We’re just six days away from Halloween– and I don’t know about y’all, but the GVLtoday team is already in the spooky spirit. 👻

The tradition of celebrating All Hallows Eve is believed to have derived from a Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest, the beginning of winter, and a time when spirits were able to cross back to earth. The Celts tried to appease the friendly spirits by offering a feast, and to scare away the not-so-friendly ones by dressing up in frightening costumes.

To keep the tradition alive and well locally, we’ve searched every dark alley + corridor for the spookiest events– *witch* you’ll be dying to attend.

🎃 If you’ve got the kids in tow... 🎃

Trick or Treating (supporting FARE’s Teal Pumpkin Project) | Oct. 31 | Magnolia Park | Safe, allergy-free experience to local kids + families. Magnolia Park will be offering toys, prizes, and non-food treats at participating locations.

The Children’s Museum Booseum | Oct. 27 | The Children’s Museum of the Upstate | Spooky experiments, ghostly art projects, eerie inventions, mysterious stories, and more. | Free to museum members/Cost of admission for non-members

“Earle street is the BEST place to trick or treat. Hundreds of kids go, making driving on the street impossible and [it’s] safe for kids. The neighbors go all out decorating their porches. It’s great.” – Robbie R.
Veg Fest Halloween Bash and Fundraiser | Oct. 30 | Happy + Hale | Part of the proceeds go to Greenville's first-ever Veg Fest! | A costume contest, special giveaways, and homemade goodies for a bake sale.

Trick-or-Treat in the Village of West Greenville | 4:30 p.m. | Walk from storefront to storefront, collect candy and learn more about neighborhood businesses. 🍬

Caine Halter Family Y Harvest Festival | Oct. 26 | Caine Halter Family YMCA | 721 Cleveland St | Hayrides, dancing, pumpkin painting, campfire + s’mores, carnival games, and more.

Trick or Treat on Main Street | 3 – 8 p.m. | Main Street | An evening of family fun as you show off costumes, get discounts from your favorite local businesses, + win free gifts for the holidays

“@bcbctaylors [Brushy Creek Baptist Church] Halloween night from 6 – 8 p.m.” - @_joybolton_

“@villagewgvl Halloween night 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.!🖤💀” - @rockerbelles

Halloween Hoopla | Oct. 27 | Greer City Park | Wear your best Halloween costume and enjoy carnival games, inflatables, live performances, tons of candy, and more.

Kroctoberfest Family Festival | Oct. 27 | Kroc Center | 424 Westfield St. | Prize drawing, bounce houses, jumbo Jenga, face-painting, photo booth, open swim, and more.

“@bbc_simpsonvillesc [Bible Baptist of Simpsonville] is having a trunk or treat. 6:45 – 8 p.m.” - @lynch.88

Stone Pin Company’s Halloween Party | Oct. 28 | 304 E Stone Ave. | Costume contest for kids, popcorn machine, cotton candy, face painting, fun treats, and half-off bowling. 🎳👻

City of Easley Trunk or Treat | Oct. 27 | Trick or treat through Old Market Square. 50+ businesses will pass out Halloween goodies + catch a showing of Hocus Pocus at dark to celebrate the movie's 25th anniversary.

Future Scholar Boo in the Zoo | Oct. 26 - 28 | Greenville Zoo | Tickets | Twenty trick-or-treat stations, character photos with princesses, extinct species graveyard, Dragon Alley, and Alice’s Fun House.

Halloween on Main Street, Fountain Inn | Oct. 27 | 200 N Main St., Fountain Inn

Halloween Costume Contest | Oct. 31 | Grill Marks (Downtown Greenville + Haywood Mall) | Guests can win a $50 gift card for posting a picture of themselves in their costume at Grill Marks. Wear a costume to get deals + treats.

**🍸 If you’re just here for the boos... 🍸**

Hawk N' Tom's Halloween House Party | Oct. 27 | Zen | 924 S Main St | $20+ | All-you-can-drink open bar for VIPs | $1,000 Halloween costume contest prize.

Blockhouse Bash | Oct. 27 | The Blockhouse Restaurant and Oyster Bar | Jell-O shots, $2 Domestic Drafts, and $4 Jager + Fireball. The Capture Mania Photo Booth will be there to capture the awesome costumes.

Scary-aoke Costume Party! | Oct. 27 | LTO Burger Bar | Karaoke with DJ Puddin, free parking + prizes for the top three best and most creative costumes.

Halloween Party | 9 p.m. | Ink N Ivy | $1,000 cash + prizes for the best costume.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | The Eighth State Brewing Company | Use your creativity to find random items (read: bring a bunch of things with you), demonstrate specific skills, and participate in group activities. 🔍

The Release of Perlin's Ghost | 6 – 9 p.m. | Fireforge Crafted Beer | A new ghost pepper ale, Mobile Meltdown grilled cheese food truck, and a candy bar.

🐩 If you want to bring your furry friends... 🐩

Bark in the Park | Oct. 27 | Lake Conestee Nature Park | Entertainment, vendors, games, contests with celebrity judges, silent auction, raffles, food, and 5K Run/Walk.

Howl-o-ween Spooktacular | Oct. 28 | Aloft Downtown Greenville | Costumes, cocktails and waggy tails competing for prizes in the doggy costume contest for a grand prize weekend stay at Aloft. | $5 cover (donated to Lucky Pup)

Howl-O-Ween | Oct. 28 | Brewery 85 | Bring your pups out for some beer + a best-dressed contest (for pups and people) to raise money for Greenville County Animal Care. | Bonus: There will be candy for kids.

Halloween at Hampton Station | Oct. 27 | Birds Fly South Ale Project | Trick-or-treating at participating shops, costume contests for pups + peeps, fall coffee specials, plenty of food, and of course, beer.

Shimmer’s Spooktacular Fundraiser | Oct. 27 | The Barkery Bistro | 2123 Augusta St. | Halloween-themed fundraiser for Shimmer, who was recently in an accident which left her with loss of motion in her back legs.

Fantastic Pets and Where to Find Them | Oct. 28 | Gallery Shopping Center on Haywood Rd. | Greenville County Animal Care's pop up adoption event.

My Halloween plans consist of watching Hocus Pocus + eating my weight in Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (with no shame).

Don’t forget to tag us in your Halloween pics this weekend + be safe out there.

– Jordan