Adult parties and costume contests

D.C.-area bars are full of costume contests, dance parties and chances to show off your creative side at this time of year. Here are a few of our favorites, and there are many more options on goingoutguide.com.

Spooky Queens Drag Show at Gateway Park

Shi-Queeta Lee — host of the long-running “Illusions” drag brunch — is the host of this outdoor drag show in Rosslyn, which deals with “a magically spooky world of illusion and mystery.” Prizes will be awarded for the best Halloween costumes in the audience, and beer and wine will be available from the Pub in the Park cash bar. Tickets are general admission, and seating is first-come, first-served. Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. rosslynva.org. $10.

Hallo-Queen at Wunder Garten

Halloween and Pride collide at Wunder Garten’s Hallo-Queen, where “outrageous” costumes are encouraged, and potentially rewarded in the costume contest. The evening includes DJs, dancing and live performances. Thursday at 7 p.m. wundergartendc.com. Free.

Halloween at Lost Generation

One Halloween party isn’t enough at Lost Generation: The Eckington brewery has something happening in the taproom every night through Sunday. Thursday brings a PumpkinPalooza after-party with $6 seasonal pints. (See the “All ages” section for more details.) There’s a costume contest for humans on Friday (arrive by 7:30 p.m.) and one for dogs on Saturday, which also includes pet portraits to raise money for Pet Harbor Rescue. (Costumed dogs should enter before 2.) Finally, there’s Halloween-themed trivia on Sunday night, with $5 beers during the game. Through Sunday. Times vary. lostgenbrewing.com. Admission free.

Spellbound: A New Wave Halloween Party at DC9

D.C. bands take inspiration from new wave greats at DC9’s retro Halloween, with Ari Voxx and the Sad Lads performing songs by Siouxsie and the Banshees, Kinda Evil covering Blondie, and Insatiable High and Glorian teaming up to channel Depeche Mode. DJ Johnny Panic spins between bands, and Odetta is on hand for tarot readings. (Hang around afterward for the 2000s dance party Daft Punk Is Playing at My Haunted House, which has a $100 prize for the best costume.) Friday at 7 p.m. dc9.club. $15-$17.

Halloween Showcase at the Runaway

Everyone loves a good (read: over-the-top) tribute act, and the annual Halloween Showcase at the Runaway pays off. Don a costume and head to Brookland for one-night-only cover bands, including Detroit Mock City performing Kiss’s makeup-smeared anthems, Welcome to Paradise channeling Green Day’s pop-punk, the Self-Righteous Suicides taking on System of a Down, and the Amateur Cartographers diving into the Weakerthans’ catalogue. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Humane Rescue Alliance. We weren’t kidding about dressing up: “Costumes and Positive Attitudes are Mandatory,” according to the bar. Saturday at 8:30 p.m. therunawaydc.com. $15.

Hip Hop Halloween Bar Crawl on U Street

The Hip Hop Bar Crawl has become a staple on U Street on long weekends, but it’s most fun at Halloween, when the participating bars are flooded with crowds in throwback outfits and scary group costumes. There are nine stops on this eight-hour bar crawl, each with a different DJ and musical theme: Bro DJ spins 1990s hip-hop at the Alchemist from 3 to 6 p.m., DJ Harry Hotter hosts an “I Hear Dead People” set at Alice from 4 to 7, and DJ Cory T honors the G.O.A.T. producers in District Alley from 5 to 8. At each stop, there are $5 shots, $5 beers and assorted drink specials. The cover gets participants into each stop and entry into the costume contest. Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m. regmopromo.com. $30.

HellBent: Double Feature at 9:30 Club

This Halloween’s Bent dance party is a “Double Feature”: twice as many DJs and twice as many performers. DJs going back to back at the perennially popular LGBTQ event include Lemz vs. Tezrah, JJ202 vs. WesstheDJ and Sean Morris vs. the Barber Streisand, while Cake Pop and Rico Pico are among the drag artists taking the stage. Projectileobjects provides the horror-themed cinematic backdrop. In other words: This isn’t your average Bent. Saturday at 10 p.m. 930.com. $25.

