Freaky Fun

Procrastinator's Guide to Halloween: H-Town's sexiest, most devilish parties and spookiest shindigs

No matter the age, nothing says "Halloween" like a phenomenal costume party. From sexy masked soirees and exclusive parties at luxurious hotels to trendy bar crawls and Halloween-themed music festivals, we've got you covered with the best of this year's spookiest shindigs on Friday and Saturday nights.

Dirty Dirty Dirty 2 Trick or Treat

Details: If you're looking for the right party to show off your goods with other sexy partygoers, Dirty Dirty Dirty 2 is the event for you. The celebration marks the 10th anniversary of the eponymous event, hosted by Marcus Sloan and Shannon Hall then and now, with Staci Henderson and Anika Jackson. For the event, multimedia venue LIFEhtx will be transformed into a European club with stunning dancers and waiters to help the fashionable crowd party the night away to the sounds of DJ Bizonee from 104.1 KRBE. And Astros fans can watch the game on a 14-foot-by-24-foot megascreen. VIP tickets are also available for private seating, "sexy wait staff" and valet service.
Hours: Friday, 9 pm to 2 am
Entry: Tickets start at $100

Hotel ZaZa Halloween Party

Details: The always-luxurious Hotel ZaZa brings the fun with their annual Halloween party, featuring live DJ sets, light bites and drink specials. Not only does the evening promise to get you dancing with fellow partygoers, but the hotel also offers a package that includes overnight accommodations, two tickets to the scary soiree, complimentary valet and special turndown service. Tickets to the party must be purchased in person at the front desk.
Hours: Friday, 10 pm to 2 am
Entry: Tickets start at $75

Fanatical Change Carnival Freak Show

Details: Taking place at the BBVA Compass Stadium, the Fanatical Change Carnival Freak Show is Houston's largest Halloween party. The massive event boasts live music, numerous DJs, tasty cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and photo booths, as well as an auction featuring an array of unique items. Not only can you party like a rock star, but proceeds from the event directly benefit the Fanatical Change Foundation, a nonprofit organization that gives every dollar donated to a family dealing with tragedy.
Hours: Friday, 7 pm to 2 am
Entry: Tickets start at $40

Leather & Laces Presents: Vampires & Vixens Ball

Details: Famous for producing some of the hottest Super Bowl parties, Leather & Laces is bringing the Halloween heat with the Houston Vampires and Vixens Ball. Hosted by sultry model Charlotte McKinney at Silver Street Studios, the space will be transformed into an award-winning Haunted House, complete with specialty performers, creepy clowns and spooky decor throughout. The luxurious event features an open bar, DJ sets, and a $5,000 costume contest, as well as VIP and table service options, so put on your sexiest costume for this world-class party.
Hours: Saturday, 9 pm to 2 am
Entry: Tickets start at $135

Brasserie 19 Sixth Annual Halloween Costume Party

Details: Head to River Oaks hotspot Brasserie 19 to celebrate in style at their sixth annual Halloween costume party. With a "Disco Exorcist" theme, dress up in your '70s best — whether that means a brown three-piece suit, an orange jumpsuit or whatever you might have hiding in your closet — to party with the fashionable crowd at one of the city's best restaurants. Guests will need to call ahead to reserve a table (713-524-1919).
Hours: Saturday, 9:30 pm to midnight
Entry: Free

Heights Fright Night

Details: For a night full of the hippest bars and eateries the Heights has to offer, be sure to check out Heights Fright Night. With a roster that includes Big Star Bar, D&T Drive Inn, Eight Row Flint, Johnny’s Gold Brick, Lei Low Bar, Presidio, Rehab on the Bayou and Southern Goods, the evening promises to draw quite the costumed crowd to the area's best haunts. The event features complimentary shuttles running continuously between the bars, as well as special drink deals and events along the way, and make sure you hit all eight stops for a special prize.
Hours: Saturday, 7 pm to 1 am
Entry: Free

Yelloween by Veuve Cliquot

Details: Join buzzy River Oaks champagne bar and bistro A'Bouzy for Yelloween, a black-and-yellow-themed party hosted by Veuve Cliquot. Replete with DJ sets, photo booth, a costume contest, a haunted house furnished by ScreamWorld, and $49 bottles of Veuve Cliquot Yellow Lable Brut, this party promises to be a scary good time. Be sure to call ahead to reserve a table for you and your ghoulish guests.
Hours: Saturday, 9:30 pm to 1:45 am
Entry: Free

