl-O-Ween Barktoberfest at the Dog Yard Bar (1546 NW Leary Way). In addition to the doggy costume contest, you’ll be able to enjoy treats for pups and humans, fall beers, and fun. We’ll update this post with links when the 2023 dates for those events have been announced!
13. Do the zombie shuffle in a Halloween race
If you’d like to get active this Halloween, throw on your costume and join the hordes for a fun race. Below are two Halloween-themed runs in Seattle this month:
- Trick or Treat 5k at Green Lake on October 29
- Run Scared 5k & 10k at Seward Park at Brooks Trailhead on October 29
14. Learn and perform the Thriller dance
Whether you know every dance move or want to learn, now is your chance to do the Thriller dance! All ages are welcome and it’s free to join. Optional rehearsals lead up to this year’s Thrill the World performance on October 28 at the Queen Anne Playfield.
15. Attend a Halloween music festival
If you love live music, dancing, and Halloween you can’t miss out on the Boo! Seattle music festival at the WAMU Theater on October 27-28. There will be three stages, art installations, and more spooky fun.
16. Celebrate Trolloween like a Seattle local
Every Halloween the Fremont Troll’s birthday is celebrated before the start of the annual Haunt of Fremont. Read all about Trolloween.
17. Visit the Practical Magic town
Did you know that the town from the movie Practical Magic is right by Seattle? The town of Coupeville on Whidbey Island hosts fun Halloween events all throughout October every year! See our guide to visiting the Practical Town for Halloween.
Trick or treat! And don’t forget to stock up on Washington’s favorite Halloween candy.