Halloween for Grownups: Pop-Up Bars, Spooky Soirées and More Philly Haunts

You’re never too old for Halloween. Dressing up? Check. Eating candy? Absolutely. Watching Hocus Pocus for the 25th time? No problems there. But if you’re a grownup who wants some extra Halloween festiveness, you’ve got options beyond tagging along with your kids (or your friend’s kids who you’ve suddenly befriended in hopes of fun-size Snickers leftovers) for trick-or-treating. In fact, there are more options than ever, with pop-up bars, haunted houses, spooky soirées, and so much more.

Bookmark this page, and be sure to check back often, as we’ll add more things as they get announced.

Ongoing: Halloween Pop-Ups, Haunted Houses, and More

The Nightmare Before Tinsel

This Halloween pop-up bar located in an abandoned jewelry store has everything: a skeleton throne, two Halloween-y bars on two floors, monsters to pose with. And, of course, a drink menu full of themed cocktails including skull-shaped specialty shots (yes, you can keep the skull), and other fall flavors served up in Halloween-themed take-home vessels.
Pay-as-you-go, through October 31st, 116 South 12th Street.

Uptown’s Haunted Mansion

Uptown Beer Garden is decked out in creepy clowns, giant monsters, festive skeletons, and more Halloween-y decor. Plus, themed cocktails in fun cups including a light-up jack-o-lantern cup and a Blood Bag. (It’s cranberry juice, don’t worry.)
Pay-as-you-go; now through October 31st, Uptown Beer Garden, 1500 John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

Taq-Area 51

Manayunk’s Taqueria Amor is running an alien-themed Halloween pop-up with interstellar decor and themed cocktails with names like Red Roswell, Agent Scully, and ET Phone Home.
Pay-as-you-go; through October 31st, 4410 Main Street, Manayunk.

Nightmare Before Christmas Pop-Up at Craftsman Row

Known for their over-the-top milkshakes and penchant for theming, Craftsman Row is killing it at their Nightmare Before Christmas pop-up. Expect special menu items (Spook-ghetti and Meatballs, anyone?), cocktails, boozy milkshakes, and of course lots of decorations.
Pay-as-you-go; through October 31st, Craftsman Row Saloon, 112 South 8th Street.

Frights & Delights at Jet Wine Bar

Jet has decked out their bar and wine garden for spooky season, and every Thursday in October they’ll be showing a classic Halloween movie. They’ll post the movie schedule on their Instagram each week, so check there for your favorites.
Pay as you go; Thursdays in October at 7 p.m., Jet Wine Bar, 1525 South Street.

Haunt at Bridget Foy’s

Alison Hangen of Andra Hem is bringing pop-up Halloween bar Haunt to Bridget Foy’s, which will transform with spooky decor, photo ops, and scary movies.
Pay as you go; October 8th-31st, Bridget Foy’s, 200 South Street.

Adult Trick-or-Treat at Chaddsford Winery

Join a Chaddsford Wine Guide on a walking tour to visit five Halloween-themed pairing stations — and get wine tips along the way. This year’s theme is “Ghost of the Grape: A Haunted Wine Walk Through Time,” and each station features wine and seasonal food pairings — and a few Halloween surprises — that bring every era to life. There’s also a costume contest, so dress your best. You’ll get a keepsake Halloween wine glass, plus plenty of wine and snacks, in a one-of-a-kind trick-or-treat experiences that’s 21-and-up only.
$45; Saturdays and Sundays through November 1st, Chaddsford Winery, 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford.

Bates Motel

This haunted motel in Delco is a longtime favorite for a reason, and worth the drive if you’re looking for a haunted house with high production value. You can also take a 25-minute haunted hayride through Arasapha Farm, complete with its own sets and special effects. Plus, you can walk through a haunted corn maze (who knew that was a thing?) called Revenge of the Scarecrows!
$55-$125; through November 1st, 1835 Middletown Road, Glen Mills.

Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary

Fairmount’s historic prison has been divided into separate haunted house attractions — including the Machine Shop, The Crypt, and Big Top Terror. There’s also the Bloodline Lounge (for vampire-themed cocktails), a speakeasy, live dance performances by the Boogie Monsters in Pumpkin Plaza, a beer garden, s’mores, and more.
$49-$109; through November 8th, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Avenue.

“Bloodletting & Burials” Tours at Betsy Ross House

This tour takes you back to the 1700s, where you’ll hear true tales of disease, death, and burial. But not before you take a spooky after-hours visit to the Betsy Ross House with Betsy herself sewing a coffin lining in her workshop. After stopping at several sites on your tour, you’ll end at Garden at City Tavern, where your ticket includes a specialty cocktail (Widow’s Tea or Blood Moon).Tickets available online.
$40; Saturdays from October 3rd-31st at 5:30 and 6:45 p.m., Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street.

Fright Factory

The basement of this 120-year-old factory is split into three frightening themes to explore, complete with lots of scare-actors, special effects, and elaborate set design.
$40-$55; select dates through October 31st, 2200 South Swanson Street.

Frankenstein’s Putt-Putt and Cocktail Lab

Libertee Grounds’ downstairs course is transforming into Frankenstein’s laboratory for the month of October. Expect glow-in-the-dark mini golf, mad-scientist decor for photo ops, and themed cocktails. (Note: There’s kid-friendly play before 8 p.m., then it’s and 21+ after.) On October 31st, the takeover culminates in an adults-only Monster Mash party. Tickets are available online. $22; October 5th-31st, Libertee Grounds, 1600 West Girard Avenue.

Cavanaugh’s River Deck’s Haunted Pier

Cav’s River Deck will transform into “Haunted Pier,” and they’ve got quite a backstory, involving a lost ghost ship called The Red October. So expect some spooky nautical/pirate-y vibes, plus themed drinks, costume contests, roaming characters, and more surprises.
Pay as you go; Wednesdays and Fridays-Sundays through October 31st, 417 North Columbus Boulevard.

Lincoln Mill Haunted House

The Manayunk haunted house is back with a grisly Hurricane Ida-related backstory, and dozens of “scare-actors” among the property decked out with sets, animatronics, and special effects. There are new rooms and characters planned for this year, plus a Manayunk ghost tour add-on.
$38-$80; Thursdays through Sundays through November 2nd, 4100 Main Street.

Cityside Pumpkin Patch

Liberty Point has been temporarily transformed into a riverside autumn wonderland with thousands of pumpkins, plus photo ops, pumpkin smashing, themed cocktails (including a boozy frozen apple cider that’s to die for!), and more fall fun. Tickets are required, and pumpkins are priced according to size.
$15-$30; through November 1st, Liberty Point, 211 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard.

Tours at Laurel Hill Cemetery

There’s no better time of year for a scary stroll than October, and there’s no better place for it than a historic graveyard. Laurel Hill is offering all sorts of spooky tours, including their classic “Soul Crawl” Halloween flashlight tours, and their “True Tales From the Tombs” theatrical walking tour featuring a local cast from “The Not Ready for After-Life Players.” See their whole calendar of events and choose a perfectly macabre tour here.

The Pumpkin Press at Newsroom

Newsroom’s Halloween pop-up takes its inspiration from two great gothic legends: Edgar Allan Poe and the Headless Horseman. Wander through a spooky storybook world of ravens, graves, pumpkins and literary Easter eggs, and themed cocktails. Bonus: The bar is just blocks from Poe’s former Philadelphia home.
Pay-as-you-go; through November 1st, Newsroom Philly, 1102 Germantown Avenue.

The Patch Pumpkin Bar at the Wayward

The Wayward’s bar is currently the cozy “Patch Pumpkin Bar” with autumnal decor, seasonal drinks, and daily “Pumpkins & Pours,” where you can sip a cocktail while painting your own pumpkin.
Pay-as-you-go, $35 for Pumpkins & Pours; through October 31st, The Wayward, 1170 Ludlow Street.

