Get ready to attend the most anticipated Washington DC Halloween events of 2025. Secure your tickets and plan your costume for these thrilling parties and haunted attractions.
Le Diplomate’s Cider Cart & Costume Contest
Beloved French brasserie Le Diplomate (1601 14th St NW) is hosting a festive Halloween celebration on Friday, October 31. From 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the restaurant’s signature ice cream cart will transform into a “Hot Cider Cart,” offering complimentary hot cider and mini cinnamon sugar donuts. Adding to the fun is a Halloween Costume Contest with three categories: Family, Individual, and Pet. Winners, who receive gift cards up to $250, are chosen by followers voting on Le Diplomate’s Instagram account (@lediplomatedc).
Hi-Lawn’s Lawntoberfest and Hi-Loween Party
Hi-Lawn is hosting its 5th annual “Lawntoberfest” celebration on Sunday, October 26, from 1–8 PM. This all-ages, open-air event is free to enter and includes pumpkin painting, beer tastings, live music, trivia, bingo, and a pop-up bakeshop with seasonal pies. The spooky weekend continues with the 5th annual throwback Hi-Loween party for 21+ guests on Friday, October 31, from 7–11 PM. This rooftop bash features live music from Collective Band, spooky cocktail specials, and a costume contest. Tickets are just $10 here.
Amparo Fondita Honors Día de los Muertos
Amparo Fondita on P Street will celebrate Día de los Muertos from October 27 through November 9 with a limited-time, three-course tasting menu priced at $65 per person. The menu highlights traditional dishes from Yucatán, Central Mexico, and Oaxaca, such as Mukbil Pato and Butin de Pan de Muerto, and features a black margarita cocktail called La Llorona. The restaurant will also have an ofrenda (altar), and guests are encouraged to bring photos of departed relatives to place on it. Go to Amparo Fondita for more information.
Little Blackbird Candy & Wine Pairings
The wine bar Little Blackbird, located at 3309 Connecticut Avenue, is indulging adults with a collection of fourteen Halloween- and Autumn-inspired wine & candy pairings. These pairings are priced from $11 to $19 and will be available through Saturday, November 2, 2024. Examples include Chardonnay & Candy Corn, Lambrusco & Peanut Butter Cups, and Oreos & Cream Sherry, which is served in a Nic & Nora glass for dipping. Photos of the pairings are available here. For reservations, visit the website at littleblackbirddc.com.
Whitlow’s Halloween “Nightmare on U Street”
Whitlow’s is presenting “Nightmare on U Street” on Halloween night, beginning at 9 PM. The event will feature live music from local band Turtle Recall on the second floor and scary tunes spun by DJKillaBeats 24 on the rooftop. Specialty drinks like the “Kick in the Glass” and the “Purple Rain” will be available, and guests who arrive between 9 and 10 PM get a free Jello shot. The biggest incentive is the $500 prize for the best costume. Check out Instagram for more information.
Murder Mystery Dinners
There are two different murder mystery dinners on Friday, October 31:
“Death of a Gangster” at 1310 Kitchen & Bar is an 18+ event with a 7 PM start time. Guests work to solve a murder at a 1920s mob wedding while enjoying an Italian Family Style Mob Dinner for $85 per person. Tickets can be accessed at Eventbrite.
Jônt’s “MURDER at the MASQUERADE” is a high-stakes evening where guests help the team solve a crime in the two-Michelin-starred restaurant. The cost is $545 per person, which includes a multi-course meal and wine pairings, with seatings at 5:15 PM and 8:45 PM. Guests can reserve via Events.
Fairmont’s 14th Annual Howl-O-Ween
I’ll be a judge! Fairmont Washington, DC, Georgetown invites friends and their canine companions to its 14th annual Howl-O-Ween on Thursday, October 30, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM in the Courtyard Bar. The free event includes a costume contest for best-costumed dogs and their people, with prizes awarded at 7:00 PM. Doggie biscuits are provided by the pastry team, and humans can purchase spooky cocktails. To sign up, please visit Eventbrite.
Drunk Dracula at The Sage Theatre
This Spooky Season, The Drunk Shakespeare Society is also paying homage to “Transylvania’s thirstiest bachelor” with Drunk Dracula. One actor takes five shots of whiskey and attempts an epic retelling of the vampire’s story. This “to die for” event is performing for four weeks only. GET TICKETS.
NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular!
The National Symphony Orchestra’s annual “Halloween Spooktacular!” takes place at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday, October 27, 2024, with performances at 2 PM and 4 PM. The concert, most enjoyed by ages 5+, features ghoulishly attired musicians playing new works and spooky classics. The 2 PM show is a sensory-friendly performance. Guests are encouraged to arrive early for trick-or-treating and a Haunted Hall Musical PLAYspace. Following the 4 PM show, there is a Creative Conversation with the artists. Grab tickets at: NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular!
O Street Museum Special Tours: Halloween Nights Fun
The O Street Museum in The Mansion is offering “Halloween Nights Fun” special tours on October 24, 25, 26, 2025, and more, as part of their Halloween weekend celebration. Guests are encouraged to come in costume for a zany journey around the 100-room museum, which is decorated for the season. The museum has over 80 secret doors to find, and the event includes a costume contest and a cash bar—more information at the O Street Museum.
Nightmare in Navy Yard
Scorpio Entertainment presents the 6th annual “Nightmare in Navy Yard,” billed as DC’s biggest Halloween party on Friday, October 31, 2025. The event will feature 3 DJs, 3 dance floors, themed cocktails, food trucks, and over 50 animatronics and inflatables. The party will also include a MetaQuest Virtual Experience and will run from 11 PM until late. The document mentions accessing tickets.
With everything from theatrical mayhem and literary comedy to upscale costume contests and massive dance parties, DC offers a spooky spectacular for every interest this Halloween season. Get your tickets, perfect your costume, and get ready to enjoy the most thrilling time of the year and share this ultimate 2025 Halloween in DC Guide now!
