Halloween is such a complex celebration; there are so many steps to costumed success!  Not only do you have to plan your individual attire—a hard enough task in itself, especially with the critical eye of our own style guru Avery—but if you’re gathering with friends, a group theme is even tougher to pull off.  A gaggle of superhero costumes?  That was hip in the late-‘90s, not in the 2010s, a vastly superior decade.  Fast food chain mascots?  Now you’re talkin’.

Regardless of your final decision, it’s crucial to find a location where your costume will be noticed and appreciated.  There are few worse feelings than confidently storming into a Halloween party as a sexy Beelzebub when there are a sprinkling of “cat-women” with smudged whiskers slurping pitchers of Natty Ice. 

At 9 p.m. on Saturday, Town Ballroom (681 Main St.) will host its “Haunted Catacombs and House of Horrors 4th annual Halloween Party,” sponsored by the illustrious JACK FM and After Dark Presents. 

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.  They can be purchased online here.

There are glorious costume prizes as well.  The winners of three categories: “Best Costume,” “Scariest Costume” and “Sexiest Costume” will each receive $500.  Needless to say, you can take your costume purchases up a notch in future years with that kind of dough.  Winners will be announced at 1 a.m., so you have four hours to strut your creepy/sexy/awesome stuff.

To gauge your competition, browse through After Dark’s photos from years past.  Will you be as scary as the photo below?  (Photo credit: Jeremy Grodek)

Featured photo credit:  Jeremy Grodek.