Do you want the good news, or the good news?
The first good news is that after five straight days of week, two straight days of weekend start at approximately 5 p.m. CST today.
The other good news is that by this time on Monday morning, we’re all going to be rich. Candy rich, that is.
It’s Halloween weekend, and that means the list of entertainment choices below is about 5,000 pixels long. Also, we’ve listed the costume contests that we could find this week, but if you know of more, please add them in the comments, and we’ll add them to list.
Teamwork. Weekend. Party.
Friday
If your goal is to stockpile enough candy to get you through the winter, that quest starts with Trick-or-Treat on the Square, from 3-5 p.m. on Friday.
While you’re up there, you could stop by the Fayetteville Town Center for the 2nd Annual CAT Spooktacular from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. for some “bouncy houses, monstrous mini golf, a Haunted House, sinister face painting, a Mad Scientist’s Laboratory and costume contests” for kids.
Want to see some awesome local bands dress up as another band, and do a set of their songs? There’s one of those shows at Smoke & Barrel Friday night with Arrowhead Project as ZZ Top, Miniature Colossal Men as The Ramones, and Black Pearl, T Jay and Lucio as Outkast.
George’s has BigUns for happy hour, and afterwards, The Pink Trash Ball, benefiting the Susan G. Komen foundation. There will be live music by The Bouffants, snacks, a silent auction, and lots of folks dressed in pink.
The Shady Janes will release their new CD “Silence and the Sway” at the Boom Boom Room Friday night. You can also download the new disc for free at their Bandcamp page. Televise opens the show.
DJ Beat Bachs is hosting his 4th annual Halloween Dance Party at Speakeasy. If you’re not familiar, you should know that these folks go all out. DJs Beat Bachs, Baby Armie, and Nicholas Scott will provide the dance tunes this year. Cost is $5 before 11 p.m., and $7 after.
There’s a masquerade ball at Uncle Gaylords Friday night. I’ve never been to one of their Halloween parties, but word on the street is they rule.
Also, don’t forget about the local version of the Rally to Restore Sanity / March to Keep Fear Alive at Wilson Park.
Costume contests
- El Sancho, 6-9 p.m.
- Buster Belly’s, 11 p.m.
- UARK Ballroom, 7-11 p.m.
- CAT Spooktacular (Town Center), 4-7 p.m.
Saturday
Spay Arkansas is hosting a costume contest on the square during the farmers’ market. It starts at 10:30 am, it’s $5 to enter, and if you don’t feel like putting on a costume, you can enter your dog instead.
At 6 p.m., the Razorbacks will be beating the bird turds out of the Vanderbilt Commodores. Sorry, Commodores.
Tunes-wise, The Great Scotts are doing two sets as the Beastie Boys at Smoke & Barrel Saturday night. Word on the street is that they’ve been working on this project for over a year. Austin’s The Blind Pets are in town for a set as well.
Partying like it’s 1999 is so 1992. Rogue is hosting a Halloween party Saturday night with Randall Shreve, and they’re encouraging folks to dress like it’s 1932.
Punkinhead played their first show in twelve years on Halloween 2008, and this year, they’re keeping the tradition alive over at George’s. I never saw one back in the day, but their Halloween shows are legendary. More rock will be provided by Shulertown, Ben Miller Band, and Andy Frasco.
Costume contests:
- Spay Arkansas Costume Contest (Farmers’ Market), 10:30 a.m.
- Grub’s, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
- Smoke & Barrel (Regular, Slave Leia), 10 p.m.
- LIT, 10 p.m.
Sunday
Sunday is Halloween, and it also happens to be the last Sunday Farmers’ Market at the Botanical Garden. It’s also Farmers’ Market Customer Appreciation Day.
Candy Lee & The Sweets are at Greenhouse Grille for a special Halloween brunch show. The Sweets. Get it?
