Question of the Day - 23 October 2006

Las Vegas may not have ranked among the nation's Top Five Trick-or-Treating travel destinations this year (Orlando came out on top with 25% of the vote, followed closely by Boston, the acknowleded U.S. home of Halloween and apparent birthplace of such traditions as costume wearing, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treating). Nevertheless, with its love of the theatrical and "any excuse for a party" attitude, this city has always been a popular Halloween holiday hotspot and there's certainly no shortage of options this year for all ages and predilections. Below, you'll find our complete listings of freakish festivities, phantasmagorical parties, haunted houses, and other spooky shennanigans, plus some suggestions on where to pick up a costume (tip: if you don't want to follow the herd, avoid the Johnny Depp look this year -- looks like everyone and their aunt'll be dressing up as a pirate). Have fun!

PARTIES & BALLS

• Rumba -- Halloween Horror Nights series Rumjungle, Mandalay Bay Tel: 702/632-7408 Dates: Oct. 25 Cover: local ladies free; out of state guys $20; local men $10

• Thriller & Rocky's Horror Studio 54, MGM Grand Tel: 702/891-1111 Date: Oct. 26 Cover: ladies free, men $10 Tickets: $25 in advance/$30 on the door Apparently, the venue will be transformed into "a nightclub of doom"

• 3rd Annual Halloween Party Mingle and Mayhem VooDoo lounge, Rio Hotel & Casino Tel: 702/777-7776 Date: Oct. 26, 6 pm-10 pm Tickets: $20 Featuring DJ Joey Mazzola, Miguel Miggs, and the House Society Crew

• Costume Contest Studio 54, MGM Grand Tel: 702/891-1111 Date: Oct. 27 Cover: ladies free, men $10 Cash prizes for the most original and most erotic costumes

• Nightmare on 54th Street Studio 54, MGM Grand Tel: 702/891-1111 Date: Oct. 27-28, 10 pm Tickets: $25 in advance/$30 on the door As always, a costume contest will be held with cash prizes

• The Party Continues Studio 54, MGM Grand Tel: 702/891-1111 Date: Oct. 27 Cover: ladies free, men $10 More cash prizes for the most original and most erotic costumes

• Black Ball -- Halloween Horror Nights series Rumjungle, Mandalay Bay Tel: 702/632-7408 Date: Oct. 28 Cover: local ladies free; others $20 before midnight, $30 after. Dress in fetish-wear and lingerie to get in free Fetish and fantasy lingerie party with $10,000 for best costumes

• 11th Annual Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball Stardust Hotel & Casino Tel: 702/732-6111 Tickets: $75, or $38 late admission, and $195 Super VIP Date: Oct. 28, 10 pm-4 am Acceptable coverings include: Costumes of any type or Fantasy/Fetish wear such as uniforms, leather, lingerie, latex, rubber, feathers, saran wrap, or anything else you might dream up. Ladies may wear sheer fabrics and revealing outfits, but NO nudity will be permitted this year. Pasties and liquid latex will no longer be acceptable, due to new local rulings, nor will rubber or other artificial genitalia. Costume weapons of any sort will also not be allowed. Web site: http://halloweenball.com/event06.shtml

• Tao-lloween Tao, Venetian Tel: 702/388-8588 Cover: $30 Date: Oct. 28, 10 pm Costume party with prizes for the best outfits

• Halloween Party Tangerine, TI Tel: 702/894-7111 Date: Oct. 28, 9 pm Tickets: $20 women/$30 men Costume contest with special guest judge/host Dennis Rodman Web site: http://www.treasureisland.com/

• Saints & Sinners Halloween Ball Light, Bellagio Tel: 702/693-7111 Date: Oct. 29, doors open at 10 pm Tickets: $30 Includes costume contest for $10,000

• Halloween Party SCORES 3355 S. Procyon Ave. Tel: 702/367-4000 Date: Oct. 29 Hosted by Dennis Rodman

• Return of the Bat -- Halloween Horror Nights series Rumjungle, Mandalay Bay Tel: 702/632-7408 Dates: Oct. 30 Cover: local ladies free; others $20 before midnight, $30 thereafter Bacardi night with over $10K in cash and prizes

• Downtown's new "ArtAbout" festival will feature a free 7:30 pm performance of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show tomorrow at the outdoor theater at Boulder Plaza and First Street downtown, featuring costume contest, raffle, and prizes. The #1 record-breaking cast of Frankie's Favorite Obsession will be performing and will also be presenting their newest version of "Thriller" as preshow. Prop kits and souvenirs will be on sale. For more information, please visit www.rhpsvegas.com and www.artabout.org. And a couple of late announcements from the Palms:
• All Hallow's Eve Gathering Moon Nightclub, Palms Date: Oct. 29 Ladies in costume drink complimentary champagne till midnight
• Gossip Tuesdays -- Halloween edition Ghostbar, Palms Date: Oct. 29 Costumes strongly suggested, with a chance to get featured in the next Gossip cover ad And some from Body English at Hard Rock:
• HALLOWEEN Weekend Tel: 702/693-5000 Date: Oct. 27 Cover: local ladies free; $20 women/$30 men 100 costumes courtesy of Leg Avenue and girls arriving before midnight drink free champagne all night!
• Vampires and Mad Scientists Date: Oct. 28 Cover: local ladies free; $20 women/$30 men $5,000 Costume Contest
• Sunday School of the dead! Date: Oct. 28 Cover: local ladies free; $20 women/$30 men Hosted by the "Scream Queens Brande Roderick - Hood of Horror, Cerina Vincent - Return to the House on Haunted Hill, and Alana Curry - Terminator III. Also they will be having a $5,000 costume contest.
• Devil's Night Date: Oct. 30 Cover: local ladies free; $20 women/$30 men Come in costume and entry is complimentary and there will be a $10,000 costume competition. And one from Red Rock:
• Cherry Nightclub Tel: 702/797-7180 Date: Oct. 28, 10 pm-4 am The normal cover charge for Saturday is $20 and local ladies are free. Please call to verify prices. The first 250 people to rsvp will receive a "Trick and Treats" bag filled with drink tickets, cosmetics from Urban Decay, and other treats. To rsvp go to http://www.amcbars.com/boo/. Also the costume contest winners will receive a "Trick and Treats" bag stuffed with cash. 1st place $1500, 2nd place $500, and 3rd place $250.