Montrose Crawl

Details: With stops at some of the best bars and restaurants in the area, the Montrose Crawl is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween with some tasty elixirs, whether you choose to creep along with the costumed crowd or post up somewhere along the way. The crawl features 12 stops, including Pistolero's, Stone's Throw, El Real Tex-Mex, Brasil, Poison Girl, Etro and Boondocks, meaning you can find everything you might want as you check out each establishment, from craft cocktails to Mexican fare, and always event draws a lively Halloween crowd.
Hours: Saturday, 6 pm to 2 am
Entry: Free

Haunted Hotel Derek Houston Halloween

Details:Hotel Derek will set the scary scene for their upscale Haunted Hotel party, featuring luxurious setups outside and by the pool and hot sets from three of the city's best DJs, including DJ Ebonix from 93.7 The Beat. The luxe Uptown hotel also offers VIP tickets and bottle service packages, as well as special room deals if you feel like keeping the party going all night long.
Hours: Saturday, 9 pm to 2 am
Entry: Tickets start at $43

Something Wicked: The Asylum 2017

Details: If you're in the mood to celebrate all weekend long, don't miss Something Wicked: The Asylum 2017, Houston's only Halloween-themed music festival. Featuring a lineup of more than 21 artists and performances by EDM legends such as Tiësto, Marshmallo, Above & Beyond, Zeds Dead and RL Grime, the event is guaranteed to get you dancing and vibing with some of the city's hottest music fans. Hosted at Sam Houston Race Park, you're sure to find yourself letting loose in a world of spooky ghouls and sexy sprites.
Hours: Saturday, 3 pm to midnight; Sunday, 3 pm to 10 pm
Entry: Tickets start at $165

Leather & Laces, known for some of the hottest Super Bowl parties, brings the Vampires & Vixens Ball to Silver Street Studios.

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the search is on

Game-changing leader of Houston Parks Board to retire after 10 years

Houston Parks Board CEO Beth White stands at a podium at the Captain Herod Memorial, Houston Mayor John Whitmire is seated nearby.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

Beth White speaking at the Captain Herod Memorial on January 28,2025

It's the end of an era at the Houston Parks Board (HPB). CEO Beth White announced Wednesday, May 21 that she will be retiring on January 1, 2026.

"As I reflect on my career, one of the most rewarding decisions I have made was coming to Houston," White said in a statement. "The entrepreneurial drive in this city is very powerful, our public-private partnership model is second to none, and the creativity at play is a model for the nation."

White began her stewardship of the HPB in 2016. Before coming to Houston, she oversaw Chicago's Trust for Public Land, guiding the development of the city's famous elevated trailway, the 606. Her experience made her perfect to lead the HPB as Houston dedicated itself to a radical improvement of its park spaces. With HPB responsible for 3,300 acres across 250 parks, as well as coordinating access to another 14,000 acres, it was an executive position for an area physically larger than many cities.

White proved herself a competent and visionary general of Houston's greenspaces. During her time, she led the revitalization of 30 Houston parks, mostly in marginalized and underserved communities. Her work netted her an appointment to the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2021, where she helped federal agencies make long-term plans about public space usage.

Perhaps her greatest accomplishment as CEO of HPB is the Bayou Greenway project, a bold re-imagining of Houston's waterways. The project has built 150 miles worth of trails that hug the various bayous and creeks meandering through Houston, turning what were often foot traffic barriers into an artery system of green trails connecting various park spaces across the city. Isolated pockets of community space are now linked through easy to use trail systems, making foot traffic across Houston simpler and more beautiful to experience.

“It is very gratifying to see that Houstonians are embracing parks and greenspace as an essential part of the region’s infrastructure. I am proud to have played a part in Houston’s green renaissance and look forward to continued progress thanks to the talented and dedicated staff and board at Houston Parks Board,” said White.

Cory King, president and CEO, and Ben Feit, principal, at Kittleman and Associates, are leading the search for suitable candidates to fill White's very big shoes. In the meantime, White will continue to lead the organization for the rest of the year.

"Houston Parks Board would not be in the position it is today without the guidance and leadership of Beth White. As we commemorate her throughout this year, we are grateful that Beth’s vision has helped transform our organization into a regional and national leader for parks and greenspace,” said Houston Parks Board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse. “We are also excited to begin the search for her successor. Houston is a unique region that offers different opportunities to maximize available space and create multi-purpose greenspaces that make real, lasting impacts on our communities. We look forward to sharing more information as the search progresses."

parks houston parks board beth white