By Jerucifer, Arts & Events Editor

Costumes aren’t just for kids – they’re a grown-up excuse to act out your wildest fantasies, even if it’s just for one night. So, embrace the Halloween spirit, and remember, it’s all about the hilariously spooky shenanigans! Here’s what I’m most excited about for the week of 10/17…

Partners’ Events

2nd Annual Music City Songwriters Festival
10/21 | 1224 Polk St, SF | 12-6 pm | free

San Francisco! Who likes FREE street festivals?  Join us October 21st for the 2nd Annual Music City Songwriters Festival on Polk Street! Thanks to @mcentsf, we’re bringing 2-stages,10 bands and DJs your way to come by and enjoy. The streets will be lined with artists, makers, and local merchants.

Witchfest 2023: Samhain Celebration
10/21 | Al Fresco Dining Park | 1435 Webster St, Alameda | 12-8 pm | free, $20 VIP

WITCHFEST 2023 is a confluence of 7 local Witch shops, 30 + Indie Magickal Vendors, and dozens of Holistic and Mystical Practitioners in the vibrant West end Arts District of Alameda, CA. Join us and gather for the most celebrated Sabbat in the Wheel of the Year…Samhain. The event will also feature featuring arts, tarot, entertainment, henna, and practitioner demos.

10th Annual 48 Hills Gala
10/26 | Bissap Baobab Village | 3388 19th St, SF | 6-9 pm | $50-65

Join us for an exciting evening at the 10th Annual 48 Hills Gala! This in-person event will take place on Thursday Oct 26, 2023 at the fabulous Bissap Baobab, 2243 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Get ready to some amazing surprise guests, incredible musical entertainment, an open bar, and delicious complimentary food! We’re thrilled to bring our longtime and new supporters together to celebrate independent media and help us continue toward a bright future.

We’ve curated a lineup of local artists, comedians, and special guest speakers for an eventful night. Whether you’re a long-time reader or new to our publications, this gala is the perfect occasion to connect with the community. Mark your calendars and spread the word about the 10th Annual 48 Hills Gala! Tickets are expected to sell out so grab yours today! We can’t wait to see you there.

This Week’s Giveaway

We Wanna Send You to See Nora En Pure Presents: Purified!

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, 10/17

Terror Vault: The Initiation
10/17-10/31 | The SF Mint | 88 5th St, SF | 6-10 pm | $55-85

A combination of theater, 4D effects, and haunted mazes, The Initiation invites thrill seekers to attend a recruitment seminar for “INsight,” a spiritual cult whose sole purpose is to open their eyes to true consciousness and help see the horrors hiding within the darkness.

This year’s completely new Terror Vault show, The Initiation, is inspired by San Francisco’s rich history of being home to so many strange and bizarre cults,” said Joshua Grannell aka Peaches Christ. “From groups like the Manson Family and the Symbionese Liberation Army to people like Jim Jones and Anton Lavey, we’ve taken this inspiration and crafted a show where guests become members in the play and must make their way through becoming part of the cult while surviving its evil leadership.

House
10/17 | Balboa Theater | 3630 Balboa St, SF | 7:30 pm | $12.50-15

Hoping to find a sense of connection to her late mother, Gorgeous takes a trip to the country to visit her aunt at their ancestral house. She invites her six friends, Prof, Melody, Mac, Fantasy, Kung Fu, and Sweet, to join her. The girls soon discover that there is more to the old house than meets the eye.

Trivia Night @ Canyon Club Brewery
10/17 | Canyon Club Brewery | 1558 Canyon Rd, Moraga | 6:30-8:30 pm | free

Live multi-media trivia. Free to play. Win prizes. Hosted by comedian Candy Shaw.

Strut Queer Open Mic Halloween Show
10/17 | Strut | 470 Castro St, SF | 7 pm | free

This in-person event is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and their incredible creativity. Whether you’re a performer or just want to enjoy the show, this is the place to be! Hosted by two local queer SEPCTACULAR darling writer/comedians CYNTHIA IN PUBLIC, and MATTHEW BELD!

