Proctor Treats

FRIDAY, OCT. 31: Although not everybody feels the need to dress up like Sarah Palin on Oct. 31, few are willing to forgo Tacoma’s unofficial municipal holiday — Halloween. Before falling down drunk in their Bill O’Reilly costumes, mummies and daddies alike still begin their Halloween evening in the Proctor Business District for Proctor Treats. For many a Hallow’s Eve, the Proctor businesses have opened their doors to the wee ones on Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m., for safe and sane trick-or-treating as parents stroll behind.

[Proctor Business District, 4-6 p.m., free, North 26^th and Proctor, Tacoma, 253.759.0077]

Scary karaoke

FRIDAY, OCT. 31: If you were a female of trick-or-treating age between 1984 and 1988, there’s a good chance you dressed up for Halloween as Madonna at least once. I did. Assisted by the “I’ll Remember”12-inch, I wore an oversized teal sweatshirt that had “Grand Canyon” emblazoned across it in this totally ’80s hot-pink font. Under that, I had on a tank top. You could see the strap since I had the sweatshirt hanging off of one shoulder. I added to the ensemble a pair of leggings, color hair spray, and a Claire’s Boutique worth of bangles and jelly bracelets.

Friday I will don the outfit again — this time with “McSame/MILF” on the sweatshirt — for The Mix’s Halloween karaoke party.

[The Mix, 9 p.m., 635 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.4327]

Dracula

FRIDAY, OCT. 31-SATURDAY, NOV. 1: You will be egged if you give out the wrong candy Friday night. Why risk it? Turn off the lights and head to the scariest show the Tacoma City Ballet has staged in a while, Dracula – the Romantic Ballet. The word in the graveyard is this dance thriller is a must see. Audiences can, and are encouraged to, wear costumes of their own.

[Theatre on the Square, 7:30 p.m., also 2 p.m. Nov. 1, $25, 915 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

Dead people!

SUNDAY, NOV. 2: In your desperation to make it through Halloween, you probably completely forgot about Dia de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead, Nov. 2, slacker, is seen by many as Mexico’s most important holiday, a time to honor family members, friends and mentors who have passed on in a loving, respectful way. However, it is not too early to appease your indignant kin. Centro Latino leads community groups in the installation of several ornate altars commemorating the deceased at the Tacoma Art Museum. The altars will be laden with offerings of food and drink to honor loved ones. Fulgencio Lazo and fellow artists have created a tapete, or large sand painting, in the museum’s lobby.

[TacomaArt Museum, noon to 6 p.m., free, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.4258]

Let’s face it, Mommy and Daddy don’t want to stay home and make Martha Stewart paper-bag lanterns. And the clubs know it. Check out the complete listing of Halloween parties in our nightlife calendar a few scary pages back. If you want a real scare, look how dead Monday nights are.