Your spookiest Halloween 2009 events in Dallas-Fort Worth are right here

by Teresa Gubbins

While Halloween is always one of the year's biggest excuses to party, the 2009 edition is sure be off the wall. The reason: The holiday falls on a Saturday night -- making for multiple, nearly endless, possibilities. You have:

1. Saturday night itself.

2. Friday night as a prelude.

3. Thursday night to ramp up.

Assuming you're not spending your entire Thursday at TGI Friday's, sucking down one of their Pumpkin Pie Martinis (made with Captain Morgan, Kahlua, Butterscotch Schnapps, and pumpkin spices, blech!), you can scroll our database of more than 150 Halloween events -- including a couple dozen haunted houses -- that run right into November. We can't get enough of Halloween:

Lights Out at the Wax Museum When the lights go out, do the wax figures come alive? Blood-curdling scream!

Pumpkin Carving Party at the Old Monk Does the combination of pumpkin, carving kit, and a pint of Guinness seem I-don't-know-a-tad-bit dangerous?

Rocky Horror Show A live recreation of the midnight movie favorite, put on by Teatro delle Muse & Sibling Revelry, at The ArtCentre Theatre in Plano, with two shows each night on Friday and Saturday. Costumes for attendees are a must.

Scare on the Square McKinney's Friday-night 4 to 6 p.m. 'do includes a laudable green overture: Instead of buying a costume you'll wear once and throw away, the contest encourages trick-or-treaters to make costumes from stuff from around the house or from reused or recyclable items.

Fright Fest at Six Flags The theme park offers tours of Studio 13, the long abandoned movie back-lot possessed by the nightmare images of the cinema. Their warning: "May not be appropriate for small children." That's all they hadda say.

Hallo-Wine Trail Eight of Grapevine's finest wineries will host a Halloween-night event, costumes encouraged, with three tastings at each winery, plus a wine glass, and snacks.

Blissfully Raw Trick or Treat Party at Bliss Raw Bar, the raw-food restaurant. Life without cheeseburgers? Ghoulish howl!

They Might Be Giants MTV favorite from the '80s is now doing kids' shows; who has goosebumps?

Woofstock This all-day festival benefits area shelters. Woof woof.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame The 1923 classic silent film is presented by the North Texas Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society. Organ music is totally spooky.

Ghoultown / The Flametrick Subs / Shadow Reichenstein / Razorblade Dolls Perfect for Halloween, Ghoultown headlines this macabre bill at Trees.

NYLOVamp: A Vampire's Ball Admission is $20 but ladies wearing costumes get in free, and you're supposed to come dressed as your favorite bloodsucker. What's the costume for "leech"?

Fright Fete Halloween Bash Held at the Fashion Industry Gallery in downtown Dallas, it encourages "glam costumes" or "black cocktail attire," to be judged by Modern Luxury Dallas editor Stacy Girard. No pressure.

Halloween Scream Train Leaves Grapevine at 1 p.m., hits the Stockyards -- maybe nevvvver to return. Maniacal cackle!

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