Halloween axe throwing means your group shows up in costume, a coach teaches you to throw, and you spend an hour turning a wooden bullseye into a zombie target. Costumes are welcome as long as you keep closed-toe shoes on and can raise both arms overhead. Book Halloween weekend, Thanksgiving Eve, and Friendsgiving lanes a week or more ahead.
Key facts before you plan:
- Costume rule: closed-toe shoes, arms free to reach overhead, no face-covering mask at the throwing line, prop weapons stay with your bag.
- Halloween hours: our five corporate venues run normal hours on October 31 - noon to 11 PM on a Saturday - and are closed on Mondays.
- Thanksgiving week: open Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, 4 to 9 PM), closed Thanksgiving Day, open Black Friday.
- Group math: a lane holds up to 4 throwers; 10 or more throwers is an event with group pricing and a host.
- Cost: $25 per thrower for an hour at our corporate venues ($22 each for groups of 3 or more); event pricing starts at $29 per person for 90 minutes.
Craft Axe Throwing is a physical, in-person sport - a one-to-two-pound axe, a wooden target 12 to 15 feet away, an enclosed lane, and a coach. Nothing about spooky season changes that; it just gives you an excuse to show up as a lumberjack.
Can you throw axes in a costume?
Yes. Our coaches see costumes every October - bachelorette crews in matching outfits, office teams in group themes, couples in coordinated pairs - and the dress code on the lane doesn’t change for a holiday. The full rundown is in what to wear axe throwing; here’s how it translates to costumes.
Two tests decide whether a costume works at the line:
- The shoe test. Closed-toe shoes are required, full stop. Sneakers, boots, flats, and loafers pass. Sandals, slides, heels, and bare feet fail - so do the plastic feet that come with some full-body costumes. If your costume calls for heels, bring sneakers to swap in.
- The overhead test. The throw is a two-handed motion that starts with the axe behind your head. Stand in the costume, raise both arms straight up, and bring them forward. If the outfit binds across the shoulders, a cape drapes over your hands, or a sleeve could catch the handle on release, it needs to come off or get pinned before you throw.
That second test is why some of the most popular costumes need a quick edit:
| Works as-is | Needs a tweak | Leave at the table |
|---|---|---|
| Lumberjack flannel, cowboy, athlete, superhero in a fitted suit | Cape (unclip it at the line) | Face-covering mask (lift it or take it off to throw) |
| Onesie or jumpsuit with sneakers | Witch or wizard robe with wide sleeves (push them up) | Inflatable costume (you can’t see your feet or swing freely) |
| Skeleton, zombie, or vampire makeup and wigs | Long scarves, beads, or dangling jewelry (pocket them) | Prop weapons of any kind |
Why masks come off: coaches need to see your eyes and you need your full field of view when a 1.5-pound axe leaves your hand. A bounced axe drops at the target, not at you, but the safety system in is axe throwing safe depends on every thrower seeing the lane. Wear the mask for the photo, not the throw.
Why props stay behind: the only axe that goes down the lane is the one our coach hands you. Foam swords, plastic hatchets, and scythes look great in the group picture and have no business near the throwing line.
Makeup and wigs get a free pass. Tie long wigs back the same way you would long hair - the overhead motion drops loose strands into your eyes at exactly the wrong moment, and coaches usually have spare hair ties at the counter.
How do you play a zombie target game at axe throwing?
You don’t need a special target. The standard board already has the zones a zombie game needs - a small center bullseye, rings around it, and two small killshot dots near the corners. Point values below come from the World Axe Throwing League scoring our lanes use; the full breakdown is in axe throwing rules and scoring.
Headshot (2 to 8 players, one lane):
- The bullseye is the zombie’s head - 6 points.
- The rings are the body - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 moving outward. Body shots slow it down but don’t stop it.
- A called killshot is the kill - 8 points, but you have to announce it before you throw, and a miss scores zero. Two killshot calls per player per game.
- Each player throws 10 axes. Highest total survives the night.
- Turned: anyone who finishes a round with a zero - a drop or a bounce - joins the zombie side and throws to lower the survivors’ total on the next round.
Horde (groups of 10 or more, multiple lanes): split into survivor teams of 4 to 5 per lane and set a group target - 60 points is a good first goal for new throwers. Every team that beats it in 10 throws each wins the round; the lowest-scoring lane has to do the next round in whatever headwear the winning lane picks.
First-timers stick the bullseye within the first session more often than you’d think, so don’t set the bar too low. For more lane games - Around the World, Cricket, Humans vs. Zombies variants - see axe throwing games.
What are the best Halloween group plans at an axe throwing venue?
