Last minute eerie delights

Some people plan and wait all year for Halloween, and some wait a little too long. If you haven’t made your plans yet for Friday night, time is running out.

It’s good for you that the holiday lends itself to last-minute celebration.

You could just round up the family and head down to the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze in Petaluma, within sight of Highway 101. Wander among the tall corn stalks, looking for the one way out, and then reward yourself with a good stretch and a group selfie photo.

The popular annual attraction closes at 10 p.m. Friday, with last entry at 9:30 p.m. Admission costs $9 from 6 p.m. on. 450 Stony Point Road. Kettle cornDand soft drinks for sale. 781-3132, petalumapumpkinpatch.com.

“Dr. Evil’s Haunted House” in Guerneville, promising one scary evening, closes its month-long run, open from sundown to 10 p.m. Friday. 16101 Neely Road. $25 for VIP pass. doctorevilshouseofhorrors.com.

The locally legendary Blind Scream Haunted Houses, actually a trio of haunted houses under one roof, is open from 7 to 11 p.m., not only Friday, but Saturday as well. 1500 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park. $10-$20. 523-3728, blindscream.com.

Not far from the haunted houses, at the Sally Tomatoes Cafe and Bar, 1100 Valley House Drive in Rohnert Park, the Halloween party runs from 5 p.m. Friday until 1 a.m., with live music by the Rotten Tomatoes starting at 8 p.m. Cajun buffet until 8:30 p.m. for $15. 665-9472, sallytomatoes.com.

Every night is Halloween for the outrageous party band Wonderbread 5, a longtime Bay Area favorite, with the quintet decked in gold-lamé suits or sometimes scarlet sweatsuits. The doors open at 8:45 p.m. Friday at Petaluma’s Mystic Theatre for the nightclub’s annual Halloween party and costume contest, with music starting at 9:45 p.m. $21. 23 Petaluma Blvd. N. 765-2121, mystictheatre.com.

The Hopmonk Tavern’s annual “Cirque de Sebastopol” party features burlesque, cabaret acts and a variety show, starting at 9 p.m. Friday. Sebastopol. $35. 829-7300, hopmonk.com.

At the Twin Oaks Tavern in Penngrove, the Halloween party features live music by Trainwreck from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday. $10. 5745 Old Redwood Highway, Penngrove. twinoakstavernpenngrove.com, 795-5118.

You’ve missed your chance to get less expensive advance tickets to Sebastopol’s “Zombie Ball,” but you still can go. This Halloween party, presented by Mr. Music (Jim Corbett), includes live dance music by Gator Nation and the Rhythm Rangers, plus a costume contest and the classic films, “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” 7 p.m. to midnight Friday. $35 at the door. Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. 823-1511, seb.org, ticketing.com.

One great thing about art galleries is that you can drop in on the spur of the moment any time they’re open. There are a couple of macabre exhibits you could try.

“Mask-Arrayed: The Art of Masks Today” opened Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 16 at Chroma Gallery, 312 S. A St., Santa Rosa. The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Halloween. See masks created by dozens of local and regional artists, and get some inspiration before you dress up to go out Friday. 293-6051, chromagallery.net.

The Sebastopol Center for the Arts opened a new exhibit Thursday titled “Beasties: A Juried Exhibition Featuring Animals “Real, Imaginary and on the Wild Side,” featuring 60 art pieces with a wild creature theme, running through Dec. 6. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 829-4797, sebarts.org.

You can reach staff writer Dan Taylor at 521-5243 or dan.taylor@pressdemocrat.com. Read his Arts blog at arts.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.