Spooktacular shows, haunted houses scare up fun across east valley

FETISH & FANTASY

October brings ghosts and goblins, trick-or-treaters and a seemingly endless array of sexy nurses, sexy police, sexy clowns, sexy My Little Ponies and sexy inmates, both in old-timey, black-and-white stripes and "Orange is the New Black"-style jumpsuits.

All those and more are likely to be found at the 2015 Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball, scheduled from 10 p.m. to 4 am. Oct. 31 at the Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Road. Tickets for the 21-or-older event start at $88. Tickets and more information, including the dress code, are available at fetishandfantasyhalloweenball.com. The dress code wording is worth a look even if you don't intend to attend. An example: "Pasties and liquid latex are no longer acceptable, due to the wisdom of our elected officials"; the dress code further points out that "The fragile reputation of Las Vegas is at stake after all."

NEVADAWEEN

The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, 500 E. Washington Ave., plans to host its annual Nevadaween celebration from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 24. Celebrate Nevada's 151st birthday and Halloween with games, crats and food.

Admission is $1 per person for those 13 or older and free for children 12 or younger (cash or check only). Visit parks.nv.gov/calendar or call 702-486-3511.

TOWN SQUARE LAS VEGAS

From 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South, the shopping center is set to transform into Town Scary. Children of all ages are invited to trick-or-treat at participating stores and restaurants.

More than 5,100 pounds of candy will be handed out. Children must bring their own basket for collecting treats. Several children's Halloween-themed activities are planned throughout the night, including costume contests, bounce houses, Halloween photos in Town Square Park and more.

Town Square is set to close its streets during the event. Visit mytownsquarelasvegas.com or call 702-269-5000.

The Undead Maze haunted house has shifted locations from the southwest to Town Square this year and opened Oct. 2 next to The Green. Spanning more than 2,000 square feet of twists and turns, the maze is home to zombies, killer clowns, chainsaws, toxic waste and monsters. The cost is $10, with proceeds going to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

The maze is set to be open from 6 p.m. to midnight Thursdays through Saturdays and 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31. There is no age limit, but it is best-suited for those 10 or older. Visit facebook.com/undeadmaze.

DOOLITTLE CENTER

The Doolittle Community Center, 1950 N. J St., is planning its 50th anniversary Safe Fright Night from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29. Costume contests and other activities are planned during the center's anniversary celebration. Call 702-229-6374.

CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY

On the other end of the scale are the many family-friendly events planned at The Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

"We try to offer a wide variety of events that will appeal to a wide variety of our patrons," said Suzanne Scott, Performing Arts Center coordinator for the library. "We try to have a little of something for everyone."

Halloween events at the library include the Mutant Madness Teen Lock-in, planned from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. Oct. 23. The event is set to celebrate the end of Teen Read Week with scary movies, snacks, mutant doll creation, Minecraft masks and video games. Registration is required.

A Halloween Puppet Show is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 27 and 29 and 1:30 to 2 p.m. Oct. 28 and 31. Teens are set to learn to make bats, jack-o-lanterns and ghosts at Halloween Origami from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 27, and the library is set to have a Haunted House with Halloween games and crafts from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29.

Visit lvccld.org or call 702-507-3400.

FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE

The Fremont Street Experience's seventh annual OktoberFrightFest street party is scheduled through Oct. 31. Events include free performances from the stage production show "Frank & The Steins," the sixth annual Fall Beer Festival at the Golden Nugget and Halloween-themed Viva Vision shows set to music pieces such as "Thriller," the "Ghostbusters" theme, "Monster Mash," "Time Warp," "The Addams Family" theme, and the themes from"Halloween" and "Nightmare on Elm Street."

The shows are 3 to 4 minutes long and follow the regular 7, 8 and 10 p.m. showings.

"Frank & The Steins" are set to perform on the First Street Stage from 8 to 11 p.m. nightly through Nov. 1, with dark days set for Mondays and Oct. 20. The band is also set to perform from 7 to midnight Oct. 31.

The beer festival is planned for Oct. 9 and 10 and is set to feature more than 30 breweries, food and live entertainment. A grand tasting is planned for Oct. 10, and tickets start at $45. Call 866-946-5336 or visit goldennugget.com/lasvegas.

For details, visit vegasexperience.com.

CIRCUS CIRCUS

For those who can't wait until the end of the month, the Haunted Hearse & Car Show is scheduled from noon Oct. 9 to 11 p.m. Oct. 10 at Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The event is set to include live music, a costume contest, vendors and an appearance by Sin City Paranormal Investigators. Visit tinyurl.com/hhandcs2015.

Inside Circus Circus, the long-running Fright Dome is set to take over the Adventuredome, transforming the theme park into a maze of haunted houses and spooky attractions and rides, including the Insanitarium, the Slaughterhouse, Freak Show and more. The event is set to feature hoards of the undead, creepy dolls and the worst kinds of clowns.

Fright Dome is scheduled from 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 9-11, 15-18, 22-25 and 28-31. Tickets start at $35.95. Visit frightdome.com.

ONYX THEATRE

Finally, for those who want their monsters with a little thoughtful contemplation, high art and pop culture, performances of "She Kills Monsters" are scheduled at 8 p.m. Oct. 15-17, 22-24, 29-31 and 5 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Onyx Theatre, 953-16B E. Sahara Ave.

"It's a great, geeky comedy by a New York company called Vampire Cowboys and written by Qui Nguyen," said Troy Heard, producing director. "It's an adventure comedy."

The story follows a young woman who loses her family to a car accident. While cleaning out the house, she discovers a homemade "Dungeons & Dragons" manual by her sister.

"She had never had a strong relationship with her younger sister because her sister was a nerd, and she had always been popular," Heard said. "With the help of a local game master, she plays the game and finds out things about her sister that she never knew."

The play is directed by Asylum Theatre's Sarah O'Connell and will be one of the largest and most complex sets the theater has had. It will also have the monsters that the title promises.

"As she plays the game, the action of the game is performed on the stage, along with all the monsters and other encounters the character has," Heard said. "This was one of those rare scripts that I couldn't put down, so when Sarah mentioned it was on her bucket list, it immediately made our season. I was literally fist pumping with excitement the first time I read it. It contains so much teenaged geeky greatness, with heart to spare. "

General admission tickets are $20, and a limited number of $10 Student Rush tickets are set to be available at the box office 10 minutes before each performance for patrons 18 or younger with student ID. Visit onyxtheatre.com or call 702-732-7225.

— To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.