Bring your poetry, comedy, storytelling, music, if you are queer this open mic is for you! We love all queers of the queer spectrum, Trans folks, Gays, Bisexuals, Lesbians, Pansexuals! Come on by!

Fall 2023 TLGBQ+ Career Fair
10/17 | SF LGBT Ceneter | 1800 Market St, SF | 12-3 pm | free

The SF LGBT Center’s Employment Services team is proud to host our second career fair of the year!

Wednesday, 10/18

Swiped Out: an IRL Singles Mixer
10/18 | Slate Bar | 2925 16th St, SF | 6:30 pm | $10

Done with the apps? Tired of ghosting? Don’t feel like answering “how was your weekend?” for the 100th time? We’ve got you. Join Bay Area singles at Slate Bar on Wednesday, October 18, for an evening of making new connections, ditching the small talk, and enjoying snacks, drink specials, and activities designed to break the ice without the cringe. This evening is being curated for individuals who identify as straight(ish), in the age bracket of 25-40. We’ll be back in future months with events for different ages and partner preferences.

A Taste of Style
10/18 | Oakland Museum of California | 1000 Oak St, Oakland | 5:30-8:30 pm | $175

Food meets fashion at A Taste of Style as seven of Oakland’s top chefs prepare a stylish dish inspired by an iconic fashion designer. Guests will also enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception, four-course dinner with wine pairings, and a fashion show all to benefit the Friends of James Beard Foundation and Oakland Museum of California. The fashion show will feature creatively styled vintage looks from the Museum’s famed and beloved White Elephant Sale.

This event is part of Visit Oakland’s five-day series, Oakland Style, a celebration of art, fashion, music, cuisine, and culture in the Town. The series launches Wednesday, October 18, 2023, and runs through Sunday, October 22, 2023. Oakland Style will feature culinary experiences, cultural conversations, art walks, fashion shows, musical performances, Haute Couture moments, vintage thrift shopping, and so much more.

Wednesdays Are A Drag: Port Con 2023
10/18 | The Port Bar | 2023 Broadway, Oakland | 9 pm | free

WEDNESDAYS ARE A DRAG: PORT CON 2023

Eyes Without A Face
10/18 | Balboa Theater | 3630 Balboa St, SF | 7:30 pm | $12.50-15

Dr. Génessier is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane, who outsiders believe is dead. Dr. Génessier, along with accomplice and laboratory assistant Louise, kidnaps young women and brings them to the Génessier mansion. After rendering his victims unconscious, Dr. Génessier removes their faces and attempts to graft them on to Christiane’s.

Thursday, 10/19

That’s My Word: Bay Area Rappers Write Their Life Stories
10/19 | KQED Live | 2601 Mariposa St, SF | 7 pm | $15

Join legendary Bay Area rappers Black C and Mac Mall as they discuss gripping stories from their recently published memoirs with KQED Arts & Culture senior editor Gabe Meline. In vivid, unflinching detail, Black C’s A Part of Survival and Mac Mall’s My Opinion shed light on the Bay Area’s street life, drug trade and pimp culture of the 1980s and 1990s—and how the resourceful artists turned their setbacks into widespread success during hip-hop’s Golden Age.

The Emo Night Tour
10/19 | The Independent | 628 Divisadero St, SF | 8 pm | $16-25

Your favorite party is coming back! Imagine going to a show and hearing Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, My Chemical Romance and many more, all only playing their best songs, all night long!!!

The folks at the Emo Night Tour are giving you just that. All the sing-a-longs, dancing, jumping, screaming… well basically all the EMO!

2023 SF Open Studios Exhibition ArtLaunch
10/19 | SOMArts Cultural Center | 934 Brannan St, SF | 6-9 pm | $25-100

ArtSpan is excited to host the 2023 SF Open Studios Exhibition at SOMArts Cultural Center! Celebrate the abundant creativity of the SF Bay Area & kick-off our SF Open Studios season with the ArtSpan community within the SFOS Exhibition. The Exhibition features the work of participating SFOS artists and provides a preview to help guide your studio visits.