Halloween (Taylor’s Version) at Quincy Hall

With all the excitement around Halloween, you may not have noticed that Taylor Swift is releasing “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” this week. Well, Ballston’s Quincy Hall is here to remind you that we’re actually celebrating Halloween (Taylor’s Version). There’s a Taylor Swift look-alike contest, a Taylor Swift costume contest (BYO friendship bracelets) and a Taylor Swift karaoke contest, in addition to “1989”-themed drinks and giveaways. Saturday at 9 p.m. quincyhallbar.com. Free.

Navy Yard Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Bring your cleverest friends to Navy Yard for an afternoon of costumed fun and games and, perhaps, a drink or two. Dacha, Solace Outpost and the Cove are hosting a challenging bar crawl on the Anacostia waterfront, which might require participants to solve a crossword puzzle, locate someone dressed as a particular movie character or take a photo with a landmark, getting points for each challenge completed. Teams of up to five check in at Dacha any time after 11 a.m., and bring their answers and photographic proof back later in the day to win prizes. 11 a.m. dachabeergarden.com. Free.

Halloween Abbondanza at Sonny’s and No Kisses

Like natural wine as much as you like putting together a Halloween costume? Make tracks to Park View, where the quarterly Abbondanza wine festival on the spacious patio behind Sonny’s and No Kisses is taking on a Halloween theme. Yes, you’ll still be able to wander around and sample dozens of natural wines from around the world — at least 10 importers and distributors will be pouring from their catalogues, and chatting about the makers and their grapes — while snacking on unlimited pizza. But because it’s Halloween weekend, there’s a costume contest with prizes, including a box filled with natural wines and cider, or a three-month membership to Sonny’s pizza and natural wine club. VIP tickets add early admission and a chance to sample special wines. Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. sonnyspizzadc.com. $65-$85.

25th anniversary of Nightmare on M Street

For a quarter of a century, Lindy Promotions’ Nightmare on M Street bar crawl has been a staple of the Halloween season for costumed 20-somethings on the prowl. The venues may have changed — Decades, Blackfinn and the Admiral have replaced names like Rumors, the Black Rooster and MCCXXIII — but the premise is essentially the same. Registration gets no-cover access to more than a dozen bars in Dupont Circle and the Golden Triangle, with specials including $3 beers, $4 shots and $5 mixed drinks. Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m. lindypromo.com. $20-$40.

Reggaeton Halloween Brunch at El Rey

Get an early start on Halloween Saturday at El Rey on U Street, where the twice-monthly Reggaeton Brunch — hosted by the Wait! Don’t Do It! Podcast — features a soundtrack of reggaeton, merengue, cumbia and bachata; drag performances by Indiana Bones and Ricky Rosé; a costume contest; and optional unlimited mimosas. Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. elreydc.com. $25-$39.

Desiree Dik’s Oddball at Red Bear Brewing

Desiree Dik — the regular host of Red Bear Brewing’s drag bingo and monthly Slay Them drag competition — is joined by Baphomette, Syren 7, Mirage, O Money and Angel DeVero for Oddball, which the NoMa brewpub calls “the creepiest show in the DMV.” American Sign Language interpretation is provided. Saturday at 9 p.m. redbear.beer. Free.

Brews and Boos at 2 Silos Brewing

If you’re the kind of person who plans their Halloween costume months in advance, plan to head out to Manassas on Saturday. That’s where Hot 99.5 is giving away $2,000 for the best outfit, at a party hosted by the radio station’s Elizabethany, with $1,000 and $500 gift cards for the runners-up. There’s music throughout the day, including sets by solo singer Sela Campbell, ’90s tribute act Doc Marten and the Flannels, and cover band Legal in the District. Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; party and costume contest begin at 7 p.m. 2silosbrewing.com. Free.

Groovy Halloween Party at Duke’s Grocery

Get ready to hear plenty of bad Austin Powers-esque accents at Duke’s Grocery in Navy Yard, where there’s a Swinging ’60s theme and costume contest, live music from singer Steve Boucher, and drink specials all night. (While 1960s outfits are encouraged, all are welcome.) Saturday at 8 p.m. dukesgrocery.com. Free.

