Haunted Happenings

Wednesday, Oct. 22
Adopt-A-Ghoul: Halloween costume and decoration donations for children of all ages, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., through Friday, Oct. 31. Hamilton Family Center, 1631 Hayes (at Lyon), 409-2100.

Friday, Oct. 24
A Halloween Tail...Migrating Mystical Creatures 12th Annual Academy Halloween: Celebrate Halloween a week early with costuming, treats, specimen collections, a slime-making booth, and magic performances. Reservations are required as space is limited; 6:30-9 p.m., $25-$125, 750-7141 (ticket information). California Academy of Sciences, 55 Concourse (at JFK), Golden Gate Park, 750-7145.

Stage Frights: Plays From Hell: Featuring Dolly Dolly, Pinchy Face Clone Virus, Superman, Pee-Wee's Hell House, and Ghost Story, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, $10-$20. Cell Space, 2050 Bryant (at 18th St.), 648-7562.

Saturday, Oct. 25
16th Annual Goblin Jamboree: A party for children and their families featuring raffles, train rides, a haunted house, and more, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, $8. Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds (at Murray), Sausalito, 339-3900.

City Nights -- Spine Chillin' Halloween: With DJs Leslie Perez and Sherif spinning house music. Costume prizes and candy for all, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., $15. 715 Harrison, 715 Harrison (at Third St.), 339-8686.

Fundraiser Halloween Party: A benefit for One Brick Organization. DJs will be on hand to spin '70s, '80s, techno, and house, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., $10. Studio Z, 314 11th St. (at Folsom), 252-7666.

Ghouls & Ghosts: Featuring story-telling performance ensemble Eth-Noh-Tec, 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, $13. Zeum Theater, 221 Fourth St. (at Howard), 777-2800.

Halloween Haunts at Hidden Villa: Spooky fun for the kiddies, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, $15-$18. Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody (at Sherlock), Los Altos Hills, 650-949-8653.

Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree: Frightful fun for the kids with rides, puppet shows, music, and more, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26, $8. Children's Fairyland USA, 699 Bellevue (off Grand), Oakland, 510-452-2259.

Pumpkin Carving & Costume Making: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., free. Berkeley Farmers' Market demo area, Center & MLK Jr., Berkeley, 510-548-3333.

Queer Jitterbugs Costume Party: Swing dancing, 7:30 p.m., $10. LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market (at McCoppin), 865-5555.

Sin Factory: Costume, dancing, and porn/pole contests. DJs Jazzy Jim, Switch, Rich Era and special guests will be spinning until the early hours, 10 p.m.-4 a.m., $15. Factory 525, 525 Harrison (at First St.), 339-8686.

The Spiral Dance -- Witches' New Year 2003: Ritual and pageant honoring the dead and rebirth, 7:30 p.m., $20-$60, 510-763-3911 (Information). Regency Grand Ballroom, 1300 Van Ness (at Sutter).

Sunday, Oct. 26
A Brazilian Halloween in Heaven: 6 p.m., $5. Red Devil Lounge, 1695 Polk (at Clay), 921-1695.

The Cannery's 26th Annual Festival: Pumpkin and costume contests, trick-or-treating, featuring performances by Benny and BeBe's Circus Fantasticus and Gary Lapow's children's tunes, noon-4 p.m., free. The Cannery, 2801 Leavenworth (at Beach), 771-3112.

Gardens Ghoullery Walk: Trick-or-treating in Yerba Buena Gardens, noon-4 p.m., free. Zeum, 221 Fourth St. (at Howard), 777-2800.

Ghouls & Ghosts: See Saturday.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors: Presented by Midnight Mass Season of Horror and your hostess Peaches Christ. Spooky and silly pre-show included. Be sure to buy tickets early, as they sell out soon, $8. Bridge Theater, 3010 Geary (at Blake), 751-3213.

Spunoween: With DJs Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden, 10 p.m.-5 a.m., $20. Mezzanine, 444 Jessie (at Mint), 820-9669.

Tuesday, Oct. 28
Benefit for United Genders of the Universe!: With MC Fairy Butch, DJ Sam spinning hip hop, queer '80s, punk rock. Also featuring performances by Lynn Breedlove, Celestina Pearl, Daphne Gottlieb, drag kings and queens, Burlesque-Esque, and Coco Kane, 8 p.m., $5-$15. El Rio, 3158 Mission (at Cesar Chavez), 282-3325.

Halloween Heroes: Featuring over 20 professional athletes and media personalities serving as celebrity heroes, plus a silent auction, trick-or-treat booths, photo opportunities, arts & crafts, and more, 6:30-9 p.m., $175-$500. Zeum, 221 Fourth St. (at Howard), 777-2800.

Theater of Blood: Around the World With the Grand Guignol: Lecture tracing the history of Grand Guignol theaters worldwide, noon-1 p.m., free. Diego Rivera Theater/CCSF, 50 Phelan (at Judson), 239-3100.

Trannyshack Halloween Extravaganza: Annual ghoulish drag show hosted by Johnny Kat and Heklina, 11:30 p.m., $6. The Stud, 399 Ninth St. (at Harrison), 252-7883.

Wednesday, Oct. 29
Magic and Mayhem: Stage Effects of the Grand Guignol: A lecture and presentation to France's legendary Le Théâtre de Grand Guignol, "Theater of Horrors," 7 p.m., $5-$10. SF Performing Arts Library & Museum, War Memorial Bldg., 401 Van Ness (at McAllister), Fourth Fl., 255-4800.

Thursday, Oct. 30
Halloween at the YMCA: Carnival games, costumes, and haunted house, 7-8:30 p.m., $5-$6, 447-9611 (Information). Letterman Gym, 1152 Gorgas (at Sternberg).

Halloween Costume Party: Featuring The Cubby Creatures, Space Vacuum (from Outer Space), and Slow POisoners, 8:30 p.m., $6. Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St. (at Mission), 647-2888.

Motherfunker Presents: Merkin -- A Halloween Pre-party: A night-before Halloween party to test out your costumes and fun, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5. 26 Mix, 3024 Mission (at 26th St.), 826-7378.

Friday, Oct. 31
1st Annual Noiserock Halloween: With Replicators and Hate Breeders as AC/DC and Misfit cover bands, respectively. Discount for coming in costume, 9 p.m., $6-$8. Edinburgh Castle, 950 Geary (at Larkin), 885-4074.

All Hallow's Eve: The Figure by Candlelight: Halloween night spent drawing by candlelight with artist Sydney Cohen, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $40, 510-594-3710 (Information). California College of Arts and Crafts/Oakland, 5212 Broadway (at College), Oliver Art Center, Oakland, 510-594-3650.