Litquake: Vulgarian Rhapsody Release
10/19 | Fabulosa Books | 489 Castro St, SF | 7 pm | free

San Francisco’s world-famous literary festival, presents a release party for Vulgarian Rhapsody, a new novel by Lambda Lit Award Finalist Alvin Orloff, published by Three Rooms Press w/ special guest stars: Jennifer Blowdryer, Birdie Bob Watt & Brontez Purnell, author of 100 Boyfriends

When San Francisco’s most annoying gay barfly, Harris, is thrown out of his apartment by Maxine, his long-suffering roommate, crisis ensues. The year is 1999 and cheap rent has suddenly become a thing of the past thanks to a mysterious development people are calling the “dotcom boom”. Unable to rent a place of his own on a telemarketer’s salary, Harris tries to finagle one after another of his deeply bizarre and quasi-dysfunctional friends into letting him share their lodgings. Meanwhile Maxine needs to find a replacement for Harris, which would be a lot easier if she weren’t a frighteningly moody drag-cabaret singer with a small substance abuse problem. Can these marginalized misfits find a place for themselves in their newly hyper-gentrified city?

Friday, 10/20

MAYHEM MANSION 2023
10/20-10/21 | The Haas-Lilienthal House | 2007 Franklin St, SF | 7-11 pm | $17-30

Enter the dimly lit halls of Mayhem Mansion, where the inhabitants are always off their rockers! The tour begins at the main entrance, where you’ll be greeted by a benevolent host who will gently guide you through the magnificent manse, but beware! You never know who, or what, is lurking in the dark corners, or behind closed doors… Before and after the tour, calm your nerves in our basement saloon, the Spookeasy, featuring a cash bar serving both alcoholic (21+) and non-alcoholic drinks, plus snacks and candy. Be sure to arrive early enough to enjoy your beverage!

Pop Rocks
10/20 | The Chapel | 777 Valencia St, SF | 9 pm | $22-25

Pop Rocks is a San Francisco based dance band that grew out of the clubs of San Francisco in the late 90s, starting as a joke between friends in well-loved original bands. They were playing for Slim’s “One Night Only” event, and they had so much fun they accidentally turned this into a full-time, over-the-top uproarious dance band that now travels internationally. They’ve become a go-to band for all kinds of private events and have recently been taken to Germany, Iceland, UK, Fiji, and more.

Civic
10/20 | Bottom of the Hill | 1233 17th St, SF | 8 pm | $17-20

One of the most exhilarating bands to emerge in recent years, CIVIC have reimagined the reckless intensity of proto-punk for an era of endless uncertainty. On their 2021 debut album Future Forecast, the Melbourne-based five-piece offered up a barrage of songs matching their frenetic sound with both self-aware outpouring and incisive observation of the world around them—a dynamic that’s earned massive critical acclaim as well as admiration from the likes of musicians like punk legend Henry Rollins. As further shown on their upcoming sophomore full-length Taken By Force—an album the band aptly sums up as “1984 meets Endless Summer”—CIVIC joyfully obliterate the line between furious catharsis and unbridled fun, introducing a vital new energy into today’s musical landscape.

Floating Features: So I Married An Axe Murderer
10/20 | Red & White Fleet Ferry | Pier 43 1/2, SF | 8 pm | $38-50

Playing as part of Floating Features on Red and White Fleet’s hybrid electric vessel Enhydra.

Just after a bad breakup, Charlie MacKenzie (Mike Myers) falls for lovely butcher Harriet Michaels (Nancy Travis) and introduces her to his parents. But, as voracious consumers of sensational tabloids, his parents soon come to suspect that Harriet is actually a notorious serial killer — “Mrs. X” — wanted in connection with a string of bizarre honeymoon killings. Thinking his parents foolish, Charlie proposes to Harriet. But while on his honeymoon with her, he begins to fear they were right.

DANG! – A Soulful Electronic Dance Night
10/20 | The Great Northern | 119 Utah St, SF | 9:30 pm | $20

DANG! is a one of a kind soulful, electronic, funky dance party. Join us for an unforgettable night of dancing, blending elements of hip hop, R&B, and electronic music. We will be spinning all of your favorite tracks from artists such as Disclosure, Anderson Paak, Toro Y Moi, Channel Tres, SG Lewis, Tyler The Creator, Kaytranada, Goldlink and more.