The best Halloween group plan at a venue is a themed 90-minute session for 10 or more throwers, because that’s where group pricing, grouped lanes, and a dedicated host kick in. Smaller crews just book lanes. A few formats that work:
- Costume-theme night for friends (4 to 9 people). Book one or two lanes for an hour or 90 minutes and pick a group theme. Run your own costume vote at the table between rounds - our coaches won’t judge, but they’ll happily keep score.
- Office Halloween party (10 to 20 throwers). Book a 90-minute or 2-hour event, which at our corporate venues runs $29 or $37 per person, includes safety instruction and all axe upgrades, and comes with a host. Outside food and catering are welcome at our corporate venues; outside drinks aren’t, and the bar covers beer, seltzers, and soft drinks. The team-building version is in axe throwing team building.
- Big party or buyout (21 to 68 throwers). Group pricing drops to $27 per person for 90 minutes, and private facility rentals are available at every corporate venue - the largest, Columbia, SC, has two floors and 17 lanes; the most intimate, Lexington, SC, has 8 lanes and fills with a single party.
- Family Halloween (daytime). Most of our venues are 13 and up with a parent present, and some host birthdays for ages 10 and up; a Saturday afternoon session before trick-or-treating is the easiest fit.
Whatever the size, the planning steps are the same - headcount, session length, date, food - and they’re laid out in how to plan an axe throwing party. Start an inquiry on our parties and events page, or book lanes directly from your venue page.
When should you book for Halloween, Thanksgiving Eve, and Friendsgiving?
Fall at an axe throwing venue has three peaks. Here is what each looks like at our corporate venues - Columbia, Fort Mill, and Lexington, SC, and Chattanooga (East Ridge) and Memphis, TN - and when to lock it in.
| Date | Corporate venue hours | Book by |
|---|---|---|
| Halloween weekend (Oct 31 is a Saturday in 2026) | Saturday noon to 11 PM; Sunday 2 to 7 PM (Memphis 2 to 8 PM) | Lanes: a week out. Events: 2+ weeks. |
| Friendsgiving weekend (typically the weekend before Thanksgiving) | Friday noon or 3 PM to 11 PM depending on venue; Saturday noon to 11 PM | Lanes: a few days out. Events: 1 to 2 weeks. |
| Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday) | 4 to 9 PM | Lanes: a few days out; last slot starts 8 PM. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Closed at all corporate venues | - |
| Black Friday | Noon or 3 PM to 11 PM depending on venue | Walk-ins usually fine in the afternoon. |
A few things worth knowing:
- Halloween moves. When October 31 falls on a Monday, our corporate venues are closed - plan the party for the Saturday before. Tuesdays are open at Columbia and Chattanooga only.
- Thanksgiving Eve is a short night. Doors open at 4 and close at 9, so the “everyone’s back in town” reunion works best as a 6 or 7 PM session followed by dinner. The night has a national reputation as one of the busiest bar nights of the year, though whether it still earns the title is debated; either way, a reserved lane beats waiting for a table.
- Friendsgiving pairs well with food. Outside food and catering are welcome at our corporate venues, and every event page lists nearby restaurants that deliver. A 2-hour event leaves room to eat between rounds.
- Franchise venues set their own hours. Spartanburg, West Knoxville, Springfield, Graham, and Omaha are independently operated - check their venue pages for holiday hours before you plan.
Walk-ins are welcome at every venue when lanes are open, but the weekend evenings around Halloween and Thanksgiving are exactly the nights that fill. Do you need a reservation for axe throwing has the walk-in math if you’re deciding.
Is axe throwing a good fall date night?
Yes - and fall is when our coaches see the most couples. The pitch is simple: you stand side by side instead of across a table, the coach carries the first 15 minutes, and there’s a built-in scoreboard to talk about. A one-hour lane for two is $50 plus tax at our corporate venues. The honest case, including the three people it doesn’t suit, is in is axe throwing a good date.
For a full evening, the city guides pair the lane with dinner and a walk: date night in Columbia, SC, date night in Fort Mill, date night in Lexington, SC, date night in Chattanooga, and date night in Memphis. Add a costume for Halloween week and you have the photo.
What should you bring to Halloween axe throwing?
Less than you’d think. The venue provides the axes, the lane, and the coach. Bring:
- Closed-toe shoes - in a bag if your costume has other footwear.
- A hair tie for long hair or a long wig.
- Your ID if anyone in the group plans to visit the bar.
- Food, if you’re a group - outside food and catering are welcome at our corporate venues, outside drinks aren’t.
- A phone with space on it. Most groups film their first stuck throw, and the costume makes it a better video.
Leave props, face masks, dangling jewelry, and anything you’d hate to scuff in the car. Then find your nearest Craft Axe Throwing venue and book a lane - and once spooky season wraps, the next date on the calendar is the office party: start with the best Christmas party venues in Columbia, SC.