13 Best Halloween Party Themes Fit for Adults

Plan a Murder Mystery

Nothing says Halloween quite like a classic murder mystery party. Keep it simple and allow a murder mystery game to guide your evening, or go big and commit to decorating your home according to the time period and circumstances of the crime. Take things up a notch and provide fun costume accessories for guests to wear once they learn what characters they'll be playing. The more invested in the theme, the more fun you'll have.

Play Wild West

Not all Halloween theme parties have to be scary. For an evening of fun attire, plan a Wild West–themed event. Guests can sport their best Western-inspired outfits, and you can set the mood with whiskey cocktails, saloon décor, and small bites that offer a big Southwestern kick of flavors. Good thing Western boots aren't going out of style anytime soon.

Watch Scary Movies

For the ultimate scare-fest, host a scary-movie-themed party. Guests can dress up as characters from their favorite bone-chilling films, and you can deck out your home in decorations that hint at scenes from the flicks. Think "Camp Crystal Lake" signs à la Friday the 13th and scary writing scrawled on the bathroom mirror.

Time Travel Through the Decades

With the continuous reprisal of trends from decades past, a Halloween bash that celebrates retro fashion, décor, and music will be much appreciated by your guests. Pick from the roaring '20s, the groovy '70s, the radical '80s, or the trendy '90s; then craft the perfect playlist to take your guests back in time. Take it one step further and seek out old-school snacks, quirky drinks, and vintage décor to really transform your home.

The early aughts can also be a theme; anyone still have some neon-colored aviators, a branded tracksuit, low-rise jeans, and hoop earrings collecting dust in their closet?

Host a Zombie Apocolypse

Whether you're a fan of The Walking Dead or not, zombies have been having a moment in pop culture for quite some time. What better way to celebrate Halloween than with a spooky zombie theme party? Think finger foods (pun intended) meant to look like severed body parts, creepy cocktails, and scary costumes. Have guests choose between dressing as survivalists or the zombies themselves.

As far as décor, consider a zombie art wall featuring portraits of the famous undead. You could also create an Instagram photo corner complete with moody lighting.

Bring In the Fall Harvest

For something festive that won't give you such a fright, host a fall harvest Halloween party. Turn your home into a pumpkin patch full of photo ops, pumpkin-spiced foods, and seasonal décor. Think haystacks, pumpkins, candles, flowers, and anything that screams fall. Serve up a spiced cocktail and a few pumpkin-infused treats to create the perfect seasonal setting.

Or for something more substantial, try a fall dinner party menu, featuring porchetta spiced pork shoulder, kabocha squash salad with pomegranate, figs, and chèvre; roasted Brussels sprouts with dates, pistachio, and lemon; and for dessert, almond-cardamom apple cake.

Start a Speakeasy

Give your Halloween soirée a touch of secrecy with a speakeasy theme. Have guests enter your home through a back door or give them a special password to recite when they arrive in order to gain entry. For the decorations, go for dim lighting and vintage-looking glassware to serve up some illicit cocktails. Guests can don their best 1920s-inspired attire while they sip something strong and dance the Charleston.

For decade-appropriate cocktails, try the Boulevardier (bourbon, sweet vermouth, Campari, orange peel); a minty rum Mojito; the sweet and tropical Mary Pickford; or a Sidecar (brandy, orange liqueur, lemon juice.)

Get Out of This World

Transport your guests through space and time with an out-of-this-world-themed Halloween party. Encourage attendees to dress as astronauts or as intergalactic aliens (we vote for E.T. or Stitch from Lilo & Stitch) decked out in neon and glitter. You can whip up some worldly cocktails inspired by mixologists at The Drawing Room in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Accomplice in Los Angeles; serve space-inspired bites like rice crispy "asteroids" or solar system cupcakes, and decorate your home with glowing lights to mimic the star-speckled night sky.

Create Your Own Haunted House

Perhaps the original or most traditional Halloween party theme, a haunted-house-themed event will always delight. Adorn your home with sticky cobwebs, candelabras fitted with melting wax candles, eerie potion bottles, and glass domes filled with whatever your imagination can drum up.

For the refreshments, display a bewitching cauldron filled with a batch cocktail perfect for self-serving and encourage guests to come dressed as their favorite classic Halloween characters, from witches and ghosts to monsters and mad scientists.

Host a Black Tie Affair

For one evening, shed those jeans and athleisure and don your fanciest, most formal attire. We're talking long gowns, a suit and tie, pearls and gold, heels and shiny loafers—the works.

The party menu might look like a classic wedge salad with blue cheese and bacon bits; hamburger sliders; a gorgeous charcuterie platter, and sparkling wine and Old Fashioneds (plus non-alcoholic options for those not imbibing.)

Go Back to Summer Camp

Throw your next Halloween party back to your summer camp days, complete with vintage lanterns, plaid or flannel, khaki shorts, and campfire fare, like grilled hot dogs and s'mores. We also like the idea of setting up a few tents if you're celebrating outdoors, or creating a fort-like atmosphere indoors to really set the mood.

Become a Superhero

Between Marvel and DC Comics' roster of superheroes, party guests have lots of leeway to show up as their favorite caped hero. Use comic book page cones to hold party snacks; pass out masks; and make sure there are ample pop-art colors everywhere.

Guests can also take a looser approach to the theme and come dressed as any public figure they consider a superhero.

Host a Music Fest

Popular music festivals like Coachella have a distinct look, which usually means a mix of avant-garde, carefree outfits. Fringe, feathers, sequins, and body paint are not uncommon here, as are denim shorts, crop tops, and sheer materials. Pump up the electronic and dance music, and you've brought the desert party vibes to you.