Halloween is creeping up on us, and so is House of Spirits, LA’s spookiest cocktail soireé of the season! That means it’s time to round up your squad and venture to Vaughan Hall for a thrilling evening of festive activities, themed cocktails and Clever Fox Rum. But before embarking on this delightfully chilling night of terror, here are 13 pre-party activities to get ready for the main event!
Host a BYOB (bring your own ‘boo’-ze) backyard bonfire
With earlier sunsets and chillier weather, a bonfire is the perfect way to celebrate spooky season in Los Angeles. A ‘bring your own ‘boo’-ze’ bonfire with homemade Clever Fox Rum cocktails will help you loosen up ahead of House of Spirits, and will also get everyone in the Halloween mood.
Summon the Spirits with a tarot reading
Although tarot readings are part of the evening’s itinerary, a little pre-game never hurt anyone. DIY tarot readings are a fun way to break the ice before going out with friends!
Connect with the dead using a ouija board
Once within the confines of Vaughan Hall, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to connect with the dead. However, it’s never a bad idea to make a good first impression, so get out the ouija board and try to chat with some spirits ahead of time! You and your friends will have a blast seeing who and what you can conjure up with this supernatural communication tool, and you might even wind up with a ghostly plus one…
Scare your friends with a frightening fit
Costumes are an essential for any Halloween party, and House of Spirits is no exception. Make sure you and your pals look the part by sticking to the dress code, which at Vaughan Hall ranges from black tie attire to spooky fits, and even period costumes! Whatever you need in order to catch the right vibes, be sure to stop by Adele’s of Hollywood. The shop has a massive selection of ghoulish garb, and costumes are available to either rent or buy!
Visit a pumpkin patch
Local farmers grow pumpkins galore this time of year, so stop by a patch with fellow party-goers for all the decorative squash and jack-o’-lantern materials you could ask for! For a one-stop-shop of all the fall activities, Mr. Jack-O’-Lantern’s Pumpkin Patch has locations in West LA, Woodland Hills, Torrance, and at the Original Farmer’s Market, where guests can experience everything from pumpkin bowling to festive putt putt.
Compete in a pumpkin carving contest
While most people consider pumpkin carving a nostalgic pastime, it can also be a fun form of friendly competition with a pre-party carve-your-own jack-o’-lantern contest between you and your friends!
Turn your home into a haunted house
All it takes are some fake cobwebs, lots of pumpkins, and other Halloween-themed decorations to transform your residence into the spookiest space in LA. Set the tone by dimming the lights and lighting lots of candles, and make sure you stock up on decorative pumpkins or gourds. You can also go the DIY route by making a homemade Halloween wreath to greet guests as they pour in for the pre-party!
Make a Halloween playlist
A haunted Halloween playlist will definitely spread scary vibes in anticipation of the season’s most sinister cocktail party. And while there are tons to choose from on Spotify and other music streaming platforms, making your own is way more fun and can be personalized to please your pre-party crew!
Get lost in a creepy corn maze
Weaving through a labyrinth of corn husks is the perfect way to get in the Halloween zone ahead of House of Spirits. Although the city is warm and sunny year-round, LA has no shortage of corn mazes during the autumn! Oak Glen’s Los Rios Ranchos is SoCal’s largest operating apple orchard and is set to a beautiful mountainous backdrop, boasting an impressive corn maze during the fall season.
Have a totally terrifying movie marathon
Anyone who’s excited for House of Spirits loves a good fright. And what better way to feel seriously spooked than with a back-to-back stream of the Halloween classics? Poltergeist and The Exorcist are two films that might make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, even if you’re a seasoned pro when it comes to the cinema scaries. Meanwhile, for those looking for something a little less terrifying, Beetlejuice and Hocus Pocus are two family friendly favorites that will still set the tone!
Munch on homemade spooky snacks
It’s never a good idea to drink on an empty stomach, but there are plenty of easy Halloween-themed treats that you can make for your squad to munch on before attending House of Spirits. Although polarizing in flavor, candy corn provides easy Halloween cupcake decorations, and can also be enjoyed with popcorn as the perfect scary movie marathon snack mix. Try your hand in some festive baking, too, with cut-out sugar cookies shaped like vampires, zombies, or ghosts – the possibilities are endless!
Prepare pre-party drinks at home
No cocktail party would be complete without a pre-game, so make sure you mix up a drink in the comfort of your home. First head over to cleverfoxrum.com to purchase a bottle of Clever Fox white rum, and then get started on your festive cocktails! Try your hand at The Romanov, made with Clever Fox white rum, pineapple, banane du brésil, coconut liqueur, and lime. Cheers to fright night!
House of Spirits
Now that you’ve explored all the haunting activities LA has to offer, it’s time to head over to Vaughan Hall for House of Spirits: the spookiest cocktail soireé of the season! And don’t forget – Clever Fox Rum will be serving up delicious drinks at the bar throughout the night, so grab a glass and sip with friends while you enjoy all this thrilling event has to offer!