It’s Halloween, and so we decided to put together the most comprehensive Halloween guide we could so you can find something to do — whether that’s taking the little ones to get some candy in costume or headbanging to some spooky metal. That’ll take up most of the guide, but we’ve got a few other non-creepy crawly events for you as well. All in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.
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Pop-Up Architecture Amble: Otto’s Grocery Neighborhood
Humboldt Avenue and Third Street
Thursday, Oct. 29: A surprise additional walking tour from Friends of Wausau Historic Landmarks starts around a ghost sign that was recently uncovered. The faded Pepsi Cola ad sits on the old Otto’s Grocery Store, now home to First Place Trophy, back when the corner store was where you picked up the latest gossip, the pantry staples and a little candy with the nickel from grandma. The tour also covers other businesses in the neighborhood, including granite, lumber and cigars, plus a bit of history on the iconic Athletic Field, where the Woodchucks and Ignite now play. Meet at the corner of Humboldt Avenue and Third Street. 5 pm. See the event page for more.
Defeatism, Auraborn, and Elk Startled by Thunder
Nevermore on Third
Friday, Oct. 30: Three bands from three corners of the state take over Nevermore on Third the night before Halloween. Wausau’s own Defeatism, a melodic hardcore band, is out with a new single, “Lotus Eater.” The label “melodic hardcore band” will make sense when you give it a listen. Madison metalcore band Auraborn comes up with its album “Incandescent,” and Stevens Point’s Elk Startled by Thunder rounds it out with its cow punk, which they say is about nature and politics. I’ve never heard of cow punk, but it sounds mooooving. There’s no cover, and costumes are encouraged. 9:30 pm. See the event page for more.
Josh Oddity
The Garage
Sunday, Nov. 1: Josh Oddity describes his act as “Oldies, Folkies and Pop Punk,” and his booking page promises lighthearted pop punk energy applied to old favorites, with a setlist that changes from show to show and plenty of banter. The Rhinelander solo performer has been playing bars and breweries all over the Northwoods. Catch him at The Garage on a Sunday afternoon. 1 pm. See the event page for more.
Our guide to Halloween in Wausau
Families have plenty to pick from this week. Greenheck Turner Community Center starts things off with Pumpkin Carving from 6 to 8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 28. You bring the pumpkin, and the center supplies the rest and cleans up the mess. The center also runs Halloween Skates at 1 pm Thursday, 10 am Friday and 7 pm Saturday, starting Thursday, Oct. 29; it’s $7 to skate, or $14 if you need rental skates. On Friday, Oct. 30, Mount View Care Center, 2400 Marshall St., holds its annual indoor trick-or-treating from 3 to 5:30 pm, a warm place for kids to make the rounds. That evening, Monk Botanical Gardens wraps up Blossom of Lights with a Kids’ Trick-or-Treat Trail Friday, Oct. 30, 5 to 8 pm, where kids follow a lit trail through the gardens to treat stations hosted by costumed characters. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids.
Halloween itself, Saturday, is the big trick-or-treat day. Grand Ave Artifactory opens from 10 am to 2 pm Saturday, Oct. 31 for daytime trick-or-treaters of all ages, with Halloween deals in the shop. Grace United Church of Christ hosts a Trunk or Treat at noon Saturday, Oct. 31, and North Star Restoration holds its free 2nd annual Trunk or Treat at 2 pm Saturday, Oct. 31 at 4900 Stewart Ave. with candy, costumes and decorated trunks. Dogs get a party too: Willow Springs Garden throws a Howl-Ween Dog Party at noon Saturday, Oct. 31.
If you’d rather test your scary-movie knowledge, there are a couple of trivia options. Nevermore on Third hosts Spooky Trivia at 7:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 29, and the Marathon County Public Library in Wausau holds Horror Trivia at 2:30 pm Saturday, Oct. 31 in its Community Room. The library game covers horror movies, books and culture. It’s free and for adults only, no registration needed, teams or solo players welcome, costumes encouraged, and the top team wins a prize. For laughs instead, Mosinee Brewing Company puts on Improv-A-Ween at 7 pm Friday, Oct. 30.
