Wave Your Freak Flag High! Best Halloween EDM Parties and Festivals for 2012

For young people, Halloween is an important holiday on the social calendar. With the rise in popularity of electronic dance music (EDM), cities everywhere are cashing in on the craze and throwing massive events headlined with some of the industry’s biggest acts. If you’re still undecided of where to go this October, consider some of the nation’s biggest and most outrageous dance events.

Northwest

Seattle
In it’s sixteenth year, Seattle’s Freaknight is a Northwest Halloween tradition and local favorite. The Friday before Halloween, Armin Van Burren, Caspa, Borgore, Bingo Players, Dada Life, Morgan Page, Netsky and many more will invade the WaMu Theater downtown turning it into freakafied chaos — the perfect opportunity to premiere your most outrageous costumes for Halloween.

Bay Area
Spookfest in Oakland is Live 105′s Subsonic Halloween Massive with Calvin Harris, Benny Benassi, DATSIK, Burns, R3hab and Example are headlining. The party is on October 26 at Oracle Arena and is for EDM lovers who are 18 or older.

Denver
On the Saturday before Halloween, the creators of Skyland and Global Dance Festival are bringing some crazy to the “Mile High City” with Hallowfreaknween. Acts like R3hab, Bingo Players and Mord Fustang will take over the National Western Complex Arena for the 16 and over event.

Southwest

Las Vegas
In Sin City, Halloween is celebrated all week long. On Thursday, Oct. 25, Cazzette is at Hazee Nightclub at the Aria kicking off the week-long madness. Friday, Benny Benassi is at the Marquee with Steve Angello playing at XS on that Saturday. DJ Chuckie plays the Marquee and Afrojack is at XS on Monday. On Halloween day, Deadmau5 and Kaskade take over EDM events, as Deadmau5 is playing at XS and Kaskade at the Marquee. With the global acts bringing in EDM lovers from around the nation and the antics of Vegas’ infamous Fetish Ball and Halloween parade, if you’re heading to the Strip, prepare yourself for an experience to die for.

Houston
Something Wicked is the Lone Star state’s premiere EDM event. Held at Sam Houston Racepark, northwest of the city’s downtown area off of the Interstate 8, break out stars W&W, Kaskade, Nero, Zedd and Flux Pavilion headline this 18 and over event.

Los Angeles
The breeding place of the West Coast’s EDM music scene hosts two massive events for the fall. Hard’s Day of the Dead is at LA State Historic Park (the same location as the LA Hard Summer event) on November 3. Arguably the best line-up out of any in the nation for Halloween, Day of the Dead is headlined by Justice, Knife Party, Diplo, Jack Beats, Tommy Trash, Major Lazer and more! Before Halloween, EDM lovers can head northeast to San Bernadino for Insomniac’s Escape From Wonderland. Another ridiculous line-up featuring Michael Woods, Fake Blood, Martian Solveig and many more!

Midwest

Chicago
The delightfully creepy duo the Bloody Beetroots along with Wolfgang Gartner headline Freaky Deaky, a 17-and-up EDM spectacular at Congress Theater downtown on Friday the 26. The next, day Knife Party, Tommy Trash, Zane Lowe and Kill the Noise take over the historic entertainment center giving locals a full EDM Halloween weekend.

Northeast

New York City
Holiday festivities start on Friday the 26th in the city’s Meatpacking District at Kiss and Fly, where Paul Okenfold hosts his House of Horror. Saturday Nero and Adventure Club headline Halloween Meltdown at the Hammerstein Ballroom while All Mixed Up brings in Sebastian Ingrosso, Alesso, and Otto Knows to two New York venues. The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island and Pier 94 in Manhattan.

Southeast

Miami
Back in Black at Bicentennial Park (Ultra Music Festival’s famous breeding grounds) hosts global acts Dirty South, Funkagenda, the Crystal method and Paul Van Dyk on Saturday, Oct. 27.

Credits
Joshua Cruz Josh is a blogger/columnist who writes about pop culture and society from a guy’s point of view. He loves any kind of music (even country) and is hooked on social media.