Halloween

Halloween in Columbia, South Carolina isn’t just one day anymore. Now the holiday is celebrated as Halloweek, Halloweekend, and Halloween night. All these days around Columbia have their own festivities to be celebrated, whether you’re looking for a family-friendly activity, something scary, or somewhere to grab a drink with a spooky twist. 

Family Friendly Halloween: Boo at the Zoo is a longstanding tradition at Riverbanks Zoo. A week-long event just for the kiddos to trick-or-treat, play games, and see their favorite animals while dressed in their costumes. 

Performances: Local theatre company Trustus puts on the cult favorite, Sweeney Todd each year just in time for the spooky night. One of the most prolific Halloween figures, Dracula, haunts the streets of Columbia during the weekend of Halloween. A production presented by the Columbia City Ballet, Dracula: Ballet with a Bite, tells the iconic story through dance. South Carolina Philharmonic puts on a performance dedicated solely to the spooky day. During their 2024 season they transformed the Koger Center for the Arts into Hogwarts with songs from Jaws, Psycho, Beetlejuice, and Harry Potter. 

Costume Party: More of a dress up and show off type? Have no fear, there will be plenty of occasions to show off those costumes, whether they’re homemade or store bought. Local restaurant Publico is turning on the spooky vibes at their Bull Street location with “Nightmare on Bull Street.” The space becomes unrecognizable with scary, creepy décor and their holiday inspired menu is equal parts frightening and delicious and a costume contest happens on the 31st.