Your Complete Los Angeles Halloween Party Planner

It’s Halloween week and we’ve scared up a few (okay, a lot) parties for you to go. There’s a wide range of events -- from the intimate to the out-of-control -- so you can decide if you’re feeling like having a grown-up Halloween weekend or a can’t-let-go-of your adolescence Halloween weekend. And since this is the first year that Michael Jackson is not with us, it’s only appropriate that there be an all-out Thriller-themed event. Casey Connors spins the party, held at the Dakota Live Music Lounge, which will have several costume contests, including Best MJ, Scariest, and Most Original, plus an MJ Dance contest. And what would a Thriller party be without a Best Zombie category? Saturday at 9.

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The infamous Mexican wrestling-meets-burlesque show Lucha Va Voom returns with its sexo y violencia intact for their pre-Halloween special, “Creature Feature,” featuring Chupacabra’s Tiny Hatchlings, half-naked ladies wearing masks, and campy good fun. October 28-29, Mayan Theatre, 1038 South Hill Street.

The last Hard met a nasty fate, but Destructo’s back on the horse at his now-annual Hard Haunted Mansion. It’s two days worth of major electronic music headliners; the full list too long, so I’ll stick to the best. Friday night: Deadmau5, 2ManyDJs, A-Trak. Saturday night: Justice, Basement Jaxx, and Modeselektor. Not for the weak-willed. Back at the Shrine.

Jer Ber Jones hosts his fabulous Halloween version of Telekinesis—an already freaky deaky cabaret/variety show sure to be even freakier. His got his All-Stars on hand, including the Lady Tigra, Johnny 2.0, Glamourous Monique, Tammie Brown, and more for a mix of burlesque, performance art, and twisted showtunes. Friday and Saturday night at 9, Cavern Club Theatre.

The people at Cinespia don’t mess around. They are taking over the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for Halloween night and screening nothing less than Halloween. Yes, the original, super-scary Jamie Lee Curtis star-making horror flick-to-end-all horror flicks. The only thing scarier? The line trying to get into this event; line-up starts at 5:30, flick screens at 7. Saturday, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard.

For a trendier Hollywood Halloween, head to the Roosevelt Hotel, where none other than Biz Markie (!!??) is headlining an evening that also includes Vegas variety troupe Beacher’s Madhouse. It’s the sort of place with VIP bottle service and reservations, so get ‘em early at www.wanttickets.com. Saturday at 9.

Be a grownup on Halloween—ditch the Lady Gaga costume and find your secret self at the Halla Gala hosted by Leonard and Susan Nimoy. Yes, Spock and Mrs. Spock! (I will not fault you if your secret self is Spock, either.) There will be a private portrait session available with Nimoy (who you might recall has become an accomplished photographer), and your costume can be handcrafted by professionals, including Scout, Brian Lichtenberg, The Row, Brett Westfall/Unholy Matrimony/Commes des Garcons (and more). This event doesn’t come cheap: $350 to $25,000, so that costume better be ridiculously good. Saturday at 7, Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Finally, if you got to any parties at all you will likely be hungover. That’s why you should head to the Halloween Hangover party, designed to keep your mind off that pain by providing a little hair of the dog (champagne), BBQ, hot tub, and poker while you listen to the delicious beats of Reid Speed, Gina Turner, Acid Girls, Paul Devro, and Dan Oh. The party doubles as a birthday celebration for Franki Chan, Natalie Reed, and Paul Nugent. Space is limited. . Sunday, 3-8pm, Shangri-La Hotel.