Halloween Guide 2010 | San Francisco

2010 is unfortunately yet another year without an “official” place to party for Halloween in San Francisco ever since the Castro was declared neighborhood-non-grata by the city.

Even with no central location in the city to draw all the ghosts and goblins, tons of smaller events (many with DIY spirit) have sprung up ready to satisfy your crazy costumed needs for the entire Halloween weekend.

Here’s our top five picks for fun and cheap ways to spend your 2010 Halloween. But even if nothing on this lists lights your calendar, there’s tons more Halloween events that might.

FuncheapSF’s Top 5 Picks
Halloween 2010

24 Hour Horror Movie Marathon
– Sat 10/30 Noon to Sun 10/31 Noon – CellSpace – Bryant and 18th St – SF
Grab a pillow, some eye drops and a bucket (in case you’re squeamish) and prepare for Eli Roth’s 24 Hour Midnight Movie Marathon at the CellSpace in the Mission District. This free all day and all night movie orgy begins at Noon on Saturday with “The Thing” and lasts until the 1973 Italian slasher flick with lesbian erotic subplot “Torso” begins at 9am on Halloween morning.

Ghost Walk at the Palace Hotel
– Sun 10/31 6:30pm – The Palace Hotel, 2 Montgomery St. – SoMa
Kings and presidents died here; gunshots echoed through stately corridors, romances ended tragically. .Join San Francisco City Guides for a tour of the unknown–and the supernatural at this landmark hotel which was completely rebuilt in 1909 after the great earthquake and fire.

Greek Shadow Puppet Play
– Sun 10/31 7pm – Hallidie Plaza / Civic Center – SF
Award-winning shadow artist Leonidas Kassapides waits until dark and then backlights his creatively cut puppets for his annual shadow theater performance with live musicians in this modern adaptation of an ancient Greek artform.

Fear Oaks: Halloween Haunted House
– Fri & Sat, 7:30pm to 9:30pm; Sunday 7:30pm to 9pm – 346 Fair Oaks / Mission District – SF
Come find out what lurks in the woods after dark at “Fear Oaks” – a haunted house with 800 square feet of terror for adults and older children filled with animated props and live actors. Each night there’s a free performance of Michael Jackson’s Thriller by the zombie crew. $4 Admission.

Free Cab Rides on Halloween Night
– Sun 10/31 10pm to Mon 11/1 4am – San Francisco & East Bay
To help keep your costumed and drunken ass off the road, Halloween revelers in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and Alamada can get their cab rides home completely free all Halloween night (until 4am) thanks to the thoughtful law firm, Berg Injury Lawyers who will be picking up the tab for hundreds of drivers.

View our entire list of 30+ Halloween events for this weekend.

Other events you might like:
Bay Area Haunted Houses
Half-Priced Halloween Deals
Dia de los Muertos

Let the Pre-Party Begin!
THURSDAY 10/28
– Mission Treat Microhood Party – A mini block party with free food & drinks
– Mos Eisly Cantina – Star Wars costume party with light saber fighting
FRIDAY 10/29
– Halloween Ghost Walk at City Hall
– Halloween Burlesque Show –  Plus freaky film footage & free BBQ
SATURDAY 10/30
– Rocky Horror Picture Show in a Shoe Store – As weird as it sounds
– 24 Hour Horror Movie Marathon – A Free marathon of midnight movies
– Thriller in 3D – Watch the MJ classic video in 3D for the first time!
– Journey to the End of the Night – An epic street game played in Justin Herman Plaza