• Plan B invites all Saints and Sinners to come up with the scariest, sexiest, and most creative Halloween costumes.

• Ohm holds its 6^th annual Halloween Fundraiser with an open bar and prizes for best costumes. Proceeds benefit Urban Initiatives, a nonprofit organization working to boost children’s academic performance by establishing soccer programs.

• The Haunted Happening at Take Five offers a cash prize for best costume and benefits the Concordia Avondale Campus, a community center serving low-income families.

• Dress in era-appropriate formal attire for the ‘80s Rock Prom Party at Risque Cafe.

• You’ll need more than plastic masks and glitter make-up for this get-together. Dress to impress and sip on Halloween-themed drinks at the Masquerade Ball at J Bar.

• The Good and Evil Halloween Party at halo, a men’s spa, includes VeeV cocktails and appetizers and benefits the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

• DJ Homocide spins rock and hip-hop for the Monster’s Ball at the Crimson Lounge. The event also includes a costume contest and an afterparty at Spybar.

• The Halloween Party hosted by RedEye is a costume party and contest that includes cocktails, appetizers, bowling, scary movies, music videos, and more.

• Spybar’s Yelloween Bash is a crime scene-themed party featuring yellow police tape and chalk lines. The winner of a costume contest receives a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label champagne.

Photo credit: (c/o SXC) jason conlon, Christophe Libert, Dennis Taufenbach

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Traverse the Trails of Terror, a half-mile of wooded trails in Peterson Park filled with creepy characters. Not suitable for small children. (ends Oct 31)

• ‘The Fear’ at Navy Pier is a tented, outdoor haunted house aimed at teens and adults, featuring zombies, werewolves, vampires, and more. (ends Nov 2)

• The Halloween Bash at Murphy’s Bleachers includes food, drinks, live music, a costume contest, and raffle prizes. Proceeds benefit the North Side Housing & Supportive Services, a nonprofit agency serving Chicago-area homeless men. (Oct 30)

• Dress up as your favorite musician for the Rock of Ages Costume Ball at the Original Mother’s. The event includes a costume contest and is hosted by Ryan Manno of WKQX-FM 101.1. (Oct 30)

• Need to find a date for Halloween? Find one fast at the Speed Dating Party at Xippo. Costumes optional. Two drink minimum. (Oct 30)

• Celebrate Halloween ’80s-style! The Atomic New Wave Costume Party at Neo includes a $500 grand prize. (Oct 30)

Photo credit: (c/o SXC) Pam Roth, Troy Newell

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Costumed representatives from the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Sky, and other businesses will compete in the relay race Freaky Fast 500 (hosted by Jimmy John’s) outside the Thompson Center. A cash prize goes to the winner’s charity of choice. (Oct 24)

• Ready for a real shopping scoop? Stop by the High Gloss Sample Sale where clothing samples and overstock are all discounted between 50 to 80 percent. You’ll find items from local designers as well as well-known labels from New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. (Oct 24-26)

• The 16^th annual Cocktails for a Cause benefits the Children’s Memorial Hospital and includes cocktails, appetizers, a DJ, and live and silent auctions. (Oct 24)

• The very first Windy City Comicon is a comic book convention that features everything comics, including statues, toys, games, writer/artist appearances, and—oh yeah—maybe a few comic books. (Oct 25)

• Just how much horror can you take? The Music Box Theatre presents Music Box Massacre IV, a 24-hour movie marathon featuring new and classic scary movies. (Oct 25-26)

• The second annual Eat, Drink and Be Scary—for Charity is a costume party and fundraiser at the International Museum of Surgical Science that benefits Normal Moments and the Foundation for Community Betterment. Expect cocktails, appetizers, a silent auction, a raffle, and a costume contest. (Oct 25)

• Fight breast cancer, literally. Tie on the boxing gloves for Knock Out Breast Cancer, and choose from a selection of fitness classes at Crunch Gym. All of the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (Oct 25)

• More than 400 dogs are expected to show up for Halloween for Dogs at Tails in the City. The fifth annual costume parade and contest awards prizes for “most original,” “best dressed,” and more. Proceeds go to Pets Are Worth Saving. (Oct 26)

• Love chili? Sample the wares of amateur cooks, and vote for your favorite at Sheffield’s Chili Cook-off. The outdoor competition also includes a separate buffet and draft beer pairings. Love to cook chili? Bring a large crock pot of your best recipe by 1 p.m. (Oct 26)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) MBK (Marjie), SheWatchedTheSky

