Watch Halloween-Themed Drag, Plus Other Queer Spooky Season Michigan Events
If you’ve been meticulously planning your Ken-who-strictly-does-beach costume, planning to join up with the Weird Barbie cult or plotting something horrifying that makes your friends uncomfortable, your moment has arrived. They call it Queer Christmas for a reason, so get out there and soak up everything Halloween has to offer, including drag performances, costume parties, themed brunches and events like queer-affirming craft-making.
1. Support a Frightfully Good Cause
Halloween can deliver a fright, but there’s nothing quite as scary as anti-LGBTQ+ candidates being elected to office these days. That’s why the Unity Fund works to support Southeast Michigan-based LGBTQ+ candidates running for office at the local, county and state levels. The political action committee (PAC) has the support of impactful politicians like Michigan Sen. Jeremy Moss and Rep. John Hoadley, so who knows which familiar faces might pop up at the Fund’s annual Halloween Bash on Oct. 28. Unity Fund board member Ben Rubinstein tells Pride Source, “Our third annual Halloween dance party is a costumed bash supporting a great cause — local LGBTQ+ political candidates running for office. Let’s give bigotry something to be scared of!”
Oct. 28, 9 p.m., 215 West (215 W Nine Mile Road, Ferndale). Purchase tickets at bit.ly/46GkSCM.
2. Enjoy Womanly, Witchy Delights
It’s the perfect season to get your lady coven together and take advantage of one of several Halloween-themed events on tap exclusively for women.
Dance the night away at the Witches Coven Halloween Bash on Oct. 27 at 215 West in Ferndale. DJ Hemlock will supply the spooky beats, and you can join a costume contest for a chance to win tickets to see rising bisexual pop singer Slayyyter at St. Andrews Hall. Oct. 27, 9 p.m., 215 West (215 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale).
Head to Copper House, Detroit’s first woman and queer-owned “bud & breakfast,” on Oct. 28 for the Spooky Boobies Brunch, a Halloween-themed event focused on womanhood. Expect incredible eats prepared by local up-and-coming Chef Aus, a wide-ranging mimosa menu, group games, a poetry reading and a conversation centered on self-care and breast cancer awareness. Oct. 28, 1 p.m., Copper House (17418 Monica St., Detroit). Purchase tickets in advance at bit.ly/3tLFFWA.
Keep the party going at the Boo’s & Baddies Halloween party Oct. 29 at Bosco in Ferndale, when the Litty Committee holds its second official lesbian Halloween event. Enjoy strolling Halloween entertainers, a costume contest and drink specials. Oct. 29, 8 p.m., Bosco Lounge (22930 Woodward Ave., Ferndale). Tickets at bit.ly/3tDVrD6.
3. Catch Some Spooky Drag
Halloween and drag are a match made in heaven, and you’ll find many opportunities to watch local performers light up stages all over Michigan in the coming days, including:
Planet Ant and Affirmations, the LGBTQ+ community center in Ferndale, presents Cheers for Fears — A Halloween Extravaganza on Oct. 28. Local drag performers will hit the stage and amateurs are welcome to take a turn, too! Oct. 28, 10 p.m., Ghost Light Bar at Planet Ant Theatre (2314 Caniff St., Hamtramck). Tickets at bit.ly/3RZgDxv.
Enjoy brunch and bingo with a side of drag on Oct. 29 at the Halloween Drag Bingo & Brunch event at Detroit Fleat. Tickets support Affirmations. Oct. 29, 12 p.m., Detroit Fleat (1820 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale). Tickets at bit.ly/491Eu5U.
On Oct. 31, Ann Arbor’s North Star Lounge will present Halloweird, a humorous, double-feature drag show featuring lip-sync performances. Oct. 31, 6:30 p.m., North Star Lounge (301 N. 5th Ave., Ann Arbor). Info at bit.ly/3FkDYCn.
4. Get Creative at a Halloween Crafting Event
Feeling crafty? Queer Crafternoon at SCRAP Creative Reuse in Ann Arbor has just what you need to channel all that spicy pumpkin energy into a fun, creative project. The drop-in event, set for Oct. 29, promises an affordable, queer-affirming safe space to put together something artsy from the center’s vast collection of donated art supplies and some unusual materials that would otherwise be taking up space in a landfill.
Oct. 29, 3 p.m., SCRAP Creative Reuse (4567 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor). Learn more at bit.ly/402H2fL.
5. Do the Time Warp (Again)
Keep it classic this Halloween with a live stage version of everyone’s favorite sexy mad scientist musical, “The Rocky Horror Show,” running through Nov. 12 at Wayne State University. The show is directed by Joe Bailey, the queer founding artistic director of the Ringwald Theater, which frequently features LGBTQ-angled productions. At the 11:59 p.m. Oct. 29 performance, audiences are invited to bring along their own props. Basically, it’s up to you if you want to remind Brad that he’s an asshole or slut-shame poor Janet — it’s all in good fun.
Through Nov. 12, Wayne State University Hilberry Gateway Theater (4715 Cass Ave., Detroit). Tickets at bit.ly/45BQ9oP.
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