Candlelight Ghost Tours of Fort Mifflin

Experience Fort Mifflin after hours with a three-quarter-mile walking tour of the historical site. Not enough haunted Fort Mifflin for you? You can also gather a group of 20 to 35 for a private 90-minute candlelight tour of the soldiers’ barracks — private tours need to be booked at least 10 days in advance.
$20-$27; weekends from October 9th-23rd, Fort Mifflin, 6400 Hog Island Road.

True Crime Philadelphia Trolley Tour

With live music and storytelling performances on a “haunted” BYOB trolley, Founding Footsteps leads a locally inspired true crime tour of Philly. Did you know that our nation’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, began and ended his crimes in Philly? Me neither! The “Bad Things Happen in Philly” tour is for ages 21 and up, and runs Thursdays through Saturdays. Tickets go on sale October 15th.
$55; Thursdays through Saturdays through October 31st, begins and ends at 901 North Delaware Avenue.

Halloween Parties, Performances and More

The Addams Family: The Musical

Expect the whole creepy and kooky clan — Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, etc. — plus plenty of songs, secrets, and beautifully dysfunctional family drama. September 22nd-November 1st at Walnut Street Theatre.

Witch

What if the devil showed up offering to make all your problems disappear? Adapted from the Jacobean tragicomedy The Witch of Edmonton, this sharp, darkly funny retelling mixes desire, desperation, and small-town suspicion into a fable about what people are willing to give up when hope starts running thin. September 30th-October 25th at Quintessence Theater.

Drag Shows and Brunches

There is no shortage of BOOzy drag shows around town. Here are our top picks:

• Hocus Pocus Drag Brunches
  • Fabrika: $20; October 17th, 1 p.m., 1108 Frankford Avenue.
  • Evil Genius: $26 for a four-top table; October 25th, noon, 1727 North Front Street.
• The Rocky Horror Drag & Burlesque Show at Franky Bradley’s, $18; October 17th, 7:30 p.m., 1320 Chancellor Street.
• Freaky Fabulous: A Monster High Drag Show at Franky Bradley’s, $18; October 22nd, 7:30 p.m., 1320 Chancellor Street.
• Spooky Drag Halloween at Bok Bar, $42 for a table for two; October 29th, 7-9 p.m., 800 Mifflin Street.
• Monsters & Mimosas Drag King Brunch at the Hayes, $22; October 31st, 1 p.m., 1123 Walnut Street.
• Horror Trivia and Rocky Horror Screening with Brittany Lynn at Insatiable, $18; October 31st, 6-11 p.m., 1200 South 21st Street.

Dance Parties

• Riot Nerd’s Thriller Night: Michael Jackson Dance Party. $21; October 23rd, 9 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• The Ghost Boat Halloween Party features reggaeton, salsa, EDM, and more on three decks. $28-$85; October 29th, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
• Riot Nerd’s Supernatural Dance Party. $21; October 30th, 9 p.m. at Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill Street.
• Riot Nerd’s ’80s & ’90s Halloween Dance Party. $21; October 31st, 9 p.m., MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut Street.
• Calloween: A Halloween Disco Dance Party. $23; October 31st, 9 p.m., the Trestle Inn, 339 North 11th Street.
• El Techo’s Halloween Party. $20; October 31st, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., El Techo, 1830 Ludlow Street.

Profs & Pints Philadelphia: Tales Told to Scare Children

UPenn children’s literature scholar Melissa Jensen explores the long, creepy history of scaring kids into behaving, from Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm to the monsters lurking under the bed. She’ll dig into why children are drawn to frightening stories, what they get out of being scared, and how those tales can sometimes leave lasting anxieties and phobias.
$13.50-$17; October 14th, 6-8:30 p.m., Black Squirrel Club, 1049 Sarah Street.