Animated Halloween Bash at Motorkat

Dress as your favorite animated character for Motorkat’s first Halloween party. The Takoma Park bar offers drink specials and DJ Josh Tang, as well as a costume contest. Saturday at 10 p.m. motorkat.com. Free.

Burn Baby Burn at Ciel Social Club

This party comes from the team behind Throwing Shade, the twice-monthly throw-down at Capo, and veteran party promoters the Usual Suspectz, whose hits include the Set R&B nights at Howard Theatre. DJs Farrah Flosscett and Biggs curate a night of disco and disco-adjacent dance tunes on the rooftop of the AC Hotel downtown, where the suggested outfits are “disco dancing queen” and “your ‘Soul Train’ alter ego.” Brunch is served until 6 p.m., and mezcal cocktails are served all night. Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m. eventnoire.com. Free.

Pumpkin Painting Party and Costume Contest at Calico

Blagden Alley’s tucked-away garden space offers procrastinators a chance to spend Sunday afternoon finding and decorating a pumpkin without going to a patch or farm stand. Find your gourd, pay $5 and head to the bar, where painting supplies await. Sip spiked or traditional hot cider, get your tarot read, or pose for photos with a custom backdrop. Costumes are encouraged for people and pets, with prizes for the best. Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. calicodc.com. Free.

Funset: Kill Moe Kill at Dew Drop Inn

Winter is coming, which means our favorite outdoor events are packing up and saying goodbye until spring of 2024. This is the final week for Funset, the weekly indoor-outdoor dance party at Dew Drop Inn that has become one of D.C.’s most essential and enjoyable gathering spots, with a rotating roster of DJs dropping the city’s sweetest hip-hop, funk, ’80s and R&B tunes for packed, appreciative crowds. Pick out a throwback outfit — New Balance 990s and a Gucci watch? — for what’s being billed as a “D.C. Halloween” jam, with DJs Stylus, Harry Hotter, Groovy Gene, Nate Geezie, Friends on Mars and Smudge rotating on and off the decks. Due to the holiday weekend, the party stretches until 2 a.m. Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. dewdropinndc.com. Free.

Nightmare on H Street at Lydia on H

It’s going to be a busy day (and night) at Lydia, where brunch runs from 1 to 5 p.m., with a buffet and bottomless mimosas, before the costume party goes from 5 p.m. “until.” DJs Bri Mafia, Bundy and Raqie provide the club vibes, while the bartenders serve $8 “spooky drinks” all night. (There’s also an optional $40 open bar from 9 to 11 p.m.) Prizes in the costume contest include a champagne tower and dinner at Lydia with a bottle of the liquor of your choice. Times vary. lydiaonhdc.com. Reservations recommended for brunch; evening party free with RSVP.

Pumpkin Carving Party at St. Vincent Wine

St. Vincent’s spacious back patio is the perfect place to sip a glass of wine with your partner or a group of friends on a cool autumn night — and do some last-minute pumpkin decorating while you’re at it. Tickets for the Georgia Avenue bar’s Pumpkin Carving Party come with a glass of wine or seasonal cocktail and a pumpkin for every two people, as well as tools to turn it into a jack-o’-lantern. You might want to start thinking about designs now: There’s a $50 gift card for the judges’ favorite pumpkin. Monday at 6 p.m. stvincentwine.com. $20.

Bravoween at Lulu’s Winegarden

Based on the assumption that “there’s nothing scarier than a room full of Bravolebrities,” Halloween at Lulu’s features a Bravo trivia night (7 to 9 p.m.), a Bravo-inspired costume contest and themed drinks named after all your favorite reality stars. Tuesday at 5 p.m. luluswinegarden.com. Free.

Halloween at Trade

Halloween marks the debut of the fifth season of “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula” — a horror-tinged alternative drag reality competition — and Trade is holding a viewing party, hosted by Jaxknife Complex at 8 p.m. Once a contestant has been exterminated, the focus turns to dance party Candy Exchange, with music by WesstheDJ and performances by Dabatha Christie, Jesus Vice 007 and Gin Toxic. Stick around for the “worst costume contest” at midnight. Tuesday at 8 p.m. tradebardc.com. Free.

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