All Hallow’s Eve is on a weekend this year and with a time change to boot! For some of us that means an extra hour of sleep and for some, an extra hour to party! This year in Taos, the festivities are numerous. Whether you’re a costume enthusiast, a candy addict, or just a good old-fashioned proponent of mystery and make-believe, our town has got you covered.
Presenting: the Live Taos “Weenie” Round-up!
A sampling of your many Halloween-weekend choices. This list is not exhaustive, but it is exciting.
A Full Day of Family Fun:
Get your day started early-ish with Halloween at the Harwood, 11am-2pm. It’s Saturday after all and there’s lots to do! All ages are invited for a free art program, celebrating Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Construct skeleton puppets and cigar box shrines in the art room. After you’ve created your masterpiece, cruise through the collection in costume and see if you can find all the skeletons in their closets!
Now that you’ve had your culturally enlightened morning, it’s time to get down to some serious business — CANDY!
The town of Taos rolls it out in style with a leisurely afternoon Halloween Extravaganza from 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Hosted by merchants on Taos Plaza, the John Dunn shops, and the surrounding area, there will be carnival games and prizes, a haunted house, costume contests and sweets for everyone. There’s even a teen dance party from 6-8 pm featuring a mysterious (no, really, I couldn’t find their name anywhere) DJ in the plaza gazebo. Taos Plaza and Bent St. will be closed from 2-8 p.m. except to foot traffic to keep the event carefree, safe and fun.
Of course no Taos Halloween would be complete without a magical experience at Twirl. I don’t care how old you are, that store is good for your soul. And this year they’re hosting a party — Funky Sensations Halloween at Twirl from 4:00-6:00 pm offers you a chance to chill out in the courtyard and rest your eyes from the swirling candy-fueled maelstrom of cute running madcap through our streets. Come in costume for icky and sticky sensory treats.
And if you’re not sugared out yet, head over to the Taos High School parking lot for Trunk or Treat, 6pm – 9pm! Local sponsors provide trunks full of candy for a safe and well-lit trick-or-treating experience. Plus there are two, count ’em TWO, haunted houses.
Now, with family fun accomplished…
So what ARE we gonna do tonight, Brain?:
Assuming you’re not an overly-ambitious genius talking lab rat, you probably want to relax, dress up, and go out and have some fun. Might I suggest taking in a show?
Teatro Serpiente is presenting William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead, 7:00 – 9:00 pm: a true and accurate account of the 1599 zombie plague. Tickets are $15. Come in costume and watch some of Taos’ finest community theater in action.
If zombies aren’t your thing and you’re looking for something or someone with, shall we say, a little more finesse? The Halloween Burlesque Bash out at Taos Mesa, 7:30-11:30pm is for you! Excellent beer, the tantalizing talents of the local ladies of Bon Bon Burlesque and music by Hello Doll Face. There’s a costume contest, and it’s a charitable event for the TYB student scholarship fund. It’s the perfect evening of fun all in one convenient location. Tickets are $8.
However if you’re SERIOUS about “getting your costume on” — we all know who you are, because really the rest of us just thought about ours this week while you’ve been crafting that papier-mâché dragon head in your basement since July — KTAOS’ traditional Costume Party Bash 7:00 – 11:30 pm is the place to go show it off. Featuring live music from the Jason Spooner Band, with $500 in cash prizes and only a $5 cover.
And finally, of course because we are a town of tradition and habit, or because the place just has magical late-night cocktail mojo, we can all meet up at the Alley to dance to the Damn Band, 10:00 pm til you leave (or get carried out)! Costume contest starts at midnight, with cash prizes, dancing, and fun.
And of course this year on Halloween, as we all hope and pray, it’s going to snow! So dress warm, eat Starburst and Snickers with wild abandon, play make-believe, and dance the night away. And when you wake up in a panic the next day, head throbbing from sugar, booze, and late night reverie, take a moment to reflect: it’s Sunday, and one hour earlier than you thought it was going to be! Plenty of time to get your act together to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with Last to Know at Taos Mesa Brewing, 7:00pm, $7.
Hey, you can sleep when you’re dead.
All photos of Taos Halloweens past courtesy LiveTaos