Spooky season

Halloween in Houston: boat bashes, Dia de los Muertos, family fun, and spirited 21+ parties

Halloween weekend is upon Houston, and that means there's plenty of fun to scare up all over the city. Here are some of favorite spook-tacular findings.

Food and drink

Yelloween with Veuve Clicquot
a'Bouzy hosts its annual Halloween Sunday Funday on Sunday, October 29 with a host of Veuve Clicquot specials, including Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV for $62 a bottle and Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut Rosé for $152 a bottle. Costumes encouraged and reservations are recommended.

The Cursed Cauldron Pop-Up
Through October 31, this creepy incarnation takes root at Ninja Ramen, transporting guests to a realm of magic and mystery. Those who dare will find cocktails like Coven’s Calling, a blend of Aviation Gin, dry sherry, elderflower, sage, black pepper, lemon, and Fever Tree Tonic Water, and Freyja’s Cup, which blends Heaven’s Door Bourbon, strawberry, rose, honey, lemon, and Fever Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer. The pop-up is located at 4219 Washington Ave., and offers "char-BOO-terie boards," along with other tricks and treats.

Día de los Muertos Mezcal Dinner at Xochi
The downtown restaurant marks the traditional Mexican celebration of the deceased on Wednesday, November 1, with a four-course seated dinner, created by Chef Hugo and Chef Ruben. Each course is paired with a Amaras cocktail. Expect items such as toasted masa pancake, braised beef cheeks, mole pasilla and blue masa triangular envelope stuffed with hoja santa , paired with a Xochirita, made with Amarás Verde Mezcal, orange liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup, gusano salt, or bacon-wrapped quail, pasilla mixed sauce, chochoyotes paired with Ama Chocolate, a combination of Amarás Azul, chocolate wash, Pimm’s liqueur, cardamom, lime, agave. The cost is $110 per person. Tickets available online.

Parties and events

Punch Party
Kick off Halloween weekend at Rienzi with this 21+ party starting at 6 pm Friday, October 27. Guests can sip and savor English punch while exploring the museum's collection of 17th- and 18th-century European art, and enjoying the sounds of live music. The cost is $65 per person. Buy tickets on the MFAH website.

Spooky Karaoke
Finn Hall hosts this frighteningly fun evening of karaoke on Friday, October 27 from 9 pm to midnight with host Mathis Jones. Enter the “Spook Eazy” at Swallow’s Nest for bewitching decorations, live music, and specialty cocktails.

7th Annual Night at the Haunted Mansion
On Saturday, October 28at 8 pm, Chapman and Kirby completely transforms into a hauntingly delightful space, perfect for celebrating Halloween in style. Spooky decorations, eerie music, DJs, Halloween-themed cocktails, and a Trick-or-Treat Bar highlight the festivities. Costumes are required, and guests have the opportunity to win exciting prizes. The event is free, but registration online is requested.

Boos on the Bayou
Moody Gardens celebrates Halloween with 21+ only cruise on the Colonel Paddlewheel on Saturday, October 28. There's a costume contest, DJ and dancing, light bites, some spooky treats, and each guest will receive two drink tickets. The cruise sets sail at 9 pm. More information here.

"Thriller" Halloween Bash
The Moran CityCentre hosts this celebration of the iconic Michael Jackson hit, complete with Level One Band, an MJ cover band. The fun starts at Fireside on Saturday, October 28 at 7 pm, and there's a costume contest, with prizes including a stay at the hotel. The first 50 guests get a Tito's Vodka swag bag. Tickets are $25. Reserve online.

FestiFall at Wooster's Garden
On Sunday, October 29, the Midtown gathering spot hosts this party from 4 pm to 10 pm. featuring a costume contest, food trucks, shopping pop ups, raffle prizes, games, a DJ, and live music

URBE Día de los Muertos Fiesta
On the heels of Halloween comes the Day of the Dead, the traditional Mexican celebration that honors the deceased and welcomes their spirits back to earth to visit friends and family. On Thursday, November 2 from 6 pm to 9 pm, the Uptown street food fave closes for dinner service to host this blow out, where guests can sample Chef Hugo’s street food with interactive stations, custom cocktails, music, a face painter, festive decorations, and even prizes for the best dressed. The cost is $75 per person. Purchase online.

