BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for Oct. 27 – Nov. 2

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This week in BC: Enjoy hellish humour, Bavarian beer and Oompah music, Bollywood North, and more

Cozy Catastrophe – Until Nov. 4

As human civilization crumbles, four strangers make a desperate last stand in Theatre Melee’s dark comedy, Cozy Catastrophe, playing until November 4 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Holed up in a warehouse, the survivors must decide whether to spend their final hours praying, fighting back or just getting to know one another in this unabashed combination of gross-out humour and harried absurdity. Buy tickets online from $30.

Vancouver’s Roedde House Museum – Until Nov. 3

Could there be a better place than an authentic Victorian manse to stage a scarefest this Halloween? We think not, which is why Debts will put you in the red (literally!) from now through to November 3.

Inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, this unique blend of promenade theatre, haunted house and radio play set at Vancouver’s Roedde House Museum takes you on a journey to a wedding from hell, where you’ll discover that some debts can only be paid with blood. Kids under 13 aren’t suitable for the show, held Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Purchase tickets online.

Penticton’s Third Annual Oktoberfest – Oct. 27

Did you know that beer is thought to be the world’s oldest alcoholic drink? Anything with that kind of staying power has got to be good, right? Judge for yourself at Penticton’s third annual Oktoberfest on October 27. Held from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., this big-time bash turns the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre into a vibrant Bavarian beer hall, complete with authentic eats, drinks and live Oompah music. Buy tickets online for $25.

Haunted Halloween Tours – Oct. 27-28

Seafood factories don’t rank as scary places — unless, of course, you’re a fish. But expect the unexpected on October 27 and 28 when Richmond’s Gulf of Georgia Cannery crosses over to the dark side for its Haunted Halloween Tours. Depending on your own particular thrill threshold, you can choose between one of three excursions: kid-friendly, traditional or extra-spooky. Buy tickets online or by phone at 604-664-9009 for $10 per person, with discounts for seniors and children.

Secret Souls Walk – Oct. 27

What’s so secret about the Secret Souls Walk? Beats us, considering that this spooky street party — teeming with troupes of stilt walkers, jugglers, dancers and minstrels — creates enough clamour to wake the dead. And that’s the whole point of this twilight festival, which awakens the “spirit” of the community with a torch-lit procession, family-friendly festivities and fireworks at East Vancouver’s Grandview Park, on October 27 from 5:30 p.m. Admission is by a suggested $5 donation.

South Asian Film Festival – Oct. 31 to Nov. 4

Whether it’s a dramatic tale from India or a romantic musical from Pakistan, a collection of internationally recognized films will be screened at the first-ever South Asian Film Festival, taking place from October 31 to November 4 in Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford. From documentaries and dramas to animation and shorts, the fest spotlights 40 films from eight countries at six different venues, along with opening- and closing-night galas featuring appearances by some of South Asia’s best-known actors, dignitaries and filmmakers.

Zombie High School – Oct. 26, 27, 28, 31

If ever there were an event that put the “fun” in “fundraiser,” it’s got to be Zombie High School (3166 East 16th Ave, Vancouver), a Halloween hootenanny that benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Last year, 700 thrill-seekers checked out the kid-friendly frights, which include everything from a loony lunch lady to animatronic gags to zombies bopping to “The Monster Mash.” Drop by on October 26, 27, 28 and 31 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Admission by donation.

Heights Merchants Association – Oct. 31

Do your kids deserve a good spooking? Although probably too tame for teens, Halloween on the Heights is set to deliver pint-sized thrills that won’t traumatize the tots. On October 31, little monsters from all over the Lower Mainland are invited to trick-or-treat at shops along Burnaby’s Hastings Street, catch a spooky train ride at Confederation Park and enjoy a flashy fireworks finale, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting at the Heights Merchants Association (4019 Hastings).

H.R. MacMillian Space Centre – Oct. 28

Halloween hijinks start early this year at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver, offering free admission to costumed kids on October 28, from noon to 5 p.m. Check out the “stellar” exhibits and galleries, and be sure to head to the auditorium for a free 2 p.m. screening of Tim Burton’s classic stop-motion fantasy, The Nightmare Before Christmas. P.S. Before you troop in all the tots, be aware that this free offer is limited to two kids per paying adult.

In Love with Colour – Oct. 26-28

Watching paint dry may be considered the epitome of boredom, but that’s so not the case when you’re watching it expertly applied to canvas during live artist demos. That’s what’s in store from October 26 to 28 at Burnaby’s Shadbolt Centre, site of the Burnaby Artists’ Guild’s latest exhibition and sale, In Love With Colour, which spotlights original works by talented local painters. Admission is free.