Only in Washington can you see dogs dressed up as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for Halloween and go trick-or-treating at President George Washington’s house.
The Capital region has a lot to do for Halloween, whether you’re a diehard dresser-upper or just love giving out (and indulging in) candy. Beyond the obvious parades in historic neighborhoods and the legendary “Exorcist” steps in Georgetown, there are other events in the District, Maryland and Virginia that range from truly terrifying to subtly spooky.
This quick guide to Halloween around the 202 offers a little something for everyone.
Event highlights
- You’ve heard of Fat Bear Week. Did you know about Bat Week, fat or otherwise? The National Parks Service and the Museum of Natural History are celebrating these nocturnal cave dwellers on Oct. 28. Feel free to wear your favorite bat attire.
- On Oct. 28, the National Mall is hosting a free event for the public to hear tales of the odd and unusual from Park Rangers.
- For pawrents (woof!), check out this list of dog-friendly events happening around the area.
- The National Museum of Asian Art is holding a 25th anniversary screening on Oct. 31 of “one of the greatest and scariest [Japanese] Horror films ever made.” It’s not for the faint of heart!
- In downtown at Fort Davis Recreation Center (1400 41st Street SE) from Oct. 27 - 31, the annual tradition of Ward 7 “Haunted House on the Hill” will take place.
- Don’t miss the annual Del Ray Halloween Parade on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. For almost 30 years, residents have been competing with each other for the best decorations. If you’d prefer to participate from your couch, you can vote for the show-stopping stoop here.
- The National Air and Space Museum will be holding its “Air and Scare” event on Oct. 28 in Chantilly, Virginia. The outdoor portion, which is ticketed, is sold out, but you can still check out the free exhibits and kid-friendly events inside.
- Come strut your decomposing self at the annual Silver Spring Zombie Walk in Maryland, shambling off at 7pm Oct. 28 from Quarry House Tavern, 8401 Georgia Ave. Come for the armies of the undead, stick around for the showing of “Night of Living Dead” at the nearby AFI Silver Theatre and Culture Center.
- Until Nov. 5, visit Tudor Place downtown for its special exhibit showcasing the funerary customs of free and enslaved laborers who lived and worked at the historic building.
- The Library of Congress will hold a film screening of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” on Oct. 27 at the Packard Campus Theater.
- Support your local theater! Synetic Theater in Arlington is putting on productions of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” until Nov. 5. It’s a reimagined telling of the classic scary story.
- Go trick-or-treating internationally! You can join a group of revelers knocking on doors at Embassy Row downtown on Oct. 31. Tickets are $40, and who knows? Maybe ghosts of ambassadors past will join you.
- Any day this week, weather permitting, take a stroll through the Capital region’s most beautiful neighborhoods and take in the sights of Halloween decor. We suggest Old Town Alexandria, Bethesda’s Edgemoor neighborhood, Fells Point, Eastern Market/Capitol Hill and Columbia Heights.
- Candy will be give out from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 at the National Harbor’s yearly celebration.
And, no, while thing can get pretty scary sometimes in the halls of Congress, Halloween is not a holiday for federal employees.
Molly Weisner is a staff reporter for Federal Times where she covers labor, policy and contracting pertaining to the government workforce. She made previous stops at USA Today and McClatchy as a digital producer, and worked at The New York Times as a copy editor. Molly majored in journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
