If any place on Milwaukee’s East Side should be going all out for Halloween, it should be Black Cat Alley. And what do you know—it is!

Yep, on Saturday, October 29, the open-air art gallery—a.k.a. a two-block alley that stretches from Ivanhoe Place on the north (between Sip & Purr Cat Cafe and Potbelly Sandwich Shop) to Kenilworth Boulevard on the south (between AXE MKE and Merge)—will celebrate Halloween in style. Here’s the deal:

Beginning at 9 a.m., two surrounding East Side businesses will host family-friendly activities. Crossroads Collective will be the site of a build-your-own-scarecrow station, as well as a children’s costume contest. Meanwhile, the East branch of the Milwaukee Public Library will be home to a dog costume contest, all with the help of Woofbowl Dog Food Truck. Fun!

Then, beginning at 7 p.m., the Alley itself will be the site of a free Halloween Throwback Dance Party, featuring DJ Fuzzy Logic and TJK. The Alley party will also feature an outdoor bar, tarot card readings, and an adult costume contest. And yes, a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is happening that same night at the Oriental Theatre.

“Black Cat Alley is such a cool space,” East Side Executive Director David Smulyan says in a press release. “Festival-goers had such a fun time during Summer Soulstice and we wanted to recreate the atmosphere. We are excited to host this Halloween event that has activities for all ages. Going into 2023 we are planning to activate the Alley on a regular basis, for all sorts of musical and art events as well as a variety of special occasion events.”

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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.