We’re still a full week away from Halloween itself, but just days out from from the high holy days of the San Francisco party calendar known as Halloween Weekend. As darkness falls across the land (it’s the final full weekend of Daylight Savings Time before we fall back next weekend), and as the weather is forecasted to settle into the comfortable mid-60s this weekend, SFist has carved out this list of creepy, kooky, altogether-ooky list of Halloween leadup parties. This week, we’re up to our eyeballs in ghoulishly good activities.
Tuesday, October 24
Barbie Mutilation Night
Have you been yet to the new Doc’s Clock, just down the street from the old Doc’s Clock? If not, you’ve fewer finer weeknights for your first than Barbie Mutilation Night, where the art supplies are provided for free, Barbies are provided on a sliding scale, and all proceeds go to Puerto Rican hurricane relief efforts. 50 percent of the bar take will also be donated to hurricane relief, so all you mutilators and mad scientists can benefit a good cause. Mattel ‘em Large Marge sent you!
Doc’s Clock, 2417 Mission Street, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Free
16mm Movie Night: Vintage Monster & Horror Movies
The Gallery Cafe does “classic scary films on a vintage old-timey 16mm projector” every fourth Tuesday. But this month’s pre-Halloween special invades your senses with Byron Haskin’s 1953 War of the Worlds, which does not in any way involve Orson Welles. Beer, wine, and coffee are served. Gallery Cafe, 1200 Mason Street, 6:30 - 9 p.m., Free
Wednesday, October 25
Leather and Lace Free Clothing SWAP
Monarch Bar hosts a triple-threat of a free Halloween clothing swap, face-stuffing hot dogs and Red Hots Burlesque. Bring clothes for the clothing swap at 6, then stick around for Red Hot Wiener Wednesday at 7, and the weekly striptease-stravaganze of Red Hots Burlesque at 8. If you’ve still got skeletons in your closet, bring those clothes, and the leftovers will be donated to Out of the Closet. Monarch, 101 6th Street, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Free, $5-10 donation suggested
Pops 80th Anniversary Party
You read that right Pops Bar is turning freaking 80 years old! You don’t often get to attend a bar’s 80th anniversary party, so head on down to your favorite 6 a.m. watering hole to ring in the occasion. BBQ begins at 5 p.m., DJs and tequila specials go all night, and raffles will benefit the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund. Pops Bar, 2800 24th Street, 5 p.m. - Close, Free
Thursday, October 26
Creatures of the NightLife
Peaches Christ does a full takeover of the California Academy of Sciences, turning the joint into an 80s horror movie set piece. Your normal, brainiac Academy of Sciences installations will be up and running, but you’ll also get a drag show called Stranger Queens and a costume contest. There’ll be no shortage of fright wigs, with performances by Peaches, Kegel Kater, Meredeath, and Chaka Corn. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, 6:30-11 p.m., Members $17, Non-Members $20
2017 Halloween Ghost Walk at City Hall
Walking tour? More like Walking Dead tour, ammirite? This particular walking tour focuses on “disinterred remains, assassinations and other ghostly lore,” starting at San Francisco City Hall, which itself used to be a cemetery. Meet in South Light Court, through the Polk Street entrance. City Hall, One Carlton Goodlett Plaza, 6:30 p.m., Free
Friday, October 27
LoveBoat Halloween
The party formerly known as Ghost Ship actually rages both Friday and Saturday nights, with Moby and Fatboy Slim. (Friday night is Fatboy Slim, Saturday night is Moby) This will be the event’s final year at Pier 70, so bust out your Burning Man blinkies and get ready to dig on their unparalleled art installations. Pier 70, 420 22nd Street, 9 p.m. - 4 a.m., $85-90 single night, $180-190 both nights
Avenues Dry Goods One Year Anniversary Party
Fans of SFist’s Eve Batey ought to know that Eve has been moonlighting on us as a purveyor of ephemera from local artists and makers at her boutique Avenues Dry Goods. An emporium of inside-joke t-shirts, works by great S.F. authors, and locally made loveliness, Avenues Dry Goods will also have an adorable dog present for petting, and the shop will offer “drinks and treats, bonkers sale prices.” Avenues Dry Goods, 4120 Irving Street, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Free
Saturday, October 28
Phantasm: Hall of Mirrors
The Armory no longer makes porn, but they still have an annual Halloween at the Armory blowout that is this year called "Phantasm: Hall of Mirrors." No place does a haunted house quite like the Armory, and no one has their same bazillion feet of dance floor. Big deal national headliners include Miss Kittin, Hot Since 82, and Stanton Warriors, with more performances from local legend Syd Gris and Vau de Vire. The Armory, 1800 Mission Street, 9 p.m. Tickets start at $75
Journey to the End of the Night
Some Logan’s Run-Hunger Games kind of action is in store for those of you who dig being chased, as the SF iteration of the Journey to the End of Night street game comes to town. Chasers chase you across town while you have to try to hit certain checkpoints, and it being Halloween weekend, costumes are encouraged. And it’s free! But there are no refunds. Meetup is at Japantown Peace Plaza. Japantown Peace Plaza, 1610 Geary Blvd, 5 p.m. - 11 p.m., Free
A Sea of Bubbles
We continue to mourn local queer nightlife icon Bubbles, and the memorials keep on popping. This is a sort of “dress up as Bubbles” gathering for Halloween weekend, hence the “Sea of Bubbles”. The event is at Terra Gallery, and all proceeds with be donated to the LGBTQ Center of SF in Bubbles’ name. Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison Street, 10 p.m.-2 a.m., Free
Sunday, October 29
Glow in the Streets: A Comfort & Joy Block Party
Queer Burning Man collective Comfort & Joy resurrects the spirit of the old GayGlo Guerrilla Theater and their legacy Halloween shenanigans. The boys (and those dressed as girls) will be taking over Noe Street for a block party between Market Street and Beaver Street, with six hours worth of name DJs and plenty of LED magic. And yes, that band is getting back together as GayGlo Guerrilla Theater will be performing the finale. Noe Street between Market and Beaver, 2298 Market Street, 4 p.m-10p.m., $10 suggested donation