For a dressier night, the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art holds its first Masquerade Ball at 6 pm Friday, Oct. 30 at the historic Wausau Club, 309 McClellan St. Tickets are $125, and the evening has live music and auctions to support the museum’s free art programming. Willow Springs Garden offers dinner with a plot: Murder Mystery at Poe’s Mansion, a murder mystery dinner at 5:15 pm Thursday, Oct. 29 and again Friday, Oct. 30. And at 7 pm Friday, Oct. 30, students from Dr. Dana Carlson-Kottke’s voice studio at the Wausau Conservatory of Music sing Halloween and musical theater favorites in a Halloween Voice Recital at the Caroline S. Mark Concert Hall, 404 Seymour St.
Live music fills the weekend. Faraway Place has a two-night Halloween Weekend: WURK with Moonbadger at 8 pm Friday, Oct. 30 and NUR-D with Watt Millians at 8 pm Saturday, Oct. 31. On Saturday, Q & Z Expo Center has a free Whiskey & Lace Halloween Party show at 6 pm Saturday, Oct. 31, and Mosinee Brewing Company hosts Halloween with Downtime Acoustic at 6 pm Saturday, Oct. 31. At 7 pm, you can catch Halloween with Through Crimson at The Garage Wausau Saturday, Oct. 31 or the Mia Brown Duo at The Glass Hat Halloween Saturday, Oct. 31. Heavier fans can head to The Intermission Bar for Metal at the Mish: HalloScream at 9 pm Saturday, Oct. 31, with Screaming Spaceship, Incoherent Screaming and Dead Man’s Switch on the bill.
And if you’re in the mood for a costume contest, you have options. Pregame Pub, 2002 N. 6th St., brings its Karaoke-Dokey night together with a costume contest at 8:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 29, with prizes for the top costumes. On Saturday, Trails End Lodge, 3901 Sherman Rd., holds its 2nd annual Halloween Costume Party at 7 pm Saturday, Oct. 31, with karaoke from 8 pm to 1 am, and Burks Bar, 4711 Stewart Ave., throws a Halloween Party with drink specials and a costume contest at 8 pm Saturday, Oct. 31. Later that night, Nevermore on Third has its Halloween Party at 9 pm Saturday, Oct. 31, and Emerald Night Club, 320 Washington St., hosts The Summoning – Halloween Bash at 9 pm Saturday, Oct. 31. Clocks fall back that night, so you get an extra hour.
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In Brief
Wausau: Sticker Palooza! (no-school days, Wednesday–Friday, Oct. 28–30), during library hours Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Marathon County Public Library—Wausau Headquarters
Wausau: Zine Making for teens (no-school days, Wednesday–Friday, Oct. 28–30), during library hours Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Marathon County Public Library—Wausau Headquarters
Trivia, 7 pm Wednesday, Oct. 28 at The Glass Hat
Trivia Night, 7 pm Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Mosinee Brewing Company
Wax Wednesday Record Drawing, 8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Nevermore on Third
Stronger Together: A Dinner Benefit for Getting Ahead (St. Vincent de Paul of Wausau; $75, couple $150), 5–8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Hilton Garden Inn Wausau, 151401 County Rd NN
Open Mic w/ Caleb Delaney, 8 pm Thursday, Oct. 29 at Faraway Place
Karaoke with Jim, 9 pm Thursday, Oct. 29 at The Glass Hat
Bob & Rocco’s Gun Show (Friday–Sunday, Oct. 30–Nov. 1), 3 pm Friday, Oct. 30 at Central Wisconsin Convention & Expo Center
Cheese Doodles, 7 pm Friday, Oct. 30 at The Garage Wausau
Free Movie on the Turf, 7 pm Friday, Oct. 30 at Greenheck Turner Community Center
Karaoke, 8 pm Friday, Oct. 30 at J&P’s Tippling House
STEM Saturday: Repterience Reptile Show, 10 am–noon Saturday, Oct. 31 at Children’s Imaginarium
Nostalgia Cartoons, 11 am Sunday, Nov. 1 at J&P’s Tippling House
Beer Pong Tournament, 4 pm Sunday, Nov. 1 at The Glass Hat
Disney Trivia Night, 5 pm Sunday, Nov. 1 at Mosinee Brewing Company
Wausau: Bubble Wrap Tree Paintings, 4 pm Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Marathon County Public Library—Wausau Headquarters
Trivia Night, 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Uncommon Pints
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