By Ariana Wilson | awilson@alextimes.com

Fall festivities are all around, and Halloween is quickly approaching. The City of Alexandria welcomes the revival of traditions and haunted delight. Explore the extensive history of Alexandria through ghosts and gore or walk the King Street Mile to peruse shops, restaurants and decor. Here is a list of spooky activities to enjoy before the month ends:

Spooky Alexandria tours:

• Alexandria Colonial Tours’ Ghosts & Graveyards Tour

Walk by lantern light through historic Old Town Alexandria with a colonial-costumed guide. Experience the history tour on Alexandria’s original Ghost & Graveyard Tour. Expect an earful of ghost stories, legends, folklore, unsolved mysteries, romance and sordid vengeful ghosts. For tickets and additional tours see, https://www.alexcolonialtours.com/. This tour is available through Oct. 31.

• Nightly Spirits

Taste local beverages and listen to the secret lore of Alexandria’s past. Follow ghosts that wander the streets to the spirits that haunt local establishments. These tours are for individuals ages 21 and older. Visit https://nightlyspirits.com/alexandria/alexandria-ghost-tour-pub-crawl/ for tickets and more information.

• Specialty Tour: Poison at the Apothecary Museum

Explore the sinister side of medicine on the Apothecary Museum’s Poison Tour. See it for yourself through Oct. 30. Recommended for ages 18 and up.

Night on the town:

• 2nd Annual Carlyle Halloween Stampede

Mark your calendars for Oct. 29 from 2 to 6 p.m., in which the second annual Halloween Stampede in Carlyle neighborhood will take place. Start your crawl at any of the participating restaurants: Whiskey & Oyster, Sweet Fire Donna’s, Tequila and Taco or Lost Boy Cider. Scary costumes are highly recommended and prizes will be awarded to the most festively dressed participants. There will be a dog costume contest as well.

• Raven’s Night at The Birchmere

On Oct. 29, dress up to spend Halloween weekend with The Birchmere for a unique event featuring fusion belly dance, live music, a costume contest and a pre-show carnival. This year’s theme, “Underworld,” brings the most iconic demons, witches and wizards to the stage — a magical night and a feast fit for all fandoms. See https://www. birchmere.com/ for more information. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or at the box office on the day of the show.

• Poe in Alexandria at Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum

Join The Alexandria History Museum on Oct. 30 or Oct. 31 to experience actor David Keltz as visionary author Edgar Allen Poe. This year’s performance will include short stories, poems, musings, literary criticism and a comic essay never before performed at The Lyceum. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 8 p.m.

Fun for the family:

• Nightmare at Barkhaus

Barkhaus celebrates All Hallows’ Eve with their third annual Halloween party. It’s your pup’s favorite season, and Barkhaus dares all fourlegged friends and their parents to join the celebration on Oct. 29. The event will include a costume contest and spooky food and drink specials. Costumes are highly recommended for both humans and pups. Admission is free, for more information visit, https:// brewskisbarkhaus. com/calendar/nightmare-atbarkhaus-2022.

• Del Ray Halloween Parade

The Del Ray tradition returns on Oct. 30. Children, pets, and strollers in costumes are invited to march and show off their best spooky attire. Awards will be given for best pet costume, best decorated business, best decorated home and best decorated stroller. The parade map and Costume Contest voting is available at, https://www.visitdelray.com/ latest-events/.

• Lowerys Dial & K Aubrey’s Halloween Sidewalk Party

Lowery’s Dial and K Aubrey Flowers invite you to join our first annual Halloween Sidewalk Party. Join the party on Oct. 29 for a frightfully fun fall celebration featuring spectacular sales, fresh flowers and a special fall craft – make your own pumpkins. Don’t forget to wear your costume for a trickor-treat discount.

• Hocus Pocus Brunch at King & Rye

Join the Sanderson sisters and King & Rye on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for themed cocktails, specials and an epic costume contest.

• Little Theatre of Alexandria presents Design for Murder

Murder, romance and comedy are the three best ingredients for a fun suspense-filled evening of theatre. This fast-moving, highly tense whodunit treats the audience to a remote mansion, a sleazy blackmailer, a trench coat clad detective and even a dark and stormy night. Tickets are on sale now! Visit https://thelittletheatre.com/ for tickets to current and upcoming shows. Don’t miss Design for Murder, because the curtain call for this spirited show is Nov. 5.