Kare11
Where to celebrate Halloween in the Twin Cities metro
Editor’s Note: This video originally aired on Oct. 22, 2024.
The Twin Cities and Halloween go together like skulls and crossbones, spiders and webs, witchcraft and wizardry… blizzards and ’91.
And with Anoka as the self-proclaimed “Halloween Capital of the World,” Minnesotans are in for yet another year of (tricks&) treats come Oct. 31.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate freaky fall festivities, here’s a guide to haunted happenings taking place across the Twin Cities and beyond this year.
Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list. Anyone with an event they’d like added to our list can text 763-797-7215 with details.
MINNEAPOLIS
7th Annual Minneapolis Halloween Bar Crawl
Saturday, Oct. 26
4 p.m. – midnight
Grab your ghoulfriends and map out your plan for this year’s annual bar crawl in Minneapolis. Tickets start at $20+ for groups and $25+ for individuals. Event organizers say a limited number of drinks are included with your ticket in addition to exclusive food and drink specials, afterparty access and more.
For more details, click here.
First Avenue’s Annual Halloween Party & Costume Contest
Thursday, Oct. 31
8 p.m., $15
The petrifying party is back at First Avenue this year, promising over $1,000 in cash prizes and spooky sets by Sophia Eris, Izzie P, Michael Grey, DJ McShellen and DJ Smitty. The Current’s Diane Miller hosts.
Hocus Pocus with the Minnesota Orchestra
Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26
7 p.m.; prices vary by seat
The Sanderson sisters will be reborn… again… but this time, they’ll come to life at Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall. Follow along with a live viewing of the film, coupled with music from the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Sarah Hicks.
Halloween ft. Pangina Heals – Flip Phone XXL
Tuesday, Oct. 29
9 p.m.; $15 for advance and $20 for day of show
Popular event organizer Flip Phone will host a spooky dance party bash at First Avenue. Pangina Heals, a drag queen and judge on Drag Race Thailand, will host the event, spotlighting local drag performers.
ST. PAUL
7th Annual St. Paul Halloween Bar Crawl
Saturday, Oct. 26
4 p.m. – midnight; $10-$30
What would a holiday be without dueling bar crawls on either side of the Mississippi?
St. Paul’s nightcrawler begins at New Bohemia downtown and ends with an after-party at Seventh Street Truck Park. Like its west-side twin, St. Paul’s crawl includes a limited number of drinks with admission and a costume contest and food and drink specials all night.
Howl-o-ween at the Science Museum of Minnesota
Friday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 27
$35 for adults; $25 for kids age 4+
Costumes, creepy crawlies and creature crafting await you at the Science Museum of Minnesota all Halloween weekend long. The frightful festivities are included with admission — and bonus! — the first 200 people to grab their tickets will also receive a “spooktacular prize” from the museum’s Explore Store.
If you’re more of a night owl, the museum plans to party after dark with unlimited food, a costume contest, a scavenger hunt and more.
Halloween Party at Can Can Wonderland
Thursday, Oct. 31
$14
A haunted house, live entertainment, costume contest and more are in store at Can Can Wonderland in St. Paul’s South St. Anthony Park neighborhood.
The celebration is open to ghosts and ghouls of all ages, with music beginning at 6 p.m.
NORTH METRO SUBURBS
Walking Ghost Tours of Anoka
Nightly through Thursday, Oct. 31
Times vary; $18
The aforementioned “Halloween Capital of the World,” Anoka, Minnesota, certainly lives up to its nickname during spooky season.
Walk with the dead through some of the city’s most historic neighborhoods and don’t be surprised if you find yourself having an extra eerie experience.
For more details and ticket information, click here.
Haunted Basement Bar at Travail
Wednesday – Saturday nights through Nov. 2
5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. seating times; tasting menu starts at $79
Eat like a king while costumed like a king at Travail’s Halloween-themed Haunted Basement Bar in Robbinsdale. The horror haunt promises its same exceptional service, sustenance and spirits but added a few terrifying twists for this year’s supernatural season.
White Bear Lake Trunks ‘N’ Treats
Friday, Oct. 25
2 – 4 p.m.; free
Dig in with dreadful delight at St. Stephen Lutheran Church’s Trunk ‘N’ Treats in White Bear Lake. Kids are invited to trick-or-treat between car trunks decked out with Halloween in mind. There’s also entertainment, like games and live music.
SOUTH METRO
ValleyScare
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October
7 p.m. – 12 a.m.; $39.99
This Twin Cities favorite is back and better than ever with six haunted houses, three scare zones and loads of Halloween-themed food and drinks.
Mall of America
Onionhead’s Revenge
Select dates from Sept. 27 to Nov. 2
Time slots available from starting from 7 to 9:30 p.m.; $24.95
This haunted house has it all: spooks, drinks and shopping afterward! Onionhead’s Revenge is located on the second floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington.
Nickelodeon Boo-niverse
Sept. 15 to Oct. 31
This family-friendly fun includes fright lights and music, slime, pumpkin carving, Halloween treats and more.
EAST METRO
The Haunting Experience
Select dates from Sept. 21 to Nov. 2
From 7 to 10/11 p.m.; $38 to $46 depending on date
This experience is for the real thrill seekers, as the website describes it as the scariest haunted house attractions in the state. Tickets include a haunted house and hayride. For an additional fee, you can access the Chainsaw Massacre experience.
The house website states that actors may briefly grab your ankle or initiate light physical touch for additional spooks. For tickets and more information, click here.
WEST METRO
Spooky Spectacular
Oct. 26
From 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; free
Show off your spooky moves on the dance floor with this day of family fun at Eden Prairie Center. Wanda the Wacky Witch, Wednesday and other characters will do a dance session and story time with a fun craft for your kid to take home.
To reserve a spot, click here.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Metro Transit Police Department is investigating an incident where two people were hurt after a car crashed into a bus stop in northeast Minneapolis.
Metro Transit police officers responded to the scene at Central and 27th Avenues shortly after noon. There they found the two victims, who police believe were inside the bus shelter when the car crashed into it. They were transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, according to the department.
Both of their conditions are currently unknown. The driver of the car has been arrested.
Dr. Abigail Miller, Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare of MN, joined KARE 11 News at Noon to offer tips for parents.
MINNETONKA, Minn. — As teens have returned to school, many are participating – or will participate – in fall and winter sports.
Federal data estimates that over 50% of young people between ages 6 and 17 played on a sports team or took after-school sports lessons, forecasting that number to increase to 63% by 2030.
Playing sports can have physical and mental health benefits, including strengthening social relationships with friends and family. However, it can also become overwhelming and even lead to lower mental health due to the many expectations some young athletes are put under.
Dr. Abigail Miller, Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare of MN, joined KARE 11 News at Noon to offer tips for parents and promote mental health.
For more on the impact of youth sports and issues that impact young athletes, their families, coaches and officials, check out our serial blog SportsLife.
The City of Roseville hopes to lower pollution with the move.
ROSEVILLE, Minn — The City of Roseville has become the latest municipality in Minnesota to enact some form of a ban on plastics in the hope of lowering pollution.
The city is going after non-recyclable to-go containers with a new ordinance encouraging the use of compostable packing.
According to the ordinance, the new rules will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, but enforcement won’t begin until a year later. The initiative is part of the city’s ‘Green To Go’ ordinance, which allows only compostable, recyclable or reusable containers.
Hospitals and nursing homes are excluded from the new rules, which also carve out an exception for any packaging that doesn’t meet standards, but for which there is no practical alternative.
Minnesota lawmakers have often discussed wider plastic-banning or limiting legislation, with such a debate occurring over the most recent session.
