Halloween creep circuit

Peeled grapes for eyeballs. Linguine for intestines. Cauliflower brains. The haunted house standbys of old always required a willing suspension of disbelief. And, despite the ever evolving technology of gore -- animatronics, glow-in-the-dark dental drills, chainsawed legs -- you still have to surrender to your senses.

Of course, a little shock and awe around every corner doesn't hurt. This year's newcomer on the creep circuit, the Hopper House of Horror, inhabits the old Hunter Steakhouse in Santa Rosa. Like a ghost from the past, former Sonoma County Fair manager Corey Oakley re-emerges as the spooky caretaker of a quack doctor's medical horror shop.

Taking a year off, Dr. Evil's haunt in the abandoned J's Amusement Park in Guerne-ville will be sorely missed.

With Halloween landing on a Friday this year, the club scene will be hopping with fire-breathing live music and half-naked costume parties (Caribou Barbie falls in love with Joe the Plumber?).

Here's a roundup of haunted hideouts, Day of the Dead processions and club parties:

Hopper House of Horror

Meet Dr. Horus Hopper. Back in the late 1800s, he never met a patient he didn't want to experiment on, even if his tests and trials often went terribly wrong. Now, over a century later, you get to scream through 11 examination rooms of horror.

No one younger than 7 permitted. Ages 7-12 must be accompanied by adult. 6-10 p.m. today and Sunday and 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $10-$15. 3785 Cleveland Ave. 239-5272. www.hopperhorror.com.

Seven Ultralounge

Eyeliner gallant, Jeff Bodean, who scored 15 minutes of fame on the reality show "Millionaire Matchmaker," throws two Halloween parties at Seven Ultralounge Friday and Saturday.

$100 gets you VIP access to Jeff's VIP Red Room and an open bar all night long. $30 general admission gets you in the door. Music by DJs Fabian, Rob Cervantes and Tecni. Massive costume parties both nights. 528 Seventh St., Santa Rosa. 523-7714. www.sevensr.com.

Drive-by Spooking

Petaluma residents Chad Dunbar and Austin Allen are dialing in Halloween in their own neighborhood, blanketing their Cabernet Court house in 7,000 lights and synching it all to the tune of Mannheim Steamroller songs.

Here's where you come in: You drive by their house, while tuning in to 96.3 FM and soak up the blinding spectacle without ever leaving your car. It's free, but if you want pitch in for the PG&E bill, Chad and Austin probably won't mind. Musical light show 7 to 10 p.m. tonight and 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday. 1623 Cabernet Court, Petaluma. www.halloween.deejaychad.com.

Hopmonk Tavern

Halloween runs the entire weekend at Hopmonk, starting with the Ugly Sweater Contest & Mustache Halloween Party tonight for $5. Then Ancient Mystic smokes roots-rock reggae for free Friday night. But the biggest eye-candy spectacle of the weekend is actually the day after Hallow's Eve when Mutaytor stages Cirque du Sebastopol with a troupe of aerialists, fire dancers, sword swallowers, stilt walkers and more Saturday night. $24-$30. 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 829-7300. www.hopmonk.com.

Day of the Dead Procession

Break out the marigolds, giant puppets and mariachis for this traditional candle-lit procession starting at 6 p.m. Saturday from Petaluma's Water Street Bistro (on the river at the foot of Western Avenue just off Petaluma Boulevard North) and trailing to the Petaluma Art Center, 230 Lakeville St. Ballet Folkloric Netzahualcoyotl follows at 7 p.m. Costumes encouraged. 778-9922. www.petalumaartscouncil.org.

Hella-Ween 2008

"Bumpin' in the Night" is the ghoulish theme when rapid-fire MC Dublin of Shotgun Wedding Quintet kicks off this helter-skelter party with SonicBloom, Kadillac, the 808 Band and DJ J-Riggs. All ages. 7 p.m.-midnight Friday. $10 ($8 with costume). Masonic Center, 373 N. Main St., Sebastopol. 829-9732. www.808media.com.

"War of the Worlds"

The element of surprise may be gone, but The Raven Players of Healdsburg re-

enact the haunting 1938 broadcast of H.G. Wells' apocalyptic thriller. 8:30 p.m. Friday. $15. Raven Performing Arts Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg. 433-6335. www.ravenplayers.org.

Russian River Brewing Co.

Stevie Ray Vaughan devotee Johnny Tsunami and the Hurricanes blow out Russian River's annual Halloween party with sweet Texas blues and rock. It also culminates the October Breast Cancer Awareness drive with raffle drawings (including that cute lil' pink scooter) and a costume contest. Free. 9 p.m. Friday. 725 4th St., Santa Rosa. www.russianriverbrewing.com.

Mystic Theatre

The perennial party boys of Wonderbread 5 don sky-high afros and break out the '80s hit machine for a booty-shaking dance party and cash-prize costume contest. The biggest question mark is the opening band: OBGYN, billed as "80's Girl Rock in Drag." You be the judge: 10 p.m. Friday. $20. 21 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. www.mystictheatre.com. 765-2121.

Last Day Saloon

The bands summon the ghosts of Van Halen and The Police, you dress up like David Lee Roth and Sting and then storm the stage for a costume look-alike contest. That's the plan when Hot for Teacher and Stung plug in the jukebox of hits at 9 p.m. Friday. $10-$15. 120 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 545-2343.

French Garden

All Souls will be dancing the night away to R&B, blues and soul with the Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band at 9 p.m. Friday at French Garden Restaurant and Brasserie, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. $20-$25. 824-2030. www.frenchgarden

restaurant.com.

Day of the Dead Dance

Janis Joplin collaborator Nick Gravenites teams up with David LaFlamme for a boneyard blues concert to benefit the Jenner Fire Department's bridge and stream restoration project. Altar offerings welcome. Costumes optional. 8 p.m. Saturday. $12-$17. Jenner Community Club, Highway One. 865-2415.

Staff Writer John Beck writes a pop culture blog at pop.pressdemocrat.com.