Spooky vibes as Toronto pub expands its Halloween experience

Enter this bar freely and of your own will…

Downtown Toronto’s Walrus Pub & Beer Hall is home to the Black Lagoon “pop-up” bar, a below-ground level watering hole that is reaching out to Halloween enthusiasts.

The bar — one of a number to appear throughout North America around Halloween bearing the Black Lagoon name — held a mid-September party to introduce some Torontonians to a venue that had (rubber) severed heads dangling from the ceiling; entertained guests with such tunes as the Warren Zevon’s classic Werewolves of London; The Who song Boris the Spider; and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, memorable in part because of famed horror movie actor Vincent Price’s contribution; and served drinks bearing such names Forever Midnight, Nocturna Colada and Widow Maker.

Black Lagoon opens Oct. 1.

“We’re expanding the Halloween experience, ” says Jas Bowles, one of several people involved in the project.

Guests are invited to wear costumes, contributing to “spooky vibes,” Bowles adds.

Meanwhile, Bowles’ colleague Veronica Cox says bar visitors shouldn’t be nervous about ordering a Widow Maker, despite its foreboding name.

Widow Maker was the only drink created for Black Lagoon that doesn’t have alcohol, she notes.

“It sounds lethal but it’s the one that’s going to spare you a hangover in the morning, ” Cox continues.