From paddleboarding witches to pet costume contests, these events will get you in the Halloween spirit
Photo via Flickr.
Looking for some spooky ways to celebrate October — other than a visit to the pumpkin patch? Check out these six Halloween-themed events haunting Victoria this month.
Victoria Witches Fundraising Paddle
Grab your broomstick and join South Island Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) for the fourth Annual Victoria Witches Fundraising Paddle on Oct. 26 from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. at Willows Beach near Cattle Point. Tickets are $20 for a board, paddle, lifejacket, whistle, and leash. If you have gear, there’s no need to book online! Just don your pointy hat and meet your fellow witches and warlocks on the water. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Mustard Seed Food Bank.
Ghostly Walks Halloween Tours
From Oct. 1–31, Ghostly Walks offer a special Halloween tour around Victoria. Although the Halloween walks always begin in Market Square, they change the route every year. The tour is approximately 60 minutes and tickets must be purchased online. It’s $22 for adults, $17 for students and seniors, and $12 for children 6–11. Enjoy the special tour featuring Ghostly Walks’ classic gruesome stories, along with new and previously untold tales.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
Looking for a unique Halloween experience? Try Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics on Saturday Oct. 26 at St. Ann’s Academy. According to Victoria event site “Fever,” Candlelight concerts “bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations” around Victoria. The tentative program for this 60-minute performance includes Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a variety of theme songs from classic Halloween movies, such as Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, Halloween, and Ghostbusters. Tickets range from $39 to $64, and there are showings at 6:00, 7:45, and 9:30 p.m.
2024 Howl-oween Pet Parade
On Oct. 27, join pets and their owners at Carr House Museum for their fourth annual Howl-oween Pet Parade. Register your pet for the costume contest for a chance to win prizes, awarded to first and second place. Check-in opens at 12:15 p.m. and closes ten minutes prior to the event. The parade starts at 1:00 p.m., and then Carr House invites spectators and families to enjoy this spooky afternoon of costumes, crafts, and cute pets.
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
Grab your fishnets and corsets and get ready to sing, because no list of spooky events is complete without The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This gender-bending, mixed-genre cult classic is the perfect way to embrace the Halloween spirit. The Victoria Film Festival is showing Rocky Horror on Oct. 25, 26, 27, and 31. Tickets are $20 for this 19+ screening at the Vic Theatre.
Don’t want to venture off campus? Cinecenta is also showing this iconic film on Oct. 25 and 26!
Halloween Market YYJ
Do you want to support local artists and small businesses this spooky season? Visit the annual Halloween Market YYJ on Oct. 26 and 27 at the Da Vinci Centre. They have a wide variety of vendors and gifts, including handmade crochet and knitted items, pottery, clothing, and jewelry. Tickets are $5 for one day or $7 for the weekend, and kids under 12 are free.
