The best Halloween events in Miami for 2023

Montreal's most (in)famous haunted house lands in Miami, pushing the limits of realism and immersive creepiness even further for its stateside debut—to the point that it’s only open to those aged 21 and up. For its highly anticipated first edition in the US, dubbed "GAME," expect a unique immersive event where you'll test your limits by playing old classic games like Operation, Hang Man, Ouija, The All-Seeing Zoltar and others. Embark on a four-chapter journey through a variety of interactive installations that incorporate hands-on gore, erotic rituals and cruel and unusual puzzles. (If you need a bit of liquid courage, fear not: The whole affair begins and ends with a full bar accompanied by DJ-spun beats). With elaborate theatrical sets and dozens of circus performers whose sole aim is to produce cold sweats, you might get a little PTSD from this one.

Party ghouls and techno trolls know to head to Factory Town on Halloween for Hocus Pocus, the annual weekend rave that brings some of the city’s best DJs (including some notable imports like John Summit, Seth Troxler, Ellen Allien and Paco Osuna) to a forlorn collection of warehouses in the middle of Hialeah. From 7pm to 7am, enjoy all the EDM your heart can handle. Three-day tickets start at $93.30

Prefer garden strolls to techno trolls? The Haunting Hour at Fairchild Tropical Gardens is sort of like trick or treating for adults: Don costumes and sip on cocktails as you stroll the garden’s many many haunted trails. Secrets bloom throughout, so consider joining one of the immersive walks throughout the night—It may just help you find the hidden speakeasy. $30 for nonmembers

If you’re craving a big old Miami block party this year, HalloWYN is where you want to be. This free annual Wynwood Marketplace event promises to keep you alive and swaying like zombies all night, and the first 500 people to RSVP through Eventbrite get a free drink between 7 and 10pm. 

Sink into luxury at MILA Lounge and MILA MM this Halloween season for their Haunted Sunken Shipyard-themed party on Saturday, October 28. Mingle with phantom mariners and ethereal mermaids while dancing to MILA Lounge’s Balearic music. Don your most ghostly attire and join the ranks of specters and celebrants for a Halloween experience that defines the boundaries of the living world.

Wynwood's HQ for all things drag, R house hosts a wicked pre-Halloween party headlined by none other than Latrice Royale of RuPaul's Drag Race fame. Join Latrice and Miami icon Athena Dion for a fierce evening filled with over-the-top costumes, music, performances and more from 8pm until 2am. Reduced-price early bird, general admission and VIP group admission tickets are available. All ticket sales will benefit SAVE, whose mission is to promote, protect and defend equality for LGBTQ in South Florida.

Here’s something to snap your fingers to: The 305 ’80s Bar at Café La Trova is hosting an Addams Family-themed dance party over Halloween weekend from midnight to close. They’ll be hosting dance contests with prizes, so do brush up on that epic Wednesday Addams routine before you go.

Maybe spooky, definitely sexy, MAXIM’s third annual Halloween Party at Hyde Beach is our pick for a South Beach-style bash. Dance the night away alongside cirque performances and go-go dancers, and Trey Songz is headlining, so “Bottoms Up,” boo. Tickets start at $100

For decades, Lincoln Road has attracted more than 50,000 attendees for its annual Halloween bash. Akin to Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street or Fantasy Fest on Duval Street, Halloween is the eight-block promenade's signature event. From 5 to 7pm, children can show up in the cutest costumes and dig into scrumptious candy and treats handed out by participating shops and restaurants along Lincoln Road. As night falls, the entire district will light up with four stages featuring guest DJs and pop-up bars fueling the partygoers. If you'd rather people-watch the spectacle, Lincoln Road's bountiful sidewalk cafes offer the perfect perch to take it all in.