Gay Halloween 2026: Where to Go in Six Cities
Key West, New Orleans, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. The parades, balls and parties worth planning Halloween around, with every one on the map.
Halloween has always been a queer holiday. Some cities turn it into a parade, some into a week of parties, and a few into both. Here are six that do it best, with the dates for 2026.
Key West
Photo: Life’s a breeze in the Florida Keys, CC BY 4.0
Key West doesn’t do one night. Fantasy Fest turns the whole island into a costume party for ten days, from October 16 to 25.
- Thursday, October 22: The Headdress Ball at Truman Waterfront Park, doors at 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, October 23: The Masquerade March through Old Town, stepping off at 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday, October 24: The Fantasy Fest Parade down Duval Street at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, October 25: The Fat Lady Sings Tea Dance at La Te Da, 4 to 8 p.m.
New Orleans
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 4.0
New Orleans has been throwing Halloween New Orleans for more than four decades, and the whole French Quarter dresses up for it.
- October 29 to November 1: Halloween at Oz, four nights of shows, a costume contest and DJs on Bourbon Street.
- Friday, October 30: The HNO Friday Night Gala at The Barnett, 7 to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31: The HNO Saturday Night Halloween Party at The Fillmore, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., and Halloween at Bourbon Pub & Parade.
- Sunday, November 1: The HNO Tea Dance by the river at Woldenberg Riverfront Park, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Mexico City
Photo: Secretaría de Cultura de la CDMX, CC BY 2.0
In Mexico City, Halloween runs straight into Día de Muertos, so the parades are as big as the parties.
- Saturday, October 24: Jubileo’s Halloween circuit party, from 9 p.m. into Sunday morning.
- Sunday, October 25: The Mega Procesión de Catrinas, thousands of catrinas walking from the Ángel to the Zócalo from 6 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31: The Gran Desfile de Día de Muertos along Reforma from 2 p.m., then BearMex Hallowoof at La Maraka and Pervert’s Day of the Dead party.
Los Angeles
Photo: Clinton Steeds, CC BY 2.0
West Hollywood closes Santa Monica Boulevard for Halloween night, and the parties start a week early.
- Saturday, October 24: Daddy Issues Halloween at The Abbey and The Chapel, and BRÜT Los Angeles Halloween, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
- Saturday, October 31: The free West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval on Santa Monica Boulevard, 6 to 11 p.m., then The Boulet Brothers’ Halloween Ball at the Globe Theatre downtown, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Chicago
Photo: Jason Paul Smith, CC BY 2.0
Chicago’s party is in Northalsted, where the Halloween parade runs up Halsted Street and the circuit parties start the week before.
- Thursday, October 22: iScream at Charlie’s.
- Saturday, October 24: CircuitMOM Haunted Hollywood at the House of Blues.
- Saturday, October 31: The Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade from 7 p.m., then BRÜT Chicago Halloween, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
- Sunday, November 1: Luxuria: After Dark at Fantasy Nightclub, from 4 a.m. to noon.
New York
Photo: Steven Pisano, CC BY 2.0
New York’s Halloween centerpiece is the Village Halloween Parade up Sixth Avenue, and the city’s circuit parties fill the rest of the weekend.
- Saturday, October 24: GoldiLoxx Halloween at Red Eye NY, from 9 p.m.
- Friday, October 30: MEAT Halloween in Brooklyn, from 10 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31: The Village Halloween Parade at 7 p.m., then Alegria Halloween at Palladium Times Square, Horse Meat Disco Halloween at Knockdown Center and Tell No One.
- Sunday, November 1: VIVA After-Hours at Harbor NYC, from 6 a.m.
Every party, on the map
Each of these is on Lavender Atlas, alongside the bars and hotels around it. Pick a city, find your costume, and go.
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