Where to ‘trick or treat’ in Ho Chi Minh City?

The occasion is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day, and more and more Vietnamese have seen it as an opportunity to celebrate and have fun as well.

A music event titled “Escape Halloween 2014” in the Phu My Hung residential area in District 7 gathers a number of famous international DJs and promises to enliven this Halloween with energetic music, colorful lights, and other activities under the theme of a ghost festival.

The event is scheduled to take place on October 31 from 4:00 pm to 11:45 pm.

The Hard Rock Café, a well-known music venue in District 1, will host two parties – “Happy Halloween” and “Halloween Zumba Party” – on October 31 and November 1, respectively.

The “Ghosts’ Wedding” party to be held at the Urban Station café in Phu Nhuan District will offer another choice for horror fans.

F band, which rose to fame after the talent show “The X Factor Vietnam 2014,” will perform at the event, to kick off at 6:00 pm and close at 11:30 pm on October 31.

Other activities like a carnival and games will bring more Halloween spirit to participants.

Elsewhere, a “Marriage in Blood” will be organized at the Monkey in Black café in District 1 for the celebration.

By attending the event, customers will have a chance to enjoy finger-shaped pies, receive ‘weird’ gifts, and meet bride and groom mummies from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm on October 31.

In addition, the Hotel Continental Saigon in District 1 will also join the celebration with a Halloween fest from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm on October 31.

Diners will enjoy beer, soft drinks, cocktails, a buffet and live music, and will receive free Halloween-themed makeup.

Cake-makers like Fly Cupcake and the Vietnam subsidiaries of the Singapore-based bakery Breadtalk will also hope to attract buyers by offering special Halloween-themed products.

Also, the Vietnamese branches of the Massachusetts-based ice cream brand Baskin Robbins will offer a 31 percent discount on the Fresh Packed combo for ice cream lovers on October 31.

On the last day of October, the Crescent Mall in District 7 will celebrate Halloween its own way with a Halloween Sale Area, with hundreds of costume items, photo booths, a haunted house, free gifts for children, a costume contest, games, a 'trick or treat' parade and a magic show.

A number of parks around the city will also work to thrill their visitors during the day.

Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 will hold a series of activities including games, a culinary fair, a Halloween decoration contest, a music show, and a carnival from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm on October 31.

In addition, the ghost house at Le Thi Rieng Park in District 10 should also be checked out over this Halloween celebration.

For movie lovers, a series of horror films including “The Pact 2,” “The Devil's Hand,” and “Ouija” are being screened at cinemas across the city, promising to bring moments of terror.

The Vietnamese drama “Nguoi Tinh Trong Bong Dem” (Lover in the Dark) may be a highlight of this year’s Halloween for Vietnamese-speaking expats.

The play, which gathers young, good-looking actors, tells the story of a newly-married couple whose life turns into a nightmare when the ghost of the husband’s ex-girlfriend appears.

“Nguoi Tinh Trong Bong Dem” will be staged in Vietnamese at 8:00 pm on November 1, 8, and 22 at Sao Minh Beo Theater in District 11.