Saturday, 10/21

Undiscovered SF Block Party: The Wave
10/21 | The Parks @ 5M | 44 Mary St, SF | 12-6 pm | free

UNDISCOVERED Block Party is a curated collection of emerging artists and merchants to celebrate San Francisco’s Filipino cultural district – SOMA Pilipinas! We’re stoked to be hosting everyone in a huge new open space at The Parks at 5M. Enjoy local artisans, food vendors, art, and live music/dance performances.

This year’s UNDSCVRD theme is Filipino American Block Party. Come celebrate Filipino American History Month with us at a festival filled with sights and sounds dedicated to uplifting Filipino food, art, & culture here in SOMA Pilipinas!

Potrero Hill Rhythm & Blues Festival
10/21 | Potrero Hill | 20th St between Wisconsin & Missouri, SF | 10 am-4 pm | free

We are excited to announce this year’s festival as the Potrero Hill Rhythm & Blues Festival featuring Tommy Castro and the Painkillers! Come jam out to R&B music while we celebrate the Potrero community outdoors on 20th Street as we stretch out over 4 blocks with live music, food trucks, kid rides and family fun! The Potrero Hill Festival is a benefit for the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, our local community center providing essential services to Potrero’s most in need. Join us for this one-of-a-kind community event for all ages!

LOVE SPOOK-PREME: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL W/ SASHA MARIE
10/21 | The Knockout | 3223 Mission St, SF | 9 pm | $15-20

We LOVE Halloween so let’s get it poppin. Come dressed up in a costume or just fitted out, as long as you’re comfortable. Costumes not required but highly encouraged.

FOOLIE’S HALLOWEEN PRE-PARTY
10/21 | Public Works | 161 Erie St, SF | 9 pm | $7-15

Get ready to dance the night away at our Halloween pre-party, featuring pulsating house beats and eerie atmosphere. Don your best costume and get ready to groove to the hottest tracks from our talented DJs FOOLIE, Que Lindo, Maj, Kenny Cordeiro, Andres, Dez, Gold Bear & Sandra Mane spinning everything from House, Tech House and deep minimal. The dimly lit room will transport you to a world of darkness and excitement, perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit. So come on down to our unforgettable night of music and mayhem.

HARDCORE IN THE BAY: SPOOKY RAVE IN SQUISHMALLOW KINGDOM
10/21 | DNA Lounge | 375 11th St, SF | 9 pm | $15-20

hardcore. gabber. hardstyle. d+b. all ages.

Rize Of The Dead
10/21 | Rickshaw Stop | 155 Fell St, SF | 9:30 pm | $15

Don’t be a basic witch. Get ready for our Halloween Costume Contest!

Princess: HORROR Night W/ DAHLI
10/21 | Oasis | 298 11th St, SF | 10 pm | $20-35

A DISCO DANCE PARTY + DRAG SPECTACULAR STARRING DAHLI, Winner of DRAGULA S4

Hey, Whorror! Guess what? They’re baaaaack.. Screaming queens , evil Kings n’ freaky Things are descending on the Oasis stage once again. With performances bringing to life your favorite monsters, killers, baddies and, let’s just be real, QUEER ICONS. We have such sights to show you. Costumes and lewks highly encouraged!

Sunday, 10/22

Hair Ball
10/22 | Crybaby | 1928 Telegraph Ave, Oakland | 7 pm | $25-200

Hair Ball, which benefits Planned Parenthood Northern California, will take place at Crybaby in Oakland on October 22, 2023. This 3nd annual celebration of our hairdresser community will showcase some of the very best hair education around, with some VERY special guests participating in live demos on Crybaby’s main stage. Local vendors will be popping up again, and god-willing we will sell out a month in advance like the last event!

