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NOVA 535’s Halloween party returns Thursday
“It’ll be fun, which is the most important thing,” says ringmaster Michael Novilla. “But just not at that level of Oh My God.”
For 15 years, Michael S. Novilla’s Halloween bash at NOVA 535 was both tricks and treats.
Novaween was an adult-only costume party, with full bar, food and elaborate entertainment that often involved aerialists, leather, carnival theatrics, psychics, go-go dancing, and certain acts that involved fire. Debauchery reigned. The costume contests were the stuff of legend.
Novilla, who opened the event space at 535 Dr M.L.K. Jr Street N. in 2008, is back as the Halloween ringmaster after taking a few years off to travel (that’s his first love).
Happening Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. is the Entrepreneurs Social Club Halloween Costume Party. Novilla has been operating the weekly Thursday-night ESC, a network of business people who help one another succeed, since the space’s very first year.
Michael S. Novilla.
“Because everybody wants to have a Halloween party, and it’s on a day that we’re already open,” Novilla explains. “And I have some staff. So it lowers costs for me. So it’s a win-win for everybody. We’re not charging admission. With Novaween, we always had a charge, for extra security.
“It’ll be fun, which is the most important thing. But just not at that level of Oh My God.”
Thursday’s party, which is for 21+, has an unofficial name: Novaween Lite.
He’s not interested in revisiting the old days. “It takes about two months of full-time work to produce a show like that,” Novilla continues. “There’s models, there’s go-go dancers, the fire girls, there’s the guy who does his thing, and then there’s that … the choreography, the timing, and where are they getting dressed? It’s a whole production.”
This year, none of the “show” or the show people. “We will definitely miss them! But they’re welcome to come have a drink at the bar.”
Thursday’s hijinks will include costume contests, with awards for Scariest, Sexiest, Most Creative, Funniest and Best Duo.
Still there: The cash bar, dancing, mingling etc. And a food truck. And a 360 photo booth.
Between 2022 and 2025, Novilla leased the space to an organization that produced a particularly elaborate Halloween event called The Devil’s Ball.
“The guy was going to do his fifth year this year,” says Novilla, “but just decided he’d had enough.”
It was Christopher Tolisano of Best Day Fitness, who runs the ESC events, who suggested combining the Entrepreneurs Social Club with a Halloween party.
“And I thought that was a brilliant idea,” Novilla recalls. “It’s a Halloween party, but not to the level of what I used to produce with aerialists and the giant robot and all that crazy shit.”
He’s expecting somewhere around 150 people. The space can accommodate up to 700 inside and out, Novilla says.
Halloween happens just once a year. That leaves 364 days for Michael S. Novilla, a card-carrying “people person,” to welcome folks wearing all kinds of costumes.
“Weddings are probably 40 percent of what we do,” he explains. “And then we do film shoots, fashion shows, fundraisers, mitzvahs, memorials, it doesn’t matter. You write me a check and I throw you a great party.”
Entrepreneur Social Club website
