Nightmare on Normal St
Friday, October 31, 2025 • 5 pm - 11 pm
Nightmare on Normal Street 2025: Hillcrest’s Ultimate Halloween Bash!
Get ready, San Diego – the most thrilling Halloween dance party and costume showdown returns this October!
Join us Friday, October 31, 2025, from 5 PM to 11 PM as Nightmare on Normal haunts University Avenue, just steps from Normal Street, with a spine-chilling celebration like no other. With late night live entertainment, costume competitions, outdoor bars, and the best people watching in all of San Diego - this is an event you won’t want to miss!
Nightmare on Normal Street will feature a massive costume competition, a gigantic dance party, vendors, and a monstrous bar! Dust off your brooms and bring out your best costume and cosplay!
Ticket Info
. The event is open to all ages. Must be over 21 with ID to purchase alcohol.
GA ticket: Haunt the streets of Hillcrest during your Nightmare on Normal. This ticket gets you into the event with full access to the dance party, vendors, bars, and any performances or activations.
Attendees must present a valid ID upon entry or to consume alcoholic beverages. Failure to produce identification may result in refusal of entry to. All sales are final.
2025 Entertainment Schedule
All Ages Dance Party
Nightmare on Normal is San Diego's massive costume competition and dance party!
We welcome ghosts and ghouls of all ages to our wonderful dance party! Where else can teens come out after dark and have a safe fun time? Obviously, you have to be over 21 to drink, but we have scrumptious food vendors, amazing crafters, and a huge costume competition to enjoy!
DJ K-SWIFT
DJ K-SWIFT
Make way for the juggernaut a.k.a. DJ K-Swift, a formidable and highly skilled jock whose sense for impactful sound is only eclipsed by his energy and natural mixing ability that was inspired by and forged during the golden age of hip hop. It was this early sonic landscape where he reigned as a master of the “boom–bap” only to transform and customize it as his own attention grabbing form of “four–to–the–floor.” A DJ boasting vast experience, K–Swift is a DJ who doesn’t come from a “traditional” House Music or Techno background which he embraces with humility, and which uniquely enables him to approach and execute his sets with an open mind and a willingness to prove himself to the “underground faithful.”
His drive, and dedication to DJ craft and club culture makes him a worthy ally and asset to any scene or floor–space he occupies. Frequently booked as a resident DJ at Techniche, K–Swift proved time and time again he could hold court captivating crowd after crowd with a barrage of “swift” Tech–House and bold Techno that distinguished him from other DJs. So in 2019, K–Swift was officially welcomed into the Techniche fold as a key member of our formidable talent roster that’s proved value and provided valiance to our continued journey.
DJ BREEZUS
DJ BREEZUS
Breezus is a rising force in the electronic music scene, bringing high-energy sets, cutting-edge remixes, and deep, dirty basslines to dance floors across the West Coast. Based in San Diego, he has made a name for himself at top venues like Rich’s, Flicks, and Piranha Las Vegas, delivering electrifying performances that keep crowds moving all night long.
With a signature sound rooted in house, tech-house, dance-pop, and bass house, Breezus knows how to create the perfect balance of underground grit and mainstream energy. His sets are a genre-blending journey, effortlessly weaving in elements of drum & bass, UK garage, and techno for the right crowd. Whether dropping the latest chart-topping remix or a deep, pulsing bassline, he always keeps the energy high and the dance floor packed.
For Breezus, DJing isn’t just about playing tracks—it’s about creating a vibe, setting the mood, and making sure every person in the crowd feels the music. With an ear for the freshest sounds and a passion for delivering unforgettable experiences, he is quickly becoming a must-hear name in the dance music scene.
STRAWBERRY
STRAWBERRY
Meet your host, the one and only Strawberry! A San Diego drag powerhouse + activist for trans rights, she’s the reigning Miss Black San Diego, Hillcrest Icon honoree, and Champion of Pride. Catch her this Halloween, on stage at Nightmare on Normal St. hosting our iconic costume competition and giving us a special drag performance!
Costume Competition
Hillcrest’s best costume competition features $4,000 dollars in prizes and with three heats, you can be sure that you won’t miss out!
When you arrive at the event, the costume competition sign-up is right inside the gate. Check-in here to register for the costume competition. Sign-up on the spot for one of the heats based on your plans for the night! The heats fill up quickly!
When your heat gets close (5 minutes out), head to the east side of the stage and be ready to strut your stuff on the catwalk! In between heats, dance the night away with our DJ and dancers from Rich's nightclub! Early arrival is suggested so you can be the first to impress the judges and the crowd. PUNCTUALITY IS EVERYTHING. When it’s your time to be called, walk down the runway, show everyone what you got, and be fierce.
Judging will take place through an elimination process. The judges will select three winners from each round to move on to the finals. The top finalist from each heat will compete for the grand prize. There will be second and third place winners who will also be awarded prizes.
Have a local business and want to donate to the Costume Competition Prize Pool?
Sign up here to donate! Perks include logo featured on newsletter, website, and socials when promoting the event!
Visit our Boo-tique makers and delicious food vendors
While Nightmare on Normal Street is an amazing costume competition and dance party~ there are wonderful and creative vendors too. Check out a sweet sample of our vendors at this year's event.
If you are interested in becoming a vendor please email Natalie at natalie@hillcrestbia.org
Neighborhood Supporters
There are so many Hillcrest businesses participating in Nightmare on Normal this year and we’re excited to showcase them all. These businesses are supporting the event through donations, financial support, or participation at the event! If you are interested, please email Natalie at natalie@hillcrestbia.org.
Sponsors:
Entertainment Sponsors:
Ticketing Sponsor:
Bar Sponsors:
Event opportunities:
Vendors: Nightmare on Normal Street accepts a limited number of food or crafter vendors. Community sponsors should also apply. Reach out to natalie@hillcrestbia.org if you’re interested.
Business Promotion: Hillcrest businesses can participate by making a donation to the prize pool.
Volunteering: We need volunteers for our costume competition registration booth at Nightmare on Normal Street. We're looking for help from 4:45 pm through 10 pm. Volunteers can come in costume (or black). They'll get a free ticket to enjoy the last hour of the event along with a drink voucher. If you're interested in this opportunity please reach out to info@hillcrestbia.org for details.
