What should we do for Halloween in Boston?

October 21, 2009 7:56 PM

What should we do for Halloween in Boston?

My wife and I are looking for a Halloween activity in Boston. Something that would involve seeing fun costumes, hanging out with friends and maybe having a drink. We are not looking for some crazy club experience, cause we are not that cool.

Where we used to live we simply went downtown, where they closed off some streets and hung out, people watched, popped into a few bars to have drinks and just walked around. Something like that would be ideal.

We thought Salem would be interesting but hear its a complete madhouse so that is probably out.

posted by IzzeYum to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (6 answers total)

You should forget Boston and come up to Portsmouth, NH, for our amazing Halloween Parade. It is quite a spectacle with thousands and thousands of creative, spirited people having an incredible time. The parade is a happening that anyone is welcome to join - just wear a costume and meet at the location described. It winds through downtown, and more thousands of people come out to watch. It's an absolutely wonderful, memorable celebration that's about imagination and fantasy and creativity, more than getting hammered. *

*though if you choose to you can stick around downtown afterward for some good food and/or beverages. Lots of places to go.
posted by Miko at 8:05 PM on October 21, 2009

I love Salem, but it is a madhouse at Halloween, and it doesn't sound like the atmosphere you want. Maybe a charity inspired event like GOTO's Halloween Party would be the ticket. I know GOTO's crowd is mostly professionals in their 20s and 30s. Vinalia is more of an upscale restaurant and lounge than a club. Maybe you want something more chill than that, but if you want to see costumes and such, I think some sort of charity event for adults would be your best bet. Have fun!
posted by katemcd at 8:09 PM on October 21, 2009

As a Salem resident, it is indeed a bit mad here. But you would be able to avoid much of the madness with some proper planning.

First, do not drive into Salem on weekends in October. Take the train. You can drink more and avoid crazy traffic and parking. If you do have to drive, drive in to Beverly and come down into Salem via the bridge and park on Bridge Street. You can then walk the rest of the way.

Second, you can make a pass through the center of town to see all the costumes, multiple carnivals (there are now at least 3 places to get fried dough within walking distance of my house), and then retreat to a distant location that's not in the thick of things. If you avoid the Essex, Hawthorne, Washington, Derby area, you should be okay. Walk across the North River to Leslie's Retreat or even over to Beverly (I like Kitty O'Shea's) when it's time for you to settle in. Other fringe bars include the Black Lobster and the Major's.

Third, come early. While they've added trains, things get their most crowded once the sun sets. If you plan for a drunken afternoon, you'll be back in Boston to followup on any local event you may be interested in.

All of this is pretty weather dependent. Dismal conditions will keep a lot of the crowds away, so you might luck out. It pays to be opportunistic too - if you can snag a table at Gulu-Gulu, you're golden for hours.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:38 AM on October 22, 2009

I used to love going to the huge pumpkin carving party down at the Frog Pond downtown. It's right near Filene's and Macy's, in the big park there by the train stop (don't remember which train though, I do know that the government center stop on the green(?) line lets you out right in the heart of that little shopping district, and it's only about a block or two to the park). Last time I checked, every year they do a big thing and everybody carves a pumpkin then they all get lit up. It's really cool. Also, there's always Salem. It really is fun.

And do you have any interest in going to a corn maze? When I lived up there I used to go to those every fall, the Boston area has some really great mazes.
posted by wild like kudzu at 7:52 AM on October 22, 2009

This is probably more a thing for after whatever else you end up doing, but I thought I'd get a plug in for the Halloween Horror Movie Marathon, starting at 11:00 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. I went last year and had a lot of fun, and am planning on going again. There were some costumes, although that wasn't the focus, obviously. No drinking though.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 10:48 AM on October 22, 2009

If you are into climbing or interested in trying it, there will be a climbing competition at Central Rock Gym in Worcester. After the serious competition they are having a costume climbing competition which should be a blast. There won't be drinking there, but the official parts will be over early enough to hit another party to get your drink on.
posted by thekiltedwonder at 5:09 PM on October 22, 2009