The Wellesbourne’s Jeepers Creepers Punch (from Facebook)

Halloween is the BEST holiday of the entire year. Costumes, candy, scary movie marathons! Come on! And this year there are a ton of fun opportunities to show off the costume you worked on all year…or, if you’re like me, the one that you patched together with things from our closet. Here are my picks for what you should do (and drink) this Friday.

Halloween Parties

Corner Door’s Halloween Party: This Culver City barestaurant will be launching its brand-new fall cocktail menu at the party! Naturally there will be a costume contest but the winner with the best duds will get a private cocktail class for two with Corner Door mixmaster Beau Du Bois! The DJ will start the groovy tunes around 10 pm.

Sassafras’ NOLA Halloween: From L.A. to LA, step through the door at Sassafras and get transported to the Spooky South. The Hollywood saloon will feature specially priced voodoo brews and Halloween cocktails. If you’re brave, dare to get your future told by a tarot card reader and fortune teller. The costume contest will award a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner with $100, $50 and $25 bar tabs! 9:30pm to 2am.

Genesis’ Neon Halloween: Right upstairs from Sassafras is a black light party, so dress up in neon and glow in the dark! There will be $9 neon-colored drinks all night long as well as a surprise guest DJ. The audience will choose the winner of the costume contest with prizes for the top three winners. Best part? No cover for this dance party!

Cana Rum Bar’s Electric Death Carnival: Costumes (think: feathers, gore and neon) and dancing shoes strongly encouraged! Leblon samba girls will be dancing through the party and naturally Brazilian Neckties will be on special in addition to other cocktails!

DTLA Halloween Block Party in Chinatown Central Plaza: Ghouls and goblins will be taking over Chinatown. For $50 guest will get unlimited drinks at any bar inside General Lee’s or outside in the plaza event area from 8 to 11pm (cash bar after 11pm). Or do general admission and buy your own drinks. A live band and DJ will keep you dancing all. Night. Long.

Formosa Cafe’s 2nd Annual Drink or Treat Halloween Extravaganza: There’s no doubt that this Hollywood landmark is haunted. You’ve heard all the stories. So will the ghosts come out for this party? You’ll have to see for yourself. Come en costumed and get drink deals all night!

Melrose Umbrella Company’s Louisiana Vampire Halloween Ball: MUB will actually be celebrating Halloween ALL WEEK but Friday is their big costume ball. No slackers allowed as costumes are required for entry. They’ll be serving up Sazeracs, a Creole Cocktail and a New Orleans Buck. They’re really excited for folks to try the Velvet Revolver cocktail made with rum, rye, velvet falernum, chicory coffee liquor and Creole bitters. A costume contest will award 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners with prizes. DJ Die will be spinning and there’s no cover charge.

The Wellesbourne’s 4th Annual Jeepers Creepers Halloween Ball: The West LA cocktail bar will be transformed into a haunted mansion where guests can sip on free tastings of Selvarey’s Panamanian White and Cacao rums (before 9pm). Commemorate your awesome costume in the Halloween-themed photobooth with a pro photographer! The party starts at 6pm but guests arriving after 9pm will be charged a $10 cover and get one glass of Jeepers Creepers punch.

1886 Bar’s Hobgoblin Cocktail (Photo courtesy of 1886 Bar)

Halloween Cocktails

Petty Cash’s Zombie Cocktail: Petty Cash will be offering a special Zombie Cocktail for the holiday for $12. It’s a potent mix of Jamaican, Demerara, and high proof rums, fresh lime and grapefruit, house made grenadine, Angostura bitters.

Rivera’s Halloween Cocktails (Photo courtesy of Rivera)

Rivera’s Halloween Cocktail Specials: This week through Halloween Rivera is offering a Halloween-themed drink list.

• El Diablo: Lime, ginger, blanco tequila, club soda, cassis float
• Redrum: Lime, muddled strawberry, orgeat, Smith and Cross Jamaican rum, Amaro Meletti, bergamot bitters, Angostura
• Saved by the Basil: Lemon, Combier, Hellfire bitters, basil, vodka, club soda
• Blood on the Leaves: Lime, mint, absinthe, mezcal, egg white, Peychaud’s bitters

1886 Bar’s Hobgoblin: Throughout Halloween weekend you’ll be able to sip on this spooky mix of AppleJack brandy, housemade pumpkin syrup, all spice dram, cinnamon and fresh lemon juice, garnished with a chocolate spider web.