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• More than five dozen vendors from Chicago will sell art, antiques, jewelry, and more at the Fall French Market. The fair also includes French cooking demonstrations and kids’ activities. (Oct 17-19)

• Sixty local and national chefs are featured at the 20^th annual Celebrity Chef Ball, including Top Chef: Chicago winner Stephanie Izard, contestant Valerie Bonan, and Top Chef: New York contender Radhika Desai. (Oct 17)

• Oracle Productions holds their third installment of terrifying entertainment, Disturbed III. The audience stands still against the walls of a dark room during this 15-minute performance, while the action pops out from every unexpected corner. (through Nov 1)

• If your pup’s costume is just as great as yours (or better), enter him into the Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest in Margate Park, where winners in categories Best Homemade and Best Store-Bought will take home prizes. (Oct 18)

• Teams compete for a $500 prize in the outdoor B.A.G.S. (Bars Against Gun Shootings) Cornhole Tournament at Uncle Fatty’s. WKSC-FM 103.5 broadcasts live from the event, which includes food, a costume contest, and a raffle. (Oct 18)

• Sample wines from Kafka Wine Company and Italian food from Buca di Beppo on the Wind and Waves Tour, a two-hour architectural boat tour down the Chicago River. (Oct 18, Nov 15)

• Check out some wild looks created by seven local hairdressers at Spin’s Hair Ball. The event, which includes veggie appetizers and a silent auction, benefits the Tree House Humane Society. (Oct 18)

• Can’t get enough apple pie? Sample entries from 90 amateur bakers ($2 each) at the 4^th Annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest. The event includes a silent auction, a cash raffle, and live music. (Oct 19)

• Support the American Cancer Society this month. Walk five miles as part of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer to raise funds for medical research. (Oct 19)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) peppergrasss, bunchofpants

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Several local spas are taking part in the Pretty in Pink Fundraiser and offering fixed-price ($31) massages, facials, and other beauty treatments. Every participating spa and salon has made a donation to Breast Cancer Network of Strength. Be sure to mention “Pretty in Pink” when booking your appointment. (ends Oct 31)

• Want to see something spooky? Take the Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour, featuring Hull House, the sites of the St Valentine’s Day Massacre and Eastland Disaster, and more. (RSVP required)

• Want to see something funny? Check out Friday the Halloweenth: the 3-D Murderous Musical! The play pokes fun at ‘80s slasher flicks and includes the usual victims: the Virgin, the Foreign Exchange Student, the Stoner… Be prepared to be splattered with (washable) blood. (Fridays, ends Oct 31)

• The 18^th annual Chicago Country Music Festival will feature local and national artists, including Gretchen Wilson and Taylor Swift. (Oct 11-12)

• The 19^th annual Chicago Humanities Festival “Thinking Big” celebrates history’s big ideas with 120 programs in 25 venues throughout the city. (ends Nov 16)

• The Horror Society Film Festival brings 12 hours of the most blood-filled, gory, intense horror on the big screen to the Portage Theater. With every ticket purchased, you will receive your own barf bag. Um, ew. (Oct 11)

• Two dozen restaurants and shops on the north side will take part in the 3^rd annual Andersonville Dessert Crawl. Two different “crawls” will each feature 12 dining stops. (Oct 12)

• Charlie’s Chicago hosts its very first Chicago Frito Pie Contest. Amateur chefs have re-invented this comfort food favorite. Five dollars earns you a taste of each; then you can vote for a winner. Proceeds go to the Howard Brown Health Clinic, Direct Aid, and Vital Bridges. (Oct 12)

Photo credit: (c/o SXC) Crystal Woroniuk, City of Chicago, (c/o Flickr) zol87

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

If you’ve been putting off registering to vote, now is the time to act. The deadline for Illinois residents to register for the November presidential election is Tuesday, October 7. And while there are several special events which host voter registration drives, you don’t need to wait for a special time and date to register. The process is rather simple and accessible.

If you have lived in Illinois for 30 days and will turn 18 on or before November 4, you can register at any of the following locations:

County Clerk’s office
Board of Elections Commissioner’s office
Public libraries
Military recruitment offices
Driver’s license facilities
Department of Health Care and Family Services
Department of Employment Security

You’ll need two forms of ID, one of which must show your current address.

