Ready for Halloween? Palm Theatre brings annual Haunting party to downtown SLO

The iconic Palm Theatre’s Halloween party returns for its second year — with spooky live music, frights and food.

The SLO Film Center’s annual Haunting party is scheduled for Wednesday, the first day of October, with the Palm Theatre’s lobby and three theatre rooms open for live music, screenings of classic horror movies and local food.

“It’s just like a different way than you’ve probably ever been in the Palm before, like a different way to experience,” executive director of the SLO Film Center Skye McLennan told The Tribune. “Usually you’re coming in, and you’re seeing a movie, and it’s a little bit more of a stiff experience. It’s definitely not like that. People are coming in and out of all the different screens. It’s a lot of fun.”

Food from Mee Heng Low as well as popcorn, candy, charcuterie and wine will adorn tables inside the theatre, alongside a costume contest with a grand prize, McLennan said. Tickets cost $15 and $12 with the Palmie membership discount.

Live music by local rock and roll band Ghost\Monster will be performed in one of the theatres as well as a wine pull and membership giveaways in the lobby.

The annual Haunting party was first hosted by the SLO Film Center last year, when the Film Center celebrated the start of operating the Palm Theatre, turning the ribbon cutting ceremony into a spooky party.

“It was kind of like our big kick-off party and our big announcement, and we decorated the whole theatre, and we had so much fun with it,” McLennan said. “We just decided this is going to be an annual event that we do every year, and we’re going to take over Halloween and in the downtown area and be that space for people to come to and enjoy these films and fully embrace it.”

Beyond the one haunting night of activities in the Palm Theatre on Oct. 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the theatre’s October schedule brings movie series for “scaredy cats,” zombies and aliens.

A series for night school — spooky films around high schools like “Donnie Darko” or “Scream” — and 3D showings of “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and “House of Wax” are on the month’s schedule, McLennan said.

“We really wanted to have kind of a mix of different types of movies, kind of something for everyone,” she said. “We’ve packed it all in.”

For more information

For more information about the SLO Film Center’s annual Haunting party, visit its website at thepalmtheatre.com or call 805-541-5161.