Galaxie, the Madison Avenue bar in downtown Covington, is swapping its usual look for fog machines and Halloween décor starting October 1. The venue at 815 Madison Avenue will transform into The Haunting on Madison, an immersive Halloween cocktail pop-up running through November 1, complete with themed drinks, seasonal food, DJs and costume parties.
A Themed Takeover With No Ticket Required
According to hauntingonmadison.com, the pop-up is billed as an immersive Halloween cocktail experience at Galaxie in Northern Kentucky, featuring elaborate Halloween décor, themed cocktails and mocktails, food, collectible glassware, DJs, karaoke, costume parties and special events. Owner Thor Morgan owns Galaxie, according to WLWT, and the bar will fully transform into The Haunting on Madison for the run, per the same report. WLWT describes the pop-up as a non-gory Halloween gathering place meant for friends, coworkers and family rather than a scare-heavy haunted house.
Entry won't require planning ahead. The site states plainly that reservations aren't accepted: guests are served first come, first served, with no tickets and free admission. Guests of all ages are welcome until 9 p.m., after which the venue shifts to a 21-and-over policy requiring valid government-issued photo ID, per hauntingonmadison.com.
What's on the Menu
The Haunting on Madison will pour a lineup of specialty cocktails alongside standard bar offerings. Per WLWT, The Poison Apple combines calvados, bonded rye whiskey, fino sherry, bitter apple and miso, while The Scream-sicle mixes blanco tequila, spiced vanilla liqueur, carrot and orange cordial, habanero and lemon. The Tangled Web rounds out the themed menu with vodka, ube, passion fruit, vanilla, lemon and prosecco foam, according to the same report.
Beyond the cocktail list, the venue plans to serve mocktails, nonalcoholic beverages, beer, wine and spirits, per hauntingonmadison.com. There's also a seasonal shot that comes with a souvenir glass to take home, and food options will include Galaxie's signature fries and Wakatakas flatbread tacos, according to WLWT.
DJs, Karaoke and Weekend Parties
WLWT reports that The Haunting on Madison will host Halloween parties with DJs and themed events every Friday and Saturday night throughout October, along with costume parties and karaoke nights woven into the month-long run. Galaxie's regular hours during the takeover will have the bar opening at 3 p.m. most days and at noon on Saturdays, per the outlet.
Part of a Bigger Pop-Up Trend
Galaxie has leaned into seasonal takeovers before. Its original Louisville location has run the national Miracle Christmas cocktail pop-up for eight years, and Galaxie Covington — which opened in April as the brand's second location — brought its own version, Miracle on Madison, to the same Madison Avenue address last November, according to LINK nky. That holiday pop-up temporarily replaced Galaxie's usual identity for six weeks, making the bar feel like an entirely different spot, per the outlet's reporting, and it required no tickets, according to VisitCincy.
The concept mirrors a broader regional wave of immersive seasonal bar takeovers. Across the river in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, Black Lagoon — a Halloween-themed pop-up bar first conceived in 2019 and launched in 2021 — is set to take over Highball Cincy this October, according to CityBeat. That pop-up is now expanding to 39 cities across the United States and Canada, per CityBeat, and features its own hauntingly detailed décor and Halloween-inspired cocktail menu.
For now, Northern Kentucky's version of the trend is set to run at 815 Madison Avenue from October 1 through November 1, with details on hours, drinks and events posted at hauntingonmadison.com.
