San Francisco art spaces are preparing their own unique Halloween takes. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) will present an immersive art experience haunted house called The Haunt from Oct. 29–31. Also, Late Night Editions: Halloween Eve takes over the de Young in the heart of Golden Gate Park on Oct. 30.
Late Night Editions: Halloween Eve at the de Young
On Oct. 30 from 6–10 p.m., Late Night Editions: Halloween Eve rises from the shadows and takes over the legendary de Young in the heart of Golden Gate Park. Visitors can wander beneath towering redwoods and through haunting galleries for a night of music, art, and mystery. Live D.J. sets from In Session will pulse through the candlelit halls of the museum. Food trucks, moody cocktails, and immersive photo moments will be around every spooky corner.
What’s a Halloween party without a costume contest? Participants are welcome to arrive in their most art-inspired, avant-garde costume and prepare for a wickedly unforgettable night of art, music, and fashion. General admission is $45, VIP tickets are $95, and guests must be at least 21 years old. The VIP details include an upgrade with access to two hauntingly fun VIP Lounges. Enjoy dedicated open bars, complimentary trick-or-treat bites, private D.J. sets, and more.
Commune with ancient spirits since your ticket allows access to Treasures of the Pharaohs and the de Young’s permanent collection galleries. Please verify with the de Young’s website for full costume guidelines. Costumes and props must not touch or interact with any exhibitions, artworks, or display cases. All costumes must support a safe and respectful museum environment.
The Haunt: A Halloween hangout created by artists at YBCA
Returning for a second year, YBCA and Bat Witch Ghost present The Haunt, a DIY Halloween hangout and immersive art event where Bay Area artists created a spooky labyrinth surrounded by a bar, maker stations, and a dance floor. This year’s Techno-Fantasy theme brings a warped reality to arts and crafts: imagining futuristic worlds using discarded electronics, salvaged materials, and forgotten B-movies. Visitors can wander corridors, sit for tarot readings, dance, drink, and mingle to underground radio in a hazy, laser-lit 6,000-square-foot performance space.
The environment is less jump-scare and more moody interactive adventure for all. Mari Robles, CEO of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, says, “The festivities are less about gore and nightmares, and instead about a spirit of inventiveness and creative possibility. We can’t wait for you to see what we conjure up this year.” The Haunt also includes psychics, tarot readings, a DIY costume enhancement station staffed by YBCA teaching assistants, and local D.J.s curated by Lower Grand Radio each evening.
On Friday, Oct. 30, beloved creative reuse center SCRAP will host a free Halloween headwear workshop during a family-friendly early show from 5 to 10 p.m. (kids 12 and under are free). On Saturday, Oct. 31, as part of a weekly film series, YCBA will screen the iconic 1948 Technicolor fever dream The Red Shoes at 2 p.m., and The Haunt evening show is from 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets for ages 13 and up are $25. Moviegoers and Haunt attendees can show their ticket at neighborhood restaurant The Grove (690 Mission Street) for food and drink happy hour specials all day.
Halloween goes with art. It’s a perfect pairing. Everyone in costume becomes part of the giant theatrical art this holiday celebration represents. Enjoy the YCBA and de Young offerings, design a fun, new, spooky identity, paint your face, and join your friends and community for a night of art, food, fun, and music.
