Halloween 2022

These are the best Halloween happenings to scare up serious fun in Houston

Decked-out dogs show off at the Howl-O-Ween Dog Parade.

Photo courtesy of MUTTS Canine Cantina

This year, Halloween in Houston comes as our beloved Astros kick off their World Series championship quest. Fans of All Hallow's Eve, meanwhile, can enjoy four days of spooky fun, including city and community events, costumed fun in parks, and even bar affairs and mystery-themed dinners.

With that in mind, we've rounded up your best bets to scare up some fun this season.

Friday, October 28

Color Factory's cleverly titled Haunted Hues boasts interactive installations and immersive rooms with ghoulishly good goodies, Instagram-worthy photo opportunities, pumpkin decorating, and a refreshing partnership with JuiceLand. Bring your boo, the little ones, or the whole family for vivid Halloween fun through November 1. 10 am.

Join Rice Village District for a Halloween block party. Stop by and check out our maze, live music, tailgate games, and complimentary refreshments. Kids can celebrate by wearing their costumes and trick-or-treating. 5:30 pm.

Discovery Green will be getting into the scary swing of things with “Scream on the Green.” Houston’s citywide Halloween celebration returns with a costume contest, music, and a screening of Monster House. 6 pm.

The San Jacinto Battleground has been a final resting place for Texans for at least 200 years. On Friday and Saturday, a special candlelight tour of two of its cemeteries will be held to illuminate the real stories of the men and women who lived, fought and died here. 6:15 pm.

Houston SPCA’s annual Howl-O-Ween Ball will feature costumes, entertainment, auction experiences, cocktail hour, and a seated dinner by City Kitchen. The covered equine arena will be transformed into a grand ballroom with ghoulishly delightful décor. 6:30 pm.

Saturday, October 29

Lagoonfest Texas will have a Halloween Trunk or Treat in the parking lot. Children of all ages are invited to go car-to-car for candy, play in a bounce house and compete in costume contests for prizes. 10 am.

Over at Woodlands Children’s Houston, the annual SpookTacular Halloween Monster Mash Party will be filled with children’s carnival-type games, magic shows, live music with children’s musician Mr. Will, science monster slime, and face painting. 10 am.

M-K-T will get creepy and outdoorsy with its Hike, Bike & Fright Fest. It will feature a Trick or Treat Trail, a Shop Local Market, and live performances. 4 pm.

At the Houston Arboretum’s Sip & Stroll, guests can walk along the Arboretum’s dimly lit trails, where they may encounter creatures of the night. The final destination will incorporate music and mingling with light bites and beverages, including wine and Saint Arnold beer. 7 pm.

Sunday, October 30

At Cole’s Flea Market’s Trick-or-Treat event, kids are encouraged to dress up in Halloween costumes for trick-or-treating through the market. Families also can enjoy face painting, a balloon artist, free candy, and pumpkin bucket raffles. 9 am.

Urban South HTX will host its first Halloween market. Bring the entire family out for a fun-filled day, including a bounce house, pumpkin carving, a costume contest, raffle prizes, a cookie-decorating class, market vendors, candy, and more. 1 pm.

Discovery Green’s fifth annual Dia de Los Muertes festival will feature the movie Coco, followed by live performances and music. Visitors are invited to place images or recuerdos of their loved ones on the community altar. Families will enjoy hands-on art activities, artist demos, and vendors. 3 pm.

Levy Park will present the fifth annual Howl-o-ween Dog Parade and Costume Contest. Later in the evening, there will also be a Family Movie Night screening of Hocus Pocus. 4 pm.

Monday, October 31

Bungalow Heights will have an All Hallows’ Eve murder-mystery dinner. Tickets are $100 and must be purchased in advance. It will include dinner, a multi-course dinner, a specialty cocktail, and a tip for the server. 6 pm.

Friends of River Oaks Theatre will hold an outdoor screening of Nosferatu, with live musical score accompaniment. There will also be a a blood drive, vampire costume contest, and short films by local filmmakers. 7:30 pm.

Numbers Nightclub will continue its Halloween tradition with a costume contest where people can win $1000 in cash and prizes. DJ Wes Wallace will provide the music, and drink specials will be available until 9 pm. 8 pm.

Over at Emmit’s Place, James Wilhite will host the Spooky Halloween Monday Night Jam. Come out and enjoy the music. All musicians are welcome, and there’s no cover. There’s usually something to munch on, and tons of great drink specials too. 8:30 pm.

Movie Review

Over-the-top acting and incoherent plot drag down Her Private Hell

Photo courtesy of Neon

Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell.

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is not someone who plays nice with the general film world. His 2011 film Drive introduced him to American audiences in a big way, but that pulsating thriller was followed up with artier films like Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon that eschewed coherent plots in favor of moody, atmospheric pieces.

Winding Refn, who hasn’t made a feature film in 10 years, has gone fully down the rabbit hole with Her Private Hell. Taking place in a liminal space that kind of resembles Earth but also feels like someone’s dreams/nightmares, the film focuses on Elle (Sophie Thatcher), an actor currently starring in a sci-fi film. Staying at a hotel with newcomer Hunter (Kristine Froseth), the two bond over their shared passion and the legend of Elle’s father, Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s friend Dominique (Havana Rose Liu).

After spending a good amount of (mostly incomprehensible) time with that group, Refn introduces Private K (Charles Melton), who seems to be living in post-World War II Japan. He is looking for his daughter, who might have been taken by a mysterious figure known as “Leatherman,” and he will stop at nothing to find her, fighting whoever stands in his way.

It becomes clear almost right away that Winding Refn has no desire to engage in traditional storytelling in this film. The main characters wander through neon-drenched streets and buildings, which are often surrounded by a mist that is referred to on multiple occasions but never explained. Everyone speaks as if in a constant state of wonderment, and there are many moments where it’s unclear if events are actually happening, part of a movie-within-a-movie, or something else entirely.

Unlike his previous films, Winding Refn has taken the characters in this film completely out of the real world, with every scene taking place in a sparsely decorated room or street that is obviously a movie set. While there are moments where this decision really works, especially the striking first shot of a human-like figure mixed in with a cityscape and clouds, most of the time it only adds to the stilted nature of the film as a whole.

In fact, the entire movie has the feel of an avant-garde theater exercise. Every actor seems to be trying to outdo the others with awkward performances and out-sized reactions. Two very specific characters make appearances in both sides of the story for seemingly no reason other than to inject their weirdness into both spaces. The shocking violence that crops up on occasion would have more of an impact if it was related to anything intelligible.

Thatcher (Companion) and Liu (Tuner) are among the young stars who have had breakout moments in recent years, but neither of them is served well by this hot mess of a movie. They, along with Melton, still demonstrate the talent they possess, but the oddity of the film weighs them down. Scott makes an impression for all the wrong reasons, while Froseth is called upon to play a character who might as well not be there at all.

If there’s any kind of message that Winding Refn was trying to convey with Her Private Hell, it’s lost among the flashing lights, overload of pink, and jewel-like structures. Filmmakers who try to make art for art’s sake have a place in the world, but this film too often feels like people are making things up as they go, with no real goal in mind.

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Her Private Hell opens in theaters on July 24.

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