Hyde Park Community Players Return with 16th Annual Halloween Radio Horror Show This Weekend

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Hyde Park · October 25, 2025

Hyde Park residents seeking thrills and chills this Halloween weekend can experience a unique blast from the past as the Hyde Park Community Players present their 16th annual 'An Evening of Horror & Suspense' performances tonight and Saturday. The free shows, held at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) starting at 7:30 p.m., recreate the Golden Age of Radio with dramatic narrators and technicians creating live sound effects that bring seasonal frights to life.

The neighborhood is bustling with additional Halloween activities this weekend, including Sunday's popular Pumpkins in the Park celebration at Nichols Park from 1-4 p.m., where families can decorate free pumpkins, enjoy crafts, and catch a performance by Marsha's Music. Halloween night will feature the annual 'Cat-O-Ween' at 57th Street Books from 3-6 p.m., complete with adoptable cats from Hyde Park Cats, candy, and Halloween crafts. For music lovers, The Promontory will host its final Halloween celebration, 'Freaky Friday: Memes and Nightmares,' before the venue closes permanently following its New Year's Eve party.

Costumes are encouraged at all events, with several featuring contests and themed activities. Families looking for additional options can visit Rockefeller Memorial Chapel Sunday evening for a centennial screening of the 1925 silent film 'The Phantom of the Opera,' accompanied by acclaimed organist Dennis Scott.

Sources:
1. https://www.hpherald.com/evening_digest/how-to-celebrate-halloween-in-and-around-hyde-park/article_6c90c10d-f5ce-4298-b004-ce86c74a0ed9.html
2. https://www.choosechicago.com/blog/nightlife/halloween-parties-in-chicago/
3. https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/14/the-promontory-beloved-hyde-park-music-venue-closing-at-end-of-year/