Something wicked (cool) this way comes. Halloween is back, and Columbia is offering a lot to make the evening live up to the hype. From buying a costume in The District to picking up an eerily delicious treat at a local restaurant, or attending one of the city’s many events, CoMo’s got it covered.
**GOTCHA COSTUMES**
**Location**: 819 E. Walnut St.
This costume and novelty shop has anything from walrus masks to flapper costumes and everything in between. Gotcha offers costumes and masks from several themes and every era, available both for rental and purchase. The store is owned by MU graduate Aaro Froese and is open year-round. Musicals and theatre productions are common areas of business for the shop, as well as April Fool’s Day (where they offer fake lottery tickets, stink bombs and loads of other goofy pranks).
**MAUDE VINTAGE CLOTHING & COSTUMES**
**Location**: 818 E. Broadway
Although this store has 3,500 square feet dedicated to costumes available for rent and purchase, Maude Vintage Clothing & Costumes is much more than a funky clothing shop. According to its website, Maude participates in several philanthropic events benefitting organizations like The Rainbow House, Planned Parenthood and others. The shop also takes pride in its support of local artists and musicians and often buys and sells products from local designers in its storefront. Alongside art and clothing is an array of costumes from several different themes. Some of the many genres you can find include medieval, Victorian, go-go and “mountain folk.”
**ABSOLUTE VINTAGE**
**Location**: 923 E. Broadway
Absolute Vintage is another shop that isn’t strictly for costumes, but it still has tons to offer when it comes to dressing up for Halloween. Try: policeman, nurse, SpongeBob, Elvis. You name it, Absolute Vintage probably has it. This shop offers variety on a budget with costume rentals as low as $6 a day. It also houses an assortment of wigs for all of your outrageous hair needs.
So you have your costume. Now what?
**THE BLUE NOTE**
Oct. 29: Halloween Brew ‘n View: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
This 18-and-over show presents its audience with a cult classic, complete with rock n’ roll and crazy costumes. It’s $8 in advance; $10 at the door.
Oct. 31: ’80s v ’90s Halloween Costume Ball
This show is 21+, but only $5 at the door! The evening is set up to be a totally retro dance party with two of Columbia’s resident DJs, Requiem and Jen Ha. You can wear whatever you want, though the midnight costume contest will focus on musicians and movie/TV characters from the ’80s and ’90s.
**RAGTAG CINEMA**
Oct. 28-30: Austrian film “Goodnight Mommy” (one of the most celebrated horror films of 2014) comes to Columbia for just three days at Ragtag.
**ROCHEPORT GENERAL STORE**
Oct. 31: Rocheport Monster Bash
About 20 minutes west of Columbia, the city of Rocheport shuts down Central Street for the whole day to bring a free music and beer festival to mid-Missouri. From noon to 10:30 p.m., guests can expect a variety of live local music and microbrews. The day’s festivities also include a costume contest at 6 p.m.
