Philly Area Businesses Celebrate Halloween with Parties, Costume Contests, Concerts


By A.D. AMOROSI

Halloween is a favorite holiday here at Glamorosi Magazine. We love dressing up, dig the taste of pumpkin and don’t mind the color combo of orange and black one bit. Oh, and there’s the parties. Day and night, from now through October 31, trick or treaters are loading up on witch wear, devil horns and Mitt Romney masks, the latter two items not to be confused with each other.

For the youngsters the holiday weekend starts bright and early – 10 a.m. on October 27 – with a Rittenhouse Row Halloween Costume Contest with judges Senator Larry Farnese, Tom Drayton (Fox 29) Michael Klein (The Inquirer) and yours truly at Radisson Plaza’s Warwick Hotel on S. 17th Street. While kids vie for prizes, adults can sip on cocktails and sup on brunch from Di Bruno Bros., Schlesinger’s, and Termini Bros. Yes, I’ll be hopped up on mimosas and cannolis by noon. I dare you to bring the kids.

On that same night around the corner from the Warwick at 9 p.m., October 27,  comes a fear and food fest at Devil’s Alley Bar & Grille at 1907 Chestnut Street. While the dinner portion of the night offers menacing menu items such as Jack O’Lantern Risotto and Candy Corn Bread Pudding, the dance and dress-up party will give away $100 gift cards for Most Devilish, Best Group and Best Overall costumes.

If you’re looking to win more than gift cards and feel like driving, from October 26, through Halloween night, HQ Nightclub at Revel in Atlantic City will feature top-tier  DJ talent (EC Twins, Laidback Luke, Dada Life), and host contests on Friday and Saturday with a nightly prize of $5,000.

Moving forward to Halloween itself,  which falls on a Wednesday, there are probably dozens of house parties you can attend or stoops you can sit on to give away candy. But don’t you deserve a treat?

At Spring Garden Street’s Union Transfer, there’s double the trouble for one low price ($25): the Philadelphia Poster Guild Project exhibition and sale of prints in Union Transfer’s lobby from locals including muralist Hawk Krall, members of Print Liberation and Space 1026, and the Dufala brothers. Inside the venue, the blood curdling sounds of Philly own punk rock girls, the Dead Milkmen.

Then there’s the Grand Poobah of all Philadelphia parties, Henri David’s legendary annual Halloween Ball at the Sheraton Center City (15th and Race), now in its 44th year. You’ll come for the swanky soiree and a tony place in which to wear nice costumes, but you’ll stay for the always entertaining David. For more information call 215.732.7711.

Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 9:20 AM

[ETA: 10/29 - The East Coast, including Philadelphia, PA, is currently experiencing Hurricane Sandy - please check with the venues before you head out to make sure the scheduled events are still happening.]