Family fun

Halloween Spooktacular for Kids
On Saturday, October 28, the Houston Symphony invites families to Jones Hall. Guests can dress in their favorite spooky costumes and enjoy as an orchestra full of costumed musicians perform chilling tunes from beloved films including Harry Potter, Wednesday, Coco, Beauty and the Beast, and more. Lobby activities include trick-or-treating and an Instrument Petting Zoo, where kids can try instruments from the orchestra. Two outings are offered, at 10 a.m and 11:30 am. Tickets start at $29 and can be purchased online.

Howl-O-Ween Dog Parade and Costume Contest at Levy Park
Perfect for the whole family, this festival starts with a pup parade around the park at 4 p.m. on October 29, followed by the costume contest. Categories include Spooky Season (anything fall or Halloween related), From the Screen (any character or theme from TV or movies), and Best Ensemble (must include three or more people and/or dogs in coordinating costumes). Pooch owners register here. The event is free.

CityCentre’s 11th Annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat
Kids and adults alike will love strolling around the shopping district for this safe trick-or-treat experience. Trick-or-Treating is Monday, October 30 from 5 pm-7 pm, followed by music and performances by the Real Witch Wives of Houston at 7 and 7:30 pm. Participating merchants will be identified with balloons, including lululemon, The Moran, Seasons 52, Bowl & Barrel, Lily Rain, RA Sushi, Tecovas, and more. Bring a bucket or bag to collect the sweets.

Kids Eat Free at Cyclone Anaya's
Children under 12 who come dressed in costume to any Cycle Anaya's location on Halloween, October 31, will receive a free meal. Adults in costume get a free order of queso.

Emily Vitek

Wooster's Garden hosts FestiFall on Sunday, October 29. Come in costume and enjoy music, raffle prizes, food trucks and more.

Movie Review

Timothée Chalamet cements star status in new movie Marty Supreme

Courtesy

Timothée Chalamet

In a time when true movie stars seem to be going extinct, Timothée Chalamet has emerged as an exception to the rule. Since 2021 he has headlined blockbusters like the two Dune movies and Wonka, and also earned an Oscar nomination for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown (his second nomination following 2018’s Call Me By Your Name). Now, he’s almost assured to get his third nomination for the stellar new film, Marty Supreme.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a world-class table tennis player living in New York. But reducing Marty to his best skill doesn’t do him justice, as he’s also a motormouth schemer who will do almost anything to achieve his dreams. He doesn’t have any qualms about wooing married women like neighbor Rachel (Odessa A’zion) or actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), or hiding his true ping pong skills to win money in scams with friends like Wally (Tyler the Creator).

Marty is seemingly on the go the entire movie, whether it’s trying to convince Kay’s millionaire husband Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary) to fund his table tennis ambitions; or trying to track down the dog of Ezra (Abel Ferrara), a man he accidentally injures; or trying to avoid the ire of the boss at the shoe store where he works. Just when you think he might slow down, he’s off to the races on another plan or adventure.

Directed by Josh Safdie and written by Safdie and frequent co-writer Ronald Bronstein, the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives, and yet the throughline of Marty keeps everything tightly connected. His particular type of brash behavior turns much of the film into a comedy as he does and says things that are both shocking and thrilling.

Another thing that makes the movie sing is the fantastic characterization by Safdie and Bronstein. Almost every person who is given a speaking line in the film has a moment where they pop, which speaks to airtight dialogue that the writers have created. Characters will be introduced and then disappear for long stretches of time, and yet because they make such an impression the first time they’re on screen, it’s easy to pick up their thread right away.

Safdie, as he’s done previously with brother Bennie (Uncut Gems), calls on a host of well-known non-actors or people with interesting faces/vibes to inhabit supporting roles, and to a person they are crucial to the film’s success. O’Leary (of Shark Tank fame), rapper Tyler the Creator, director Ferrara, magician Penn Jillette, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi each deliver knockout performances. The relative unknowns who play smaller roles are just as impressive, making each beat of the film feel naturalistic.

Leading the way is the powerhouse performance by Chalamet. For one person to believably play both the famously reserved Dylan and also a firecracker like Marty is astonishing, and this role cements Chalamet’s status as his generation’s movie star. A’zion is a rising star who gets great moments as Marty’s on-again/off-again love interest. Paltrow pops in and out of the film, lighting up the screen every time she appears. Fran Drescher as Marty’s mom and Sandra Bernhard as a neighbor also pay dividends in small roles.

Josh Safdie’s first solo directorial effort is unlike any other movie this year, or maybe even this century. Thanks to its breakneck storytelling, a magnificent performance by Chalamet, and countless intangibles that Safdie employs expertly, the film smacks viewers in the face repeatedly and demands that they come back for more.

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Marty Supreme opens in theaters on December 25.

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