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As Darkness Falls

If a dorm mate knocks on the door this Halloween looking for some Snickers, send them away. They're too old. It is a lamentable part of adulthood that once one reaches a certain age, one becomes the giver rather than the receiver of trick-or-treating loot. But just because a college student can't dress up as Superman and demand Skittles (at least not without looking like an idiot) doesn't mean one can't have fun come Halloween.

Fourth Avenue Halloween Party Fourth Avenue, normally a den of Tucson culture, gets all dressed up Saturday, from 3-9 p.m., for a Halloween party. The party utilizes the variety of its local shops and bars, each one contributing their own apple to the bob, to create a huge block party spirit. "It is a Mardi Gras atmosphere," said Sands Spencer, the events and marketing director of the sponsor organization, the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association. Local bars O'Malley's and Maloney's will both be holding costume contests, so get gussied up in the scariest attire. Need a costume? Fourth Avenue will be devilishly delighted to oblige. There are eight locations where one can find all the freakiest fashions, including the Tucson Thrift Shop, Kanellas, and How Sweet It Was. "People just put together their own characters. They make it personal," said Tucson Thrift Shop owner Arlene Leaf. Her store has helped a lot of people looking for costumes, and she has gotten a sense of the more popular ones this year. "Some Austin Powers, some warrior goddesses, some witches. A lot of 70s. It's a real variety." Once properly costumed, guilt-free participation in any of the festivities is possible. "The people go into the bars and get a couple drinks under their belts and we will see these impromptu parades of costumes," Spencer said. The night will also feature live music on the patio of Magpies Pizza and Chocolate Iguana. The Gateway Villas will decorate their parking lot as a graveyard, and Antigone Bookstore will be hosting a "Xena: Warrior Princess" bash (6-9 p.m.). The block party will offer a trick-or-treat booth at United Fire and strolling candy dispensers for the kids, but for some more adult entertainment, check out...

Nightmare on Congress Street III Those in search of a ghoulishly good time might want to head out to this Halloween costume party, sponsored by The Rialto Theatre, Hotel Congress, The Tucson Weekly, KFMA and Budweiser, starting just as the Fourth Avenue bash winds down. Poised to be a huge party, where a parking lot and part of Congress Street will be cordoned off to make room for the three stages, "Nightmare" will offer music that just might make the dead rise from the grave and get their groove on, featuring local and national bands like Billy Bacon, Warsaw, Al Perry, Hipster Daddy-O, Custom Made Scare, and others. "It is a very festive atmosphere with Congress Street being blocked off," said Jeb Schoonover, one of the owners of the Rialto Theatre. "Halloween has turned into one of those great holidays for adults." The event includes a costume contest, giving cash and prizes to the best villain, best superhero (a chance to wear that Superman costume after all!), and most original costume. "Almost everybody that comes gets dressed up in costumes," Schoonover said. The tickets for the event, being held on Saturday night, are $10 and available at Hear's Music, Guitars Etc., Zips University and CD Depot. That $10 cover (it's more at the door) covers both events, whether to one of the three stages or inside Club Congress where Spyder from Mars will be playing the 21 and over event at 318 E. Congress St.

Tucson's First Annual 'Hallow's Eve' Halloween Party For the seriously under-21 crowd, another costume party is at the International Art Center, 516 N. Fifth Ave. The event will feature a number of bands including Gat-rot, Lucky the Rabbit, Table for 1 and others. The party is sponsored in part by the youth-initiative group Skrappy's, whose goal is "to provide a safe and positive environment for youth," said member Kathy Wooldridge. The group, who hosts concerts and raves for young people as alternative, positive entertainment, will donate the event's proceeds to local food banks and the Youth Community. Donations for entrance are $5 and two cans of food. The events goes from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, and will hold a costume contest with door prizes. It is the do-gooder event on a night that historically belongs to Satan.