Get in the spooky spirit with Halloween-themed festivities around the DMV this Halloweekend.
Replace your mundane campus weekend routine with some thrills and chills at events both outside the city and within the heart of the District. We’ve rounded up a list of Halloween-specific activities you can participate in this weekend to satisfy both your spooky and autumnal desires.
From haunted houses to a dog costume contest, here are some events to put on your calendar for a well-rounded holiday weekend:
Workhouse Haunt: The Collection
Rent a Zipcar and make the trip to Lorton, Va. for a haunted warehouse experience. In a frightening 30-minute adventure, guests travel in small groups through rooms full of a variety of contactless scares, then head outside to explore haunted, abandoned buildings and the terrifying dark woods. Time slots are still available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but advanced purchase is recommended as the venue expects the event to sell out ahead of time.
Workhouse Arts Center, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, Va., Friday and Saturday 7 to 11 p.m., Sunday 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. Find more information and register here.
Eighties Mayhem: 80’s Halloween Dance Party
Head off campus for an electric 80’s Halloween dance party hosted by Black Cat, a local bar and live music venue. DJs Steve EP, Missguided and Killa K are slated to perform at the popular live music venue in the Cardozo neighborhood. Costumes are encouraged, so dress up, grab some friends and take the Metro up to the U Street stop to experience this tradition.
The Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Doors open Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the show. Find more information here.
Hirshhorn Howl-O-Ween
The Hirshhorn Museum is putting on a dog-centric event for dog-owners and dog-enthusiasts alike. For humans, coffee from Dolcezza and kid-friendly activities will be available. And for dogs, District Dogs, a dog daycare and spa, will offer dog-friendly activities, like creating peanut butter portraits. Dog costumes are encouraged, and any fashion-focused pups can enter the dog costume contest for a $25 entry fee with a few prizes for winners. Even if you don’t have a pup to bring along, you’re still welcome to hang out and meet the furry friends.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Independence Ave. and 7th St. SW. Saturday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Free. Find more information here.
Immanuel Church pumpkin patch
Maybe the Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s pumpkin selection isn’t meeting your standards, or maybe you want to carry on a childhood tradition of visiting a pumpkin patch. Either way, you can head just across the Potomac to Alexandria, Va. to visit Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill’s 28th Annual Pumpkin Patch. The pumpkins, which range in size from small hand-held sized pumpkins ideal for painting up to extra large pumpkins for carving jack-o-lanterns, start at $1 and go up in price by size. Assorted gourds, homemade soups, baked goods and Halloween-themed crafts will also be available for sale at the pumpkin patch.
Immanuel Church on the Hill, 3606 Seminary Rd. Alexandria, Va. Open Monday through Friday noon to 6 p.m. through Oct. 31. Free admission. Find more information here.
DC Ghosts
Take a short walk off campus to partake in a spooky ghost tour around D.C. to hear tales of some of the District’s most famous figures and landmarks. Guests will walk to eight haunted locations on the tour and hear about the haunting ghosts of presidents, assassins and conspirators that roam the local streets. Led by DC Ghosts guides, the hour-long walking tour will begin at the Treasury Building near the White House and cross a mile long.
Treasury Building, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tours offered at both 8 and 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $25. Find more information here.
