By
This is arguably the coolest Halloween parties happening this weekend. On Saturday night at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, a host of bands that regularly “haunt” the Asbury scene will assume the personas of some of the most iconic musicians of all-time, and put on a special night of tributes and covers. The show, dubbed “Convention Hell,” is the brainchild of Dark City Entertainment, and will start at 7 p.m. New Brunwick alt trio Screaming Females will headline the night, performing a set of original tunes and some covers from as the legendary L.A. punk outfit X. Other bands include: Dentist (as Green Day), Des & The Swagmatics (as Stevie Wonder), Lost in Society (as The Clash), and members of Ether Sunday and Yawn Mower jamming as Nirvana. DJs Mike Merrell and Mischief Night will spin in between sets. 21 and over only. $18 advance, $22 at the door. Saturday, 7 p.m. 1300 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park.
The band Screaming Females performs at New Brunswick’s Court Tavern, CHIP AND GUS: A PING PONG PLAY
A play revolving around a 90-minute game of ping pong between friends is just a taste of the fringe theatrics that will be coming to the Centenary Stage Company’s first ever Fringe Festival. The festival begins Thursday at the Edith Kutz Theater of the Lackland Center with “Chip and Gus: A Ping Pong Play,” written by and starring John Ahlin and Christopher Patrick Mullen. If you can’t make the opening of the CSC Fringe, the festival will continue November 12 to 15 with “Call Mr. Robeson” and November 19 to 22 with “Tammy Faye’s Last Audition.” Tickets: $22.50. Thursday (7:30 p.m.), Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m., 715 Grand Avenue, Hackettstown, 908.979.0900.
POP-I-CON
Even though the big one (NYCC) has come and gone, there are still a number of cons happening throughout the area. On Saturday and Sunday, Pop-I-Con will take place at the Phillipsburg Mall. The event will feature Billy Garcia and Gervase Patterson of “Survivor” fame; David Harris (Cochise from “The Warriors”); Sharon Lentz (“Dark Shadows); and pro wrestlers The Blue Meanie, Sunny and The Nasty Boys. Comic book fans will find a slew of ink slingers on hand, and of course there will collectibles for sale. $10 (kids under 12 free with adult admission). Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1200 Highway 22, Phillipsburg.
TOMS RIVER HALLOWEEN PARADE
The 77th annual Toms River Halloween Parade will take place this Saturday. Now, you might be thinking — doesn’t every town have a Halloween parade, what makes this one so special? Well, can your town claim to have a Halloween parade that’s the second largest in the entire world (according to the Guinness Book of World records)? The parade starts at the Toms River Shopping Center on the corner of Route 37 and Main Street, and it ends at the intersection of Washington Street and Hooper Avenue. If you want to catch the parade, we recommend getting a spot well before the 7 p.m. start time. Free. Saturday 7 p.m., Toms River.
CEMETERY TRICK-OR-TREAT IN NEWARK
Take the kids to trick-or-treat among the graves of Thomas Edison, Samuel A. Ward, composer of “America the Beautiful,” and Ballantine Brewery founder, Peter Ballantine this Saturday. Sound morbid and weird? It’s not. The event, which runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., will be run by members of local historic societies, and they’ll provide you historical lessons on those buried in Newark’s historic Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Visitors are encouraged to dress in costume, and there will be free candy. Free. Saturday, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., 375 Broadway Avenue, Newark.
ZOMBIE WALK AT HISTORIC SMITHVILLE
Rescheduled from October 10 (when Hurricane Joaquin decided to ruin everyone’s plans), this parade begins in Historic Smithville at 6 p.m. But the fun starts well before that. There’s a zombie make-up station from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There’s also zombie archery (so you can channel your inner Daryl Dixon), a “Raffle of the Living Dead,” and a Ms. Underground Zombie Pin-Up contest. There will be live music from Sometimes the Devil, After the Burn, and The Undead. The best part? Free. Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 615 E. Moss Road, Smithville.
STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO HALLOWEEN WEEKEND AT STARLAND BALLROOM
If you’re going to celebrate Halloween in New Jersey this weekend, a healthy dose of ska music is a perfectly fine way to do so. On Friday and Saturday, New Brunswick’s ska kings Streetlight Manifesto return to the Starland Ballroom for their yearly weekend run. These weekend runs have become the stuff of legend at Starland, and one can only imagine the ska-based insanity that’ll be happening in Slayerville’s favorite concert venue. Opening up for Streetlight will be Montclair’s Jenny Owens Young and Sycamore Smith. Tickets: $19.50 (advance), $23 (door). Friday and Saturday 7 p.m., 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, (732) 238-5500.
Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.