And remember, if you’ve moved or changed your name recently, you must report that if you want to vote in the appropriate ward in the next election. When I last checked my voter registration status (at www.chicagoelections.com) I noticed that I was still registered under my old address. I quickly and easily corrected it.

Politics affect everything from international affairs to the taxes on your grocery bill. Make sure you take full advantage of your right to be heard.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) lakelandlocal

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Tomorrow begins Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, an annual celebration of all books that have ever been banned or challenged. The American Library Association, along with the Chicago Tribune and the McCormick Freedom Museum, reminds us all not to take our books for granted.

Now celebrating its 27^th year, Banned Books Week commemorates our intellectual freedom to choose for ourselves what we write and what we read, even if that content is unpopular or unconventional. Famous authors Judy Blume (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Then Again, Maybe I Won’t) and Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) will be at the BBW Read-Out on Saturday, from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m., at Pioneer Plaza. Other writers will read from their own and others’ popular banned books.

For more information, visit www.ala.org or call 800-545-2433.

Photo credit: MySpace

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

• Dia de los Muertos is still over a month away, but you can begin celebrating this weekend at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Dia de los Muertos: La Vida Sin Fin is the nation’s largest Day of the Dead exhibit, featuring local and international artists. Friday’s opening reception will include hot chocolate, free pan (sweet bread), and traditional candy skulls for sale. (Sept 26 – Dec 14)

• Why wait for Halloween for a fright fest? The Chicago Horror Film Festival is a three-day movie event including almost 30 frightful short flicks and feature-length films. (Sept 26-28)

• If horror isn’t your thing, check out the Asian Animation Film Festival, featuring films and shorts from Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. (Sept 24-27)

• Fall is here, meaning it’s time for the second annual Wrigleyville Fall Crawl. Participating bars will be offering $2 beers, food specials, and giveaways. (Sept 27)

• Prost! An admission fee of $25 at First Saint Paul’s Oktoberfest will get you a plate of dinner (bratwurst, sauerkraut, strudel, and more) along with two glasses of wine, beer, or soda. (Sept 27)

• Prost! The DANK-Haus is hosting its own Oktoberfest with German food, beer, folk dancing, and live music. (Sept 27)

• Estrojam 2008: Decibelle features local and international female musicians, artists, educators, activists, and community leaders in dozens of events across the city. Partial proceeds benefit the Young Women’s Empowerment Project and FAIR Fund. (Sept 24-27)

• You won’t see this at the Olympics. In the New Belgium Brewing Urban Assault Ride, teams of two engage in a bike-riding scavenger hunt to find checkpoints around the city. At each station, the teams will have to complete a quirky challenge. Past obstacles have included bike limbo, modified Big Wheels, and tiny bicycles. Registration fees benefit West Town Bikes. (Sept 28)

• The Broadway production of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage arrives in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. (Sept 28 – Dec 7)

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) peppergrasss, R Tys Tyk, sanja gjenero

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Science Chicago: Life’s a Lab is a year-long celebration of science and learning that will appeal to people of all ages. More than 100 public and private institutions are hosting events where Chicagoans can explore and discover how the world around them works. After all, science isn’t just in a textbook; it’s in action every day.

The festival covers everything from physics to ecology to medicine. Science Saturdays provide behind-the-scenes tours at internationally known research facilities. Science Conversations are forums of discussion with specialists about environmental issues, disease prevention, ethics, and more. Prefer a hands-on approach? LabFest! at the Museum of Science and Industry includes more than 50 interactive exhibits and experiments that are just as educational as they are entertaining.

Teachers are encouraged to use the resources that Science Chicago provides. Several scientists and experts are ready to visit classrooms; and the website provides lots of information on lesson plans, field trips, classroom materials, and more.

So if you know someone, whether 6 years old or 60 years old, who is always asking “Why?”, Chicago will have a year’s worth of demonstrations, exhibits, and forums that may help answer all his/her questions.

For more information, visit http://www.sciencechicago.com/

Photo credit: Science Chicago, (c/o SXC) Dan MacDonald, lcs9

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

The mobile Pie Hole restaurant is traveling the country this month, giving away free pie to celebrate the season premiere of ABC’s Pushing Daisies. Today, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, you can stop by for free pie, pie-cutters, spatulas, balloons, and more. Be sure to get there early, as supplies are limited.

For more information, visit PushingDaisiesTour.com or follow them on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/abcpiehole.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) www.YoVenice.com

Post from: The Chicago Traveler