Oct. 28: Strange Things: A Halloween Party

Mill City Nights, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $10 in advance $12 at the door, 18+

Mill City Nights hosts this kickoff to the Halloween weekend with music by DJs Fancy Restaurant (Flip Phone) and Shannon Blowtorch. There will also be a Beyoncé basement party featuring nothing but Beyoncé all night, a meet-and-greet with Milk Queen from RuPaul's Drag Race, a costume contest, and performances by Nocturna Lee Mission, Sunny Kiriyama, and Vincent the Destroyer.

Get tickets here

Oct. 28: Funk and Soul Spook-Tacular!

Nomad World Pub, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $6, 21+

If your Halloween needs a little more soul than spook this year, stop by the Nomad World Pub for performances by Jaedyn James and The Hunger, Big Wave Dave and The Ripples, and General B and The Wiz.

Get tickets here

Oct. 28 and 29: Wookiefoot Halloween with Dustin Thomas, the Limns, and Heatbox

Cabooze, Minneapolis

8:30 p.m. (both nights), $15-$28, 18+

Jam band Wookiefoot are taking over the Cabooze Music Club for two whole nights. Heatbox, Dustin Thomas, and the Limns  will be performing.

Get tickets here (for the first night) and here (for the second night) 

Oct. 29: Le Cirque Rouge

Amsterdam Bar & Hall, St. Paul

7 p.m., $20-$120, 21+

This burlesque experience will bring your Halloween to a whole new level. Past years' shows have included zombie ballerinas, a "live birth," giant spiders, and plenty of singing and dancing. DJ Instigator of Las Vegas will be hosting an afterparty in addition to the show.

Get tickets here 

Oct. 29: Elle King

State Theatre, Minneapolis

7:30 p.m., $33

Elle King "has a soulful conviction in both her voice and her songwriting," observes Bridget Bennett. Riding high on her Ghostbusters hit "Good Girls," she'll perform at the State Theatre over Halloween weekend.

Get tickets here 

Oct. 30: Tommy Stinson's Cowboys in the Campfire

Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis

7 p.m., $20, 18+

Tommy Stinson is best-known as the bass guitarist for the Replacements, but he also has a hard-rocking solo catalog — which is about to expand with the reunion of his band Bash and Pop. Expand wry stage banter and intimate arrangements at this stop on Stinson's "Southern Dandies Tour."

Get tickets here

Oct. 31: Tempo Halloween Party: Opera Style

Able Seedhouse and Brewery, Minneapolis

6 p.m., $15, 21+

Celebrate Halloween with a fun evening at the opera, hosted by the Minnesota Opera and Tempo, their young professionals group. The event comes complete with food, a Minnesota Opera season preview, prizes and trivia.

Get tickets here

Oct. 31: Davina and the Vagabonds

Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis

7 p.m., $15

There's no such thing as an ordinary show when Davina and the Vagabonds play the Dakota — the venue where they recorded a recently-released live album — but expect something extra special for All Hallow's Eve.

Get tickets here 

Oct. 31: First Avenue's Halloween Party & Costume Contest

First Avenue, Minneapolis

7:30 p.m., $10 advance/$15 door, 18+

First Avenue's self-proclaimed "best Halloween party in town" includes a night of music and dancing, along with over $1,000 in cash prizes. Entertainment features DJ Greenery, Espada, Mike 2600, and host by Ian Rans. Prince costumes are sure to abound.

Get tickets here 

Oct. 31: Boo-yoncé: A Bey Halloween Party

Honey Minneapolis 

9:30 p.m., $7 cover charge, 21+

Honey is going "All Bey, all night" with drink specials until midnight and a performance by Genevee Ramona Love. Costumes are encouraged!

Get tickets here

Hanna Bubser is a student at Hamline University.