As if you won’t be getting enough real chocolate this weekend, you can get some of the audible variety at Whole Earth Organic Lounge’s Audible Chocolate Halloween Edition featuring Bizar and Ultrasonic Nozzle.
Big Gigantic is back in town for a show at George’s Sunday night, and according to the little flame by their name on George’s website, the show is close to selling out, FYI.
If you feel like celebrating Halloween night with a more low-key party, Smoke & Barrel is showing three Halloween-ish movies, with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” the AMC Premiere of “The Walking Dead,” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” I’ll bring the toilet paper if you bring the toast.
There’s a ton more below, and feel free to add to the list in the comments. Happy Halloween, y’all.
- Friday, Oct. 29
- Smoke & Barrel Tavern: Arrowhead Project / Miniature Colossal Men / Black Pearl / T Jay / Lucio
- Fayetteville Town Center: 2nd Annual CAT Spooktacular
- Wilson Park: NWA Rally to Restore Sanity
- El Sancho Mexican Grill: Halloween costume contest
- Ella’s: Tim Paul
- Greenhouse Grille: Walter Savage
- JJ’s Grill n Chill: Jamie Wolfe
- Jose’s: Joe Giles
- UARK Bowl & Ballroom: Rock-Tober Fest
- Arts Live Theatre: Night of the Living Dead
- Whole Earth Organic Lounge: Terra Nova’s Kosmic Karousel
- Buster Belly’s: Busters Halloween Party and Costume Contest
- ROTC Grill: Minus Bob
- Maxine’s: Jed Clampit & Friends
- Mojo’s Pints & Pies: Chooch & The Sidehill Gougers
- GoodFolk: Danielle Gasparro
- Walton Arts Center: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
- UA Campus: Urinetown: The Musical
- Uncle Gaylord’s: Uncle Gaylords Halloween Bash
- Arsaga’s on Crossover: Drewpy Drawers
- Grub’s: Boom Kinetic
- Boom Boom Room: The Shady Janes
- George’s Majestic Lounge: The Pink Trash Ball / BigUns
- Speakeasy: Beat Bachs’ Halloween Dance Party
- Saturday, Oct. 30
- Brenda’s Bigger Burger: Homecoming Halloween Burger!
- UA Campus: NWA Tobacco Free Coalition- Razorback Tailgate
- Arts Live Theatre: Night of the Living Dead
- Smoke & Barrel Tavern: The Great Scotts / Blind Pets
- Ella’s: Lorie Morris
- Greenhouse Grille: Hog Town Hot Club feat. Jim Greason
- George’s Majestic Lounge: Punkinhead / Shulertown / Ben Miller Band / Andy Frasco
- Maxine’s: Jed Clampit & Friends
- JJ’s Grill n Chill: TJ Scarlett
- Jose’s: Cousin Eddie
- Grub’s: Ten Cent Hat
- Rogue Pizza Co.: Randall Shreve
- UA Campus: Urinetown: The Musical
- Arsaga’s on Crossover: Ryan Enis
- ROTC Grill: The Tyrones
- Drifters: Jason Strode Band
- LIT: Fat Beats with Tricks and Treats
- Whole Earth Organic Lounge: Strange Heroes
- Fayetteville Square: People & Pets Costume contest
- Sunday, Oct. 31
- Botanical Garden of the Ozarks: Farmers’ Market Customer Appreciation Day
- Greenhouse Grille: Candy Lee and the Sweets
- Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall: Amy Mayes – Clarinet Recital
- Arts Live Theatre: Night of the Living Dead
- UA Campus: Urinetown: The Musical
- Drifters: Jason Strode Band
- Pesto Cafe: Shannon Wurst
- Whole Earth Organic Lounge: Audible Chocolate Halloween Edition
- Speakeasy: For The Hell Of It Club Event
- George’s Majestic Lounge: Big Gigantic
- Rogue Pizza Co.: Redstone Hall
- Smoke & Barrel Tavern: AMC Premiere of “The Walking Dead,” Followed by Rocky Horror!