A “Grotesque” Tour at Dusk: Edgar Allan Poe at Andalusia

Edgar Allan Poe visited Andalusia in 1840, the year he published Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. This tour will take you around the historic mansion and grounds while hearing selections from Poe’s book, connecting each short story to the location where it is read.
$45; October 15th, 16th, 22nd, & 23rd, 6-7:30 p.m., 1237 State Road, Andalusia.

Science After Hours: Fright Nite

The Franklin Institute’s adults-only Science After Hours series is always a good time. You get to run around all the science museum’s exhibits after dark, as well as the roof deck with incredible views and stargazing. Their Halloween party includes scary movie science, a DJ dance party in the planetarium, stargazing, food and drink, and more fun. Costumes are encouraged.
$35-$40; October 16th, 7:30-11:30 p.m., Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

Halloween CIRQ Spooktacular

Come for the circus; stay to see what the hell happens next. Fabrika transforms into a dark circus playground, with aerialists, acrobats, sideshow performers, specialty acts, and live stunts unfolding around you. (Plus, dinner and drinks.)
Tickets starting at $49; October 16th, 6:45 p.m., Fabrika, 1101 Frankford Avenue.

Ghosts in the Hood Cemetery Concert

Join Opera On Tap for an “enchanted” classical concert in a historic cemetery. Come early because historians from Historic Germantown will host a tour of the cemetery grounds prior to the performance, which begins at dusk. BYOB, and dress up for the costume contest.
October 17th, 5 p.m. (concert at 5:45 p.m.), Hood Cemetery, 4901 Germantown Avenue.

Trick or Cheese at Philly Cheese School

Philly Cheese School will guide you through a sampling of cheeses paired with classic candies, plus give tips and tricks for how to pair cheeses with sweet treats. Costumes (and BYOB) are encouraged, and the class is for ages 21 and up.
$65; October 18th, 24th, 29th & 30th, Philly Cheese School, 701 South 9th Street.

Coven: A Bewitching Circus Experience

The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts’ adults-only Halloween shows promise “aerial artistry, daring feats, mysterious rituals, and wickedly playful performances.” Costumes are encouraged. Note: If you’d like a tamer show, there’s a family-friendly one earlier in the day.
$25-$30; October 23rd & 24th, 8:30 p.m., Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 6452 Greene Street.

Sleep With the Ghosts

Explore the buildings, myths and legends behind Fort Mifflin during this paranormal investigation and sleepover at the historic site. Sleeping quarters are dormitory style, or BYO tent.
$99; October 24th, 7 p.m., Fort Mifflin, 6400 Hog Island Road.

Monsters, Myths, and Legends Tours at Penn Museum

What do vampires, werewolves, and sea monsters have to do with ancient art? Quite a lot, it turns out. This spooky museum tour sends you hunting for demons, guardians, and mythic beasts hiding among the collections, with an expert guide unpacking what these creatures meant to the cultures that imagined them.
$30; October 25th & 31st and November 1st, 2-3:30 p.m., Penn Museum, 3260 South Street.

Spooky Wines + Spooky Stories

Wine education, but make it spooky. This Halloween-themed two-hour class dives into the creepier side of wine, with a guided tasting of six to eight wines from around the world, a family-style dinner, and plenty of strange stories along the way. Find out what White Zinfandel has to do with murder, and why wine descriptions get downright “bloody.” No wine knowledge required — just a willingness to taste, learn and embrace the Halloween spirit. Costumes are optional.
$150; October 27th, 6 p.m., Bloomsday, 414 South 2nd Street.

East Passyunk Witch Craft Crawl

Stroll East Passyunk Avenue’s participating restaurants, bars, and store offering food, drink, and shopping specials. Collect three or more stamps on your ticket to be entered to win East Passyunk merch. Costumes are welcome, but know that your ticket also includes a witch’s hat or light-up necklace.
$6.66-$13 for tickets, food and drinks are pay-as-you-go; October 28th, 6-10 p.m., East Passyunk Avenue.

