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The San Francisco Standard
Culture

The Halloween haunting of San Francisco, in photos

Front Street and the 16th St. BART station plaza transformed into two of the biggest outdoor gatherings Thursday as residents came out to rage in their Halloween finest.

Marissa Lopez poses in front of a police car during a block party in the Mission in San Francisco on October 31, 2024. The party featured roaming deejays and shut down the area around 20th Street and Valencia.
Marissa Lopez poses in front of a police car during a block party in the Mission. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
By The Standard Staff

Parts of San Francisco were transformed into ghoulishly boozy block parties Thursday as residents came out to rage in their Halloween finest.

On Front Street, revelers took advantage of the city’s recently updated outdoor drinking rules, while the Mission was another hot spot for costumed antics.

The downtown Entertainment Zone, which has welcomed legal public drinking events since September, hosted the “Nightmare on Front Street” event between 2 and 10 p.m. The party featured four haunting hours of Halloween jams from a live band and two costume contests.

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Front Street was just one center for costumed craziness. Another highlight was the Dance-O-Ween party outside of the 16th St. BART station in the Mission which transformed into a parade through the neighborhood while bands performed.

Participating merchants on Front Street also dressed up and served Halloween specials like potion drinks and “monster” pretzels. The event was, to borrow a phrase from a city press release, “spooktacular.”

The Standard’s photographers spotted everything from a billboard attorney turf war to conjoined cherries to musicians performing while dressed like the Muppets. See some of the best snaps below.

A person in a suit and hat is holding a golden frame with gloved hands. A green apple hangs in front of their face, obscuring their features.
Tom Burst, dressed as René Magritte’s “The Son of Man.” | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person dressed as Jesus smokes a cigarette, holds a beer, and wears a crown of thorns. They have long hair, a beard, and painted blue nails.
Max Steuernagel dressed as Jesus smokes a cigarette on Halloween in San Francisco. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person with intricate skull face paint, rhinestones around the eyes, and skeleton gloves, wearing a black hat with a glittery band edge.
Rae Rae Capizano poses for a portrait at the Nightmare on Front Street halloween party on San Francisco on Halloween. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
The image shows a person excitedly posing in a flamboyant outfit with red and leopard print patterns, blue sunglasses, and a large championship belt. Buildings are visible behind them.
Logan Hedrich, dressed as Randy "Macho Man" Savage on Front Street. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A man wearing sunglasses smiles, flanked by two small models of himself. One model has angelic features, with a fluffy halo, and the other has devil horns.
Ben Feldman got his colleagues to scan his head and created his costume with the renderings. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
Three people in colorful costumes are smiling; two dressed as "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" with blue wigs, and one in a fruit-adorned hat and red outfit.
Sean O’Sullivan, left, Cal Blunt, center, and Edgar Avila, pose for a portrait together at the Nightmare on Front Street. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person smiles while playing an instrument within a glowing, neon-lit structure at night. The abstract design creates a vibrant, futuristic feel.
Trevor Mead takes his homemade dinosaur costume, Doloresaurus, out for a spin at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
Four people, standing together, wear cardboard box costumes resembling sardine cans. They hold drinks and have foil hats, with trees in the background.
A group of sardines enjoy block party in the Mission in San Francisco on October 31, 2024. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person in a colorful rainbow unicorn onesie is playing a sousaphone at night, with twinkling lights in the background creating a festive atmosphere.
The sousaphone player for the West Grand Brass Band blasts away while dancing in the streets at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission on Halloween. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
Two people in costumes stand facing each other with blue and yellow signs behind them, dressed as lawyers. One wears a blue suit, the other a red outfit.
Dane and Dyanna Volek, dressed as billboard attorneys Sweet James and Anh Phoong — because what's scarier than a personal injury lawyer turf war? | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A smiling person in an urban setting holds two orange and white balloon-shaped lanterns. They wear a white top with decorative elements and are surrounded by people.
Liz Radtke, dressed as a “hot hot air balloon.” | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
Two people wearing red cherry costumes with green leaves on top, dressed in red plaid shirts, are smiling and holding drinks in city surroundings.
Ariel Le and Cathie Deane pose as conjoined cherries at the Nightmare on Front Street. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A lively street party with people in elaborate costumes, including a man in an orange jumpsuit and others wearing metallic and colorful outfits, all enjoying the event.
The inmates are running the asylum on Front Street. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person in a blue gingham dress and red shoes holds a toy dog in a basket. Beside them, a dog wearing a scarecrow costume adorned with sunflowers.
Brixton, dressed as The Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz (obviously). | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
Two people are in costume on a city street. One wears a NASA astronaut suit, and the other is in a shiny alien outfit with antennae and a toy ray gun.
Noah Barron and Hayden Burnham have gone full extraterrestrial. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person in a Scooby-Doo costume sings into a microphone, surrounded by people in colorful costumes on a busy city street with tall buildings.
Kevin Yarbarough, dressed as Powerline from “A Goofy Movie” at the Nightmare on Front Street party. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person smiles widely while wearing a Medusa costume with green snake-like hair and a detailed green dress. They are holding their hair up playfully.
Katie Albertucci, dressed as Medusa, a classic of the Halloween costume genre. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A man in a half-face white mask and black suit takes a selfie in a city street, wearing a purple cape and bow tie, with tall buildings in the background.
Mark P., dressed as the Phantom Of the Opera, takes a selfie at the Nightmare on Front Street. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A person wearing a creative white costume with a large helmet stands outdoors. Behind them are people in various costumes and a building labeled "BAR & GRILL."
Sophia Tung, dressed as a Waymo, poses for a portrait at the Nightmare on Front Street halloween party. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
Three people are in costume: one as the Cat in the Hat, another dressed as a pope, and the third in gothic attire with horns and fangs, playfully posing.
A group of revelers hang around outside of bar in San Francisco on Halloween. | Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
A lively party scene with a woman in shiny silver face paint and costume, grinning and sticking out her tongue. People around her wear colorful, whimsical outfits.
Jet Johnson, dressed as a robot, dances as a speaker blasts “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
A lively crowd of people in colorful, eccentric costumes are dancing energetically at an outdoor event, with a musician playing a trumpet in the foreground.
Two Loraxes and many other costumed participants dance to the band at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
A person in a shiny green costume sings passionately into a microphone, flanked by two people in playful outfits, one with a red wig and the other with long blonde hair.
Dressed as the Muppets, a live band performs at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
Two people are smiling and holding a blue sign that reads "HARRIS WALZ" with a message to text JOIN to a number. One person is holding a drink can.
Daria Bacio dressed as Kamala Harris, and Liza Johnson, dressed as Kim Possible, pose for a portrait at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
A person in a beanie smiles under a decorated umbrella with ribbons and lights, surrounded by people, one of whom is wearing face paint and a costume.
Jay Kumar, dressed as a jellyfish, parades down the street at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
Two people joyfully dressed as moths, complete with feathered antennae and large wings, hold a large glowing orb against a dimly lit urban background.
Kye Whitmore and Travis Darling pose as moths attracted to the light at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard
Three people in costumes and face paint are celebrating at night. One is in checkered attire, another in a striped blouse, and the third with glitter and a playful prop.
Costumed participants jam to the music at Dance-O-Ween in the Mission. | Source: Emily Steinberger/The Standard

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CultureDowntownHalloweenPhotography