A Spectral Symphony
10/22 | Herbst Theatre | 401 Van Ness Ave, SF |3-5 pm | free, $10-20 suggested donation

The San Francisco Civic Music Association presents SF Civic Symphony’s Fall Concert, “A Spectral Symphony”

Program:

• Modest Mussorgsky – Night on Bald Mountain
• Eric Whitacre – October
• Hector Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique

Music Director & Conductor: Brad Hogarth

Crimson Peak
10/22 | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | 2550 Mission St, SF | 11:15 am | $13.75

LOVE MAKES MONSTERS OF US ALL

From the visionary mind of director Guillermo del Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH, HELLBOY, PACIFIC RIM) unfolds an alluring and spine-chilling gothic romance.

When her heart is ensnared by a seductive stranger, a young woman finds herself swept away to a haunted house atop a mountain of blood-red clay – a place filled with secrets that will linger with her forever. Caught between desire and darkness, mystery and madness, lies the unsettling truth behind CRIMSON PEAK…

Fantasy and Phantoms: A Halloween Concert
10/22 | Lincoln Glen Church | 2700 Booksin Ave, SJ | 3 pm | $15-25 

Winchester Orchestra of San Jose presents Fantasy and Phantoms: A Halloween Concert.

SCARED GAY! – A Horror Movie Variety Show
10/22 | Oasis | 298 11th St, SF | 7 pm | $25-65

A horror movie variety show…with a gay agenda. The popular podcast is coming to you ALIVE at Oasis. So gather around boils and ghouls for some horror movie fun. Spooky gogos, Dreadful drag, Creepy cabaret, Horror Trivia, and Monstrous games! Sit back, decompose, and enjoy as Pablo and Paul take you through a wild and queer journey through the fabulous world of horror films. As always, tip your gogos.

Monday, 10/23

Armenian SuperNight!
10/23 | Oasis | 298 11h St, SF | 7 pm | $25-40

Join us for ARMENIAN OASIS – featuring Mary Basmadjian, Vartoush Loves You, VERA!, and Hrayr – A night of Armenian Performance!

ARMENIAN OASIS – Comedy! Drag! Poetry! Armenians! It’s Hye Time! $25 tix for QUEER and TRANS folks with the promo code armenianQT

Knucks
10/23 | Brick & Mortar Music Hall | 1710 Mission St, SF | 8 pm | $20-25

Hailing from South Kilburn [London, UK], Knucks continues to set the tone for his distinctive sound and music ability. Praised by the likes of Wretch 32, Stormzy Novelist, Kenny Beats to just name a few, the rising rapper is certainly on his way to cement his name in the world of innovative music. At the tender age of 12, he began to grow a strong interest in music, his musical influences are rap legends from the likes of Curren$y, MF Doom, Sade and Nas.

The Lost Boys
10/23 | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema | 2550 Mission St, SF | 7 pm | $25

Whether you’re a blood-sucking “el vampiro” or the meanest, baddest monster-basher in town, everyone’s invited to a night of ’80s vampires, interactive props, and excessive beach saxophone at THE LOST BOYS Movie Party. It’s only noodles, Michael…or gummy worms. Also some plastic vampire teeth, holy water, and garlic all gathered in your take-out box.

So don’t sit around at home reading the TV Guide. Join us for a fun night celebrating one of the most entertaining pieces of ’80s pop culture ever made.

Fire Through Dry Grass
10/23 | Roxie Theater | 3117 16th St, SF | 6:30 pm | $5-15

Wearing snapback caps and Air Jordans, the Reality Poets don’t look like typical nursing home residents. In Fire Through Dry Grass, these Black and brown disabled artists document their lives on lockdown during Covid, using their poetry and art to underscore the danger and imprisonment they feel. In the face of institutional neglect, they refuse to be abused, confined, and erased.

Rad Upcoming Events 

10/27 | The Midway | Dusk2Dawn w/ Claptone, Torren Foot, + more
10/28 | Palace of Fine Arts | Ghost Palace Halloween Party
10/31 | DNA Lounge | All Hallow’s Eve
11/3 | First Universalist Unitarian Center | An Evening With Lyla June

Don’t forget to check out our Big Bad List of Rad Ongoing Events right here!