Western expatriates in Ukraine won’t have to miss fall’s favorite holiday, Halloween, as lots of Kyiv venues are offering a host of options to celebrate.
Although the holiday is traditionally celebrated on Oct. 31, because this year it falls on a Wednesday, some venues have moved their events to the weekend — either the one before or the one after Halloween.
So get your spooky makeup, dress up, and pick an event to attend from the Kyiv Post’s Halloween celebration guide.
Zombie Parade
Dead people walking around the city can mean only one thing — it’s Halloween time. The annual Zombie Parade will gather fans of the ghoulish looks to march along Kyiv’s busiest streets in the city center. This is an equal monster event — people dressed as witches, ghosts and horror characters are also welcome to join for free. The meeting point is the monument to Yaroslav the Wise next to Zoloti Vorota metro station. The organizers of the parade also offer a makeup service, which will cost from Hr 90 to Hr 300, depending on the complexity of the work. The makeup service is available on request in advance. Contact parade organizers via their event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/events/2045695718782117
Zombie Parade. Yaroslav the Wise monument next to Zoloti Vorota metro station. Oct. 27. 1:30 p. m. Free
The participants of the annual Zombie Parade dressed as ghosts, monsters and zombies pose for pictures, as they gather near Zoloti Vorota metro station to celebrate Halloween in Kyiv on Oct. 28, 2017. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Diskach (Disco)
Kyiv club and music show venue Atlas will throw a pre-Halloween party on Oct. 27. Although visitors can buy tickets online beforehand, those who dress up like zombies or scary monsters can try their luck and come without tickets — the organizers will let the people with the best costumes enter for free. Called Diskach, which stands for disco in old-school Russian slang, the party offers old-fashioned entertainment — techno, pop and rap hits of the 90s, karaoke and songs about Halloween. Enjoy some sweet 90s nostalgia on the club’s two Halloween-decorated dancefloors.
Diskach (Disco). Atlas (37–41 Sichovykh Striltsiv St.) Oct. 27. 11 p. m. Hr 150
Halloween in Topone
Topone, Kyiv’s up and coming dance center and school, invites everyone to join their celebration of the year’s spookiest holiday. Visitors will be able to dance to a Halloween DJ set, treat themselves to drinks and food at a buffet table, and take part in competitions. Apart from that, Topone will hold a Vogue ball, a catwalk dancing show in which students and teachers of the center will dance in the vogue style as they walk the runway. Famous for its expressiveness and exaggerated mannerisms, vogue is one of the world’s fastest developing dance styles, and vogue balls are spectacular events attracting fans from around the globe.
Halloween in Topone. Topone Dance Center (Marmelad Mall, 154 Borshchahivska St.) Oct. 28. 6–9 p. m. Topone students — Hr 150, others in a costume — Hr 250, others with no costume — Hr 400
Halloween: Mount Kimbie, The Bug & Miss Red
This electronic music party will take place at one of Kyiv’s film studios — spacious and dark, the place will be perfect for the Halloween atmosphere. The party’s lineup will feature electronic artists including English duo Mount Kimbie, Ukrainians Voin Oruwu, Hidden Element, and Smailov, and English musician The Bug, who will perform along with Israeli singer Miss Red. Halloween costumes are not mandatory, the organizers say, but they encourage guests to put on their favorite raver apparel.
Halloween: Mount Kimbie, The Bug & Miss Red. Film Studio (16 Vatslava Havela St.) Nov. 2. 10 p. m. Regular ticket — Hr 500, backstage entrance ticket — Hr 750
Halloween Party: Haunted House
On the night of Oct. 31 America House, the U.S. culture, education, and information center, will turn into a haunted house. The center has prepared a variety of Halloween-themed activities — a fortune teller to predict visitors’ futures, charades games to play with friends, and mystery games to compete in solving cases. Apart from that, America House is encouraging visitors to dress up and participate in its costume contest. The organizers say that adults with children are welcome to join, as they will have activities for the little ones too. Remember to bring either a passport or a driving license in order to enter.
Halloween Party: Haunted House. America House (6 Mykoly Pymonenka St.) Oct. 31. 6:30–8:30 p. m. Free. Bring ID
Halloween Masquerade
Those who don’t feel like wearing a costume but wouldn’t mind putting on a mask to take part in the celebration, should visit the Dom Music Bar. Located in Kyiv’s Podilsky district, the bar will throw a masquerade encouraging visitors to wear masks and enjoy the atmosphere of a mysterious medieval ball. The music, however, will be modern — seven DJs will play electronic music until the early morning.
The bar will offer its regular menu to visitors — vegetarian food, a wide choice of cocktails costing from Hr 100 to Hr 180, and liqueurs. Attendees can purchase a mask at the bar for Hr 50.
Halloween Masquerade. Dom Music Bar (10/5A Petra Sahaidachnoho St.) Nov. 2. 10 p. m. Entrance in a mask — Hr 150, without a mask — Hr 250, mask — Hr 50
