Remember when Halloween meant playing dress-up, going to haunted houses, trick-or-treating, and visiting pumpkin patches to carve pumpkins and make homemade pumpkin pie?

Now that we’re grown-ups, Halloween has transformed into “Wear As Little As Possible Night.” When you ask most young women what they’re dressing up as, she’ll say “a sexy (insert occupation here).”

Well, I refuse to participate in that trend. But Halloween does involve a lot of festivities, from now through next Wednesday (it’s HalloWEEK!)

Friday

The Teal Masquerade Halloween Ball for charity at the Blake Hotel (555 S. McDowell St.): October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but there’s something even scarier for women: ovarian cancer. There are no accurate screening tests for it, so they call it “the silent killer.” The nonprofit organization Teal Diva is throwing a “fun”-raising event to support the search for both a cure and an accurate way to screen for it. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Donations accepted. www.tealdiva.org.

Halloween Howler Costume Contest Bar Crawl: You can go trick-or-treating uptown, starting at Dixie’s Tavern and moving on to Phoeniz, Ri Ra Irish Pub, Town Tavern, Prohibition, Tilt and Fitzgeralds. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. $10 per person, or join the parade of costumes and get free entry. 704-516-2674.

Halloween Paw-ty at Lucky Dog Bark and Brew (19607 Statesville Road, Cornelius): At this party, the costume contest goes to the dogs. 7:30 p.m. $20 to enter the pet costume contest; 100 percent of proceeds go to Project Halo. 704-896-5550.

A night at the Roxbury: Friday marks the grand opening of ’80s-’90s nightclub Roxbury (116 Fifth St.), and on tap is a “Ghostbusters” costume party. 704-375-8090. $8 cover. And on Saturday, they’re hosting the Breakfast Club’s Thriller Bash, featuring a costume contest and a group Thriller dance. 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. $10.

Saturday

Gravedigger’s Ball: At Dixie’s Tavern (301 E. Trade St.), rapper B.o.B will be performing. And the costume contest features $1,500 in prizes. Doors open at 6 p.m. $20 for general admission, $80 for VIP. 704-570-9595.

Halloween night

Something Different Halloween party at 5Church (corner of Fifth and Church streets): DJ Edward Shouse will be on the wheels, and you can satisfy your appetite with a late-night menu. Free. 704-919-1322.