Ravens on the Rooftop

Join The Raven Society for a spooky celebration on Parkway Central Library’s rooftop terrace — literary-themed costumes encouraged, of course. The party includes light bites, drinks, music, and festive activities like tarot readings. The event supports the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation.
$60 ($30 for Raven Society members); October 29th, 6-8:30 p.m., Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street.

Scream: A 30th Anniversary Live Reading

Theatre Contra presents a live (and likely unhinged) reinterpretation of the ’90s horror classic.
$10-$15; October 29th at the Trestle Inn and October 30th at Second District Brewing.

Hill-Physick House’s Battle of the Eras: 1776 vs. 1976

Pick your era — Revolutionary gowns and waistcoats or ’70s leisurewear and sequins — and dress accordingly, or mash the two together. The night includes era-inspired cocktails, food, and music, culminating in a costume walk-off to determine which century reigns supreme. Proceeds benefit the historic 18th-century house and PhilaLandmarks’ other historic properties.
$82; October 29th, 6-9 p.m., Hill-Physick House, 321 South 4th Street.

The Haunted Flower Shop: Spooky Arrangements & Cocktails

Learn spooky floral design and make your own bouquet with Creations by Coppola as you sip three different Halloween-inspired cocktails. Costumes are encouraged.
$115; October 29th, 6:30 and 8:30, Creations by Coppola, 1724 East Passyunk Avenue.

Choreomania

The Mütter Museum hosts an immersive dance party inspired by a bizarre medieval medical phenomenon of “dancing mania” where “hundreds of citizens were impacted by a widespread but inexplicable need to dance.” Dance the night away and enjoy specialty cocktails and after-hours access the the museum. Guests are encouraged to embrace the theme with “Choreomania-themed costumes,” for which they offer inspiration in “peasant-core, the medieval period’s visual culture, and demonology.”
$85; October 30th, 6-11 p.m., Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

Glen Foerd’s Masquerade Ball

The historic riverside mansion hosts a Halloween ball with after-hours access, circus performers, live music, dinner, and an open bar. Costumes (and masks) are encouraged. The afterparty will take place in the rathskeller. Proceeds benefit Glen Foerd’s art, education, outreach programming, and historic preservation efforts.
Tickets starting at $500; October 30th, 7 p.m., Glen Foerd, 5001 Grant Avenue.

FearLit 2026

The inaugural literary convention from Thrillerdelphia brings more than 25 authors and special guests to Manayunk for an afternoon of live panels, author signings, and an awards ceremony.
$40-$108; October 31st, noon-4 p.m., Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center, 7 Lock Street.

Henri David presents The Halloween Ball

Henri David is famous for his costumes and his well-attended costume balls. Always a flashy, sassy good time.
$29; October 31st, 7:30 p.m., Commonwealth Plaza at the Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

Morgan’s Pier Halloween Bash

Morgan’s Pier ends their season with their annual Halloween Bash, where guests are encouraged to help “drink the bar dry.” The adults-only party is all-you-can-drink (plus there are free hot dogs), and also includes DJ entertainment and a costume contest (with prizes).
Tickets coming soon; October 31st, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Morgan’s Pier, 221 North Columbus Boulevard.

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

West Philly’s Curio Theatre presents a screening of the 1922 silent film with Mason Marlow playing live piano accompaniment from the original score by Hans Erdmann.
$20-$30; October 30th & 31st, Calvary Church Chapel, 48th and Baltimore.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadowcast

If you’ve never experienced Rocky Horror with a roomful of people yelling back at the screen, Halloween is a pretty good time to start. Transylvanian Nipple Productions brings its long-running live shadowcast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to City Winery for two nights, with the cult classic getting its full-on interactive treatment.
$30-$54; October 30th & 31st, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.

Love City’s Halloween Funhouse

Love City hosts its annual Halloween party, but this year, they’ve created a spooky maze leading to a secret speakeasy serving Halloween-themed drinks! It’s free to attend, and costumes are encouraged.
Pay as you go; October 30th & 31st, 7 p.m.-midnight, Love City Brewing, 1023 Hamilton Street.

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