2014’s Must-Go Halloween Events in Canada

Over the course of history, Halloween has somehow warped from a Western Christian feast into an ideal excuse to party excessively. It's the worst day of the year to have a peanut allergy and the only day of the year that consuming enough sugar to kill a small rodent is socially acceptable. We've compiled a list of events from coast to coast where you're likely to find some Halloween kandi.

What: #FVDED Halloween
Who: Cashmere Cat, Whipped Cream, and more.
When: October 30th, 2014
Where: Distrikt in Victoria, British Columbia
Why: Cashmere Cat is one of the most distinguished and fast rising producers in the game right now. With two masterful EPs and an Ariana Grande collaboration under his belt, the 26-year-old Norwegian has become a household name (if your roommates are cool in the slightest). His support that night includes an island local, Whipped Cream. With a sugar-based ingredient name like that, it's almost a guarantee you'll have a good time here.

What: Dooms Night
Who: Martin Garrix, Madeon, Dash Berlin, Audien, and more.
When: October 24th and 25th, 2014
Where: Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver
Why: Returning for its 11th year anniversary, Dooms Night has established itself as Vancouver's go-to Halloween event. This year's lineup has been amped up to a total of 10 artists—some of them considered to be the biggest names in dance music. A high profile event like this is well on its way to rivaling Contact as Vancouver's dominant two-day Halloween bash. Unsurprisingly, it's selling out fast—so jump on those tickets while they're here. Don't let that over-priced costume go to waste.

What: Mad Decent Halloween
Who: Riff Raff, Walshy Fire (of Major Lazer), Party Favor, and more.
When: November 1st, 2014
Where: The Waldorf in Vancouver
Why: Nobody brings the party like Mad Decent does. This summer's Mad Decent events have surely proved that. Bringing a new installment of party-centric life to one of Vancouver's most iconic venues is the hype man of electronic music events himself, Riff Raff. With two floors, four rooms, the signature tiki theme, and the potential for a mysterious after party—this has the makings for the perfect extended Halloween night. We don't recommend trick-or-treating in East Hastings unless you want used needles or cocaine cut with Tide.

What: Hifi Halloween
Who: Snakehips and Stwo
When: October 31st, 2014
Where: Hifi Club, Calgary
Why: You got lucky with this one, Calgary. London-based duo Snakehips and French superstar Stwo are currently taking North America by storm and happen to be in town this Halloween. Snakehips have been garnering a lot of attention of over the past year and a half. Their SoundCloud page is packed with gems, with easy listening tracks perfect for brunch to beachside bangers. Stwo is one of the key players in France's emerging R&B scene and has already solidified himself as a THUMP favourite. For a Toronto local, the FOMO is all too real with this event.

What: Cemetery of Sound
Who: Laidback Luke, Tritonal, and more.
When: October 31st, 2014
Where: BMO Centre, Calgary 
Why: High off miniature Oh Henry's and no-name colas? Looking for something with more rave to it? Well Cemetery of Sound is the perfect alternative. Returning for its fifth year, the event has outgrown its previous home and is set to throw down at the BMO Centre. Let us remind you that Laidback Luke's name is not a reflection of his style. At all. So we're confident he won't disappoint. Hailing from Austin is Tritonal, who continues to prove that everything is bigger in Texas—including progressive sound.

What: Scream
Who: DYRO, Headhunterz, DJ Snake, Yellow Claw and more.
When: November 1st, 2014
Where: Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton 
Why: Few things are hated more than the beginning of another Edmonton winter. Luckily there are better remedies than shoddy club crawls to mitigate Mother Nature's impending cruelty. Scream 2014 is such a remedy. Boodang is one of the driving forces in Canadian organized events, especially in Edmonton. This event is a testament to their ability to promote large-scale shows in parts of Canada that don't often see major artists.

What: Scream
Who: Brillz, Audien, Torro Torro, BARE and more.
When: October 31st and November 1st, 2014
Where: Wheelies in Winnipeg
Why: Hosting an event at this roller rink has got to be a joke. Alas, it's not. But this is exactly why I love Winnipeg. Unfortunately, touring electronic artists often skip over the city that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh's name. Considering the fact that the population only slightly exceeds the combined amount of these headliners' SoundCloud followers, this is hardly a surprise. A two-day event like this is a big deal and an obvious choice for celebrating Halloween in the prairies.

What: Scream
Who: NERVO, John Dahlbäck, and EDX.
When: October 30th, 2014
Where: EY Centre in Ottawa 
Why: The Nervo sisters are as pleasing to the eyes as they are to the ears. But they're not without some decent man candy either. Sweden's John Dahlbäck and Swiss born EDX are joining the twins at Scream in Ottawa this coming fright-night. The latter has been reinventing himself as of late, slowly making the transition from big room and progressive to deep house. Currently, his haircut still looks like Axwell's but we're sure that change will come eventually as well.

What: Monster Mash
Who: LOUDPVCK, Jamie Jones, Blasterjaxx, and more.
When: October 31st, 2014
Where: Liberty Grand in Toronto
Why: The Monster Mash lineup is nothing short of spectacular this year. Add three enormous, lavish rooms along with 5,000 people wearing intricate (often scandalous) costumes and you've got yourself Toronto's biggest Halloween party. Bone rattling electro anthems will dominate the Governors Room while the Artifacts Room will feature ghoulish tech house. The Trap Room speaks for itself. Regardless of your preference in electronic music, Monster Mash has something to offer for the spectrum of tastes in your festi-fam.

What: Sinister
Who: Project 46, Paris Blohm, and more.
When: October 31st, 2014
Where: Chateau Le Jardin, Toronto
Why: Any time an event page explicitly promises confetti canons, that should be the indicator for you buy a ticket. Project 46 has played a large role in putting Canada on the map in the progressive house scene. Their fall tour brings them back to Ontario for the third time in two months, and this time with Paris Blohm added to the arsenal. They are joined by a plethora of opening DJs to create what will be the most electrifying event in the greater Toronto area.

What: First Kontact
Who: Shlohmo, Rustie, Hucci, High Klassified, and more
When: October 31st, 2014
Where: Centre Des Science, Montreal 
Why: High Klassified is the best thing to come out of Quebec since poutine. If his hair isn't enough to convince you, his video for "Hyrule Kastle" will. With Shlohmo, Rustie, and Hucci performing as well, I can say with certainty that you'll be in good hands. This First Kontact event is shaping up to be something I would almost buy a plane ticket for.

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