In past years, Halloween partyers often found themselves stuck choosing among cover acts, apartment parties and porn star–hosted club nights when the pagan holiday rolled around—all potentially nightmarish propositions. The predictably sexy options are still on the table (oft-topless duo Surreal FXXX spins at Sound-Bar on Friday 26), and bands still impersonate bands (Catfish Haven plays the Misfits at the Double Door Halloween Bash on Saturday 27). And with a whole wild weekend to warm up before Wednesday 31, supersized hives like crobar and Sound-Bar will throw no less than three Halloween balls each. But on the upside, the midweek holiday means that this year there’s more time for uniquely themed events appealing to specific nightlife niches.

HELL OF A WEEK (from left) Neon barbie, Fall fanatic Derek Erdman, Cosplay couple and Whitey hallow your ween.

Photos (Clockwise from left): Alex Goykhman, Derek Erdman, courtesy Sushisamba Rio, courtesy Magnum PR

The action starts Saturday 27. All of the hot people who secretly hoard anime can dress to impress for SushiSamba Rio’s Cosplay party. FYI: Cosplay is the nerdy-naughty Japanese concept of dressing up as your favorite anime, manga or video-game character. There’s a $1,000 prize for best costume, which ought to buy a lot of cartoon porn. For more skin, rednofive’s Neon Barbie Halloween hosts a “fashion show” featuring models clad in not much more than fluorescent paint. Wearing black pants and eyeliner is always apropos and even more so at Sonotheque’s Dark Wave Disco Halloween, where exile-from-Chicago Tommie Sunshine and blogger Richard Oh hit us with electro and rock remixes. Loft parties can be a good bet when megaclubs are packed to the gills with amateurs. Hipster MCs of the moment the Cool Kids play at Hillary Rawk’s Fierce costume loft party featuring Major Taylor and Marco Morales on the decks, which will make it a hot ticket.

On Sunday 28, Smart Bar’s The End turns to Death in Vegas’ Richard Fearless to headline, finally bringing his premium brand of moody techno and vintage electro to the city.

Then Monday 29, on the misunderstood subculture front, the Boom Boom Room’s annual Black i Ball turns to a “Furry Fandom” theme for one night only—as in folks dressed up in furry animal costumes—with house jocks Diz and Michael Serafini running the show. There’s a costume station for the lazybones out there.

On Tuesday 30, local artist Derek Erdman and Amy Cargill spin The Fall Night, an all-night tribute to Mark E. Smith’s prolific post-punk band, at Danny’s. The Seattle edition was a smashing success, evidently, but it started here. Still it’s hard to imagine a better off-kilter indie party than OUTdanced! Halloween and on Tuesday night the lineup at Funky Buddha is appropriately insane. Skronky goth act Brilliant Pebbles plays, Rory Phillips of London’s Trash night spins dirty indie dance and dance rocker Whitey headlines. Longing for the freaky heyday of underground clubbing? Kinetic Playground holds the Devil’s Nite Fetish Party featuring GiGi DeLuxe hosting, DJ Darus spinning industrial dance tracks and the Gravetones playing horror-rock—just dress the part, uniforms and fetish wear are strongly encouraged.

The local cabaret, go-go and burlesque boom is particularly evident on Wednesday 31. The Revelettes Go-Go Troupe shakes Go-Go Ghostly in retro style—think white boots and polka-dot frocks—with Rockin’ Billy and his Wild Coyotes at Betty’s Blue Star Lounge. The Monster Mash at Reggie’s Live features performances from the always-tantalizing Eve’s Parlor Burlesque, a zombie costume contest and old-school monster music from DJ Coffin Banger. At Motel Bar, star entertainer Toots L’Amour leads her Starlets at the free Bump & Grind Halloween Bash.

There’s plenty more on All Hallows’ Eve. The MODchicago folks retitled the In the Spirit party at Sonotheque to So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star Halloween Party for fans of mod, soul and boogaloo music—and it’s free. Also free is Delilah’s Halloween Extravaganza, featuring live psychobilly from the Massacres and DJ Machete’s horror-rock. As with all of the above, go early. After all, there’s nothing scarier than sitting around at home in costume on Halloween.