Halloween: Leave the kids at home for these 10 parties up and down Delaware
There's going to be a lot of interesting choices being made when costumed adults invade Delaware's bars this weekend.
Here are 10 parties just for the grown-ups, starting Friday and going straight through the actual holiday on Wednesday.
FRIDAY
BATTLE AXE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE: A six-hour party featuring strong drinks and ax-throwing. What could possibly go wrong? Wilmington ax-throwing company Battle Axe will take over Liquid Alchemy Beverages (28 Brookside Drive, near Elsmere) for the meadery’s Battle Axe Zombie Apocalypse party from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday. If you drop $40 on a ticket you get in the door, one round of ax-throwing and two drink tickets. You can also stick to tastings and a makeup specialist will zombify you.
SATURDAY:
RAWKTOBERFEST: The annual Halloween rock party is at 1984 (2511 W. Fourth St., Wilmington) on Saturday at 7 p.m. Members of local bands turn into tribute bands for one night only -- Happy Halloween! -- and play the hits. Here's their line-up: No Doubt (members of Worth, Grace Vonderkuhn, Oh S--t), The Cure (members of MEGA, Sparkbird, The Cocks, Sarah Koon and Mothman Properties), The Damned (members of Gozer, Eyebawl, Worth), Pearl Jam (MEGA with members of Mothman Properties), The Flaming Lips (Pinwheel) and Gorillaz (The Psychedelic Puppets). This one is $5 at the door and 21 and older. On Wednesday the bar does Halloween again, this time with Brad Newsom and the Vulture Kings and Kitty Rotten -- the band with a giant cat fronting it. Because Halloween wasn't scary enough already. The party starts at 8 p.m.
HALLOWEEN LOOP: Wilmington's Halloween Loop will be serving up costumed shenanigans Saturday night at 10 bars (Catherine Rooney's, Chelsea Tavern, Dead Presidents, Ernest & Scott, Gallucio's Cafe, Grotto Pizza, Kelly's Logan House, Timothy's Riverfront, Trolley Square Oyster House and Trolley Tap House). Wristband sales start at 5 p.m. And remember: No more buses. Loop partiers get a Lyft discount code with their wristband, or they can find their own way back.
CREEPY CRAWL HALLOWEEN BAR CRAWL: Milford bar hoppers can jump on a bus at EasySpeak Spirits (586 Milford Harrington Highway, Milford) at 7 p.m. Saturday and make the rounds without worrying about driving. The bus stops at Mispillion River Brewing and Arena's, although other bars, including Park Place, Milford Tavern and Abbott's Grill are scheduled to participate in the crawl.
HOPPY HALLOWEEN: Blue Earl Brewing in Smyrna (210 Artisan Drive) is serving up what the people want on the weekend before Halloween: Beer and costumes. The annual party has a costume contest, special beer release and live music by The Knotty G, Earth Radio and the Susquehanna Floods. There's no cover charge for the party that runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
DEWEY BEACH BARS: In Dewey Beach, it's the battle of the costume parties. Both The Starboard and the Rusty Rudder are throwing a Halloween bash with Kristen & The Noise and Love Seed Mama Jump, respectively. The parties start at 9 p.m.
HALLOWEEN (WEDNESDAY)
OPEN MIC WITH THE COCKS: The Jackson Inn (101 N. Dupont Road), one of Wilmington’s oldest and homey barrooms, is getting into the spirit of Halloween. The guys from New Castle-based rock band The Cocks built a stage there over the summer and have been hosting open mics on Wednesdays ever since. With Halloween falling on a Wednesday, the group's weekly event is taking a turn for the spooky, with The Cocks doing a full set but also leaving space for open mic artists to raise hell. The fun starts at 8 p.m.
BONES BRIGADE HALLOWEEN PARTY: The Dead is coming back for a Halloween party. On Wednesday night, the Grateful Dead/Garcia tribute band Bones Brigade is taking up residence at Nomad in Wilmington. The group and costumed guests will take over the Orange Street bar starting at 9 p.m., and there's no cover to attend.
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