Fear and fun under the big top: Fright Dome celebrates 14 years

Las Vegas may boast plenty of spooktacular Halloween-themed events, but only one area attraction was named among the nation’s top three theme park Halloween events last year by the readers of USA Today 10 Best: Fright Dome inside the Adventuredome at Circus Circus.

Returning select nights Sept. 30 through Oct. 31, the 250,000-scare-foot haunted theme park has become a destination unto itself for horror fanatics, with Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne even taking their own private jet to visit the attraction. Featuring six haunted houses, four scare zones, live shows and more, this year’s event promises to be more terrifying than ever. Not only will there be a haunted house themed after the legend of Krampus and a scare zone themed after a haunted Mardi Gras, there will also be a solo haunted house for Fast Pass customers. The house will hold a high-tech séance to decide which guest will be the first to walk through it alone.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Fright Dome creator and owner Jason Egan. “The house will even have actual items we’ve been collecting from real haunted places, like wheelchairs from notorious mental hospitals.”

For more on Fright Dome’s 14th year, visit frightdome.com.

Annual Halloween events to die for

From frightful family events to spooky adults-only soirees, you’re never too young or too old to get into the Halloween spirit in Las Vegas.

Running Friday through Sunday Oct. 14 to 30 from 5 to 9 p.m., Spring Preserve’s Haunted Harvest (springspreserve.org) is perfect for boys and ghouls of all ages, with trick-or-treat stations, a Monster Dance Party and more.

Fremont Street Experience’s OktoberFrightFest celebration (vegasexperience.com) combines Oktoberfest and Halloween for a free street party Oct. 5 to 31, with Halloween-themed shows by Frank and the Steins.

Sin City’s ultimate costume party for adults, the Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball (fetishandfantasyhalloweenball.com) returns to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Oct. 29.

A sinfully delicious drink

Candy is for kids. This Halloween, treat yourself to an intoxicating concoction created specifically for the holiday by corporate beverage director of BR Guest Hospitality, Richard Breitkreutz.

Rosemary’s Baby

Available for $16 at Strip House inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Oct. 31

Ingredients:

¼ ounce strawberry-balsamic vinegar

Rhubarb bitters

Dehydrated strawberry slice

Fresh rosemary

Sparkling wine

In a flute or coupe, add ¼-ounce of strawberry-balsamic vinegar and a few dashes of rhubarb bitters. Garnish with a dehydrated strawberry slice and fresh rosemary. Top with sparkling wine. Cheers!

— Heather Turk, LA Times Content Solutions