All Hallows’ Eve is almost here, and Eugene bars and venues are planning to celebrate with gusto. Many local hotspots are hosting special events to celebrate the spooky holiday. Costume contests, prizes and music are only some of the reasons to hit the town this Halloween.
Chuck Hare, the owner of Olympus, is planning a big night for the dance club. A costume contest is scheduled for Halloween night, and the grand prize is a trip for two to Jamaica with lodging and airfare included. Tickets are available in advance for $10 at both Olympus on West 6th Avenue and Taylor’s Bar and Grille on East 13th Avenue. Taylor’s, Hare’s other bar, is celebrating Halloween early with the OM Trio, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 30.
Olympus is not the only club hosting costume contests — Rock ‘N’ Rodeo and adjoining Kokomo’s Island Grill & Bar at the corner of West 7th Avenue and Willamette Street are hosting Halloween-themed evenings as well. Festivities begin tomorrow with a Halloween party and prizes for best costumes. Tomorrow only, people can compete to win the title of best island costume at Kokomo’s. On Halloween night, $700 in cash prizes are up for grabs for the winners of categories such as best costume, best group costume and best couple costume. The weekly “diva foxy lady” costume/karaoke contest is also on the agenda for Halloween night with a bigger prize of $100 for first place. The Cheeseburgers, a Jimmy Buffett-style band, is scheduled to perform at Rock ‘N’ Rodeo in between DJ sets. DJ Mark Gatlin said last year’s turnout was so impressive, owner Spencer Whitted decided not to charge a cover this year.
Diablo’s Downtown Lounge at 959 Pearl St. is charging a cover, but the $20 advance tickets will buy a lot of entertainment. The Downtown Lounge’s entertainment director, Rocco, (“like Cher,” he said) organized the bash, dubbed “Halloween in Hell 2,” and he said it promises to be a great night of adult-themed entertainment.
Pool tables will be hauled off to make more room for dancers, and throughout the evening, the bar will host a total of 13 DJs and two bands. Advance tickets are on sale now at the Downtown Lounge, Delphina’s and CD Game Exchange. Better get them soon, though — Rocco said the club had to turn people away last year. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
The Downtown Lounge will be kicking off Halloween this weekend with The Deep Eynde from Los Angeles, and Rocco promises a great punk/rockabilly/Halloween show. DJs Brothers of Beat are opening, the show starts at 9 p.m. and the cover is $3 after 10 p.m.
Campus bar Neighbors is also on board the Halloween bandwagon early. Tonight the bar is hosting a drag show/costume party, with drag queen Shebang as emcee. The cover is $5 on Saturday and Wednesday. General Manager Michael Lowe is optimistic about this year’s turnout.
“(Wednesday is) a really busy night for us. We play pretty hot music,” he said.
Speaking of music, John Henry’s is hosting two ’80s cover bands Halloween night. Regular John Henry’s DJs Chris and Jen performed as Loverboy last year and “brought the house down,” owner James Carroll said. This year, John Henry’s will host the bands Chocolate Death and Vanildo for its “Scary ’80s Halloween Bash.” Between the bands, DJs will be spinning ’80s hits. The cover is $2, the same as last year.
Bars are not the only places planning special Halloween events. Tomorrow, the WOW Hall is hosting its seventh annual Witches’ Ball in association with local pagan organization Cauldron of Changes. Bands Onomatopoeia and Serpentina Ala Nar are performing. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., showtime is at 9 p.m. and admission is on a sliding scale of $6-$10 at the door.
Halloween night, the WOW Hall is hosting The Disco Biscuits, a four-piece band from Philadelphia that MTV.com has dubbed “the Forefathers of Techno Jam Rock.” Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door and are available at CD World, Face the Music, House of Records, Taco Loco, the EMU Ticket Office and the WOW Hall.
With all the events planned for the coming weekend and through Wednesday night, Halloween party-seekers have plenty of options.