Spooky season has returned, and Black Lagoon is taking it scarily seriously.
This October, the award-winning Black Lagoon cocktail pop-up will make its Nashville debut, transforming Barrel Proof Nashville into an immersive Halloween destination where horror-inspired décor, cinematic lighting, eerie soundscapes, and high-quality crafted cocktails come together.
For co-founders Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, what began as a one-night post-pandemic pop-up in Toronto has grown into an annual cocktail experience spanning 34 bars across North America. From Oct. 13 through Oct. 31, Nashville guests will get their own chance to step inside the Black Lagoon universe. The experience pairs a sophisticated take on spooky season with a 2026 cocktail menu featuring potions like Abyssa’s Obsession, a pumpkin-infused rum take on a piña colada, Bone Temple, a fall-inspired margarita, and Moon Shadow, an eerie spin on the espresso martini. We spoke with Hayes about what to expect from this wildly successful, entertaining, and detailed experience.
Nashville Lifestyles: What can Nashville guests expect from the experience that they won’t find at a typical Halloween pop-up bar?
Erin Hayes: Well, one thing we can promise is that our drinks are actually good! So many of these holiday pop-up companies and brands lean on kitsch instead of quality. We use high-quality ingredients, innovative flavors, and fresh juices. We also create spaces that steer away from jack-o’-lantern and candy corn childish vibes, leaning instead toward the grown-up, spooky side of the season.
NL: What’s your process for creating cocktails that feel both spooky and sophisticated?
EH: We approach creating our menus from a few angles! We love to incorporate fall flavors and balance is always top of mind for our drinks, you won’t ever find anything syrupy sweet on our menus. We also always make sure that there are different styles of drinks so there is something for everyone – tropical, stirred and boozy, fizzy and refreshing and everything in between! And we love to play with color! Halloween has such a fun color palette to work from – purple, orange, green, red, black – we love vibrantly colored drinks.
NL: How do you balance world-class cocktail craftsmanship with the theatrical, haunted-house atmosphere that guests expect?
EH: I grew up loving all things Halloween – especially haunted houses. I always took the opportunity to create elaborate costumes and themes on Halloween for my friends and me. Creating Black Lagoon felt like a nod to those nostalgic memories of spooky season but with the added element of creating a world through cocktails, which is something both Kelsey and I love doing through menu creation.
NL: Are there any elements of Nashville’s culture, nightlife, or hospitality scene being incorporated into this year’s activation?
EH: It’s very important to us that our venue partners feel like they are part of the creative process. We want each team to showcase their personality through the decor, the playlist, the entertainment, etc. No one knows their local clientele better than the people that serve them every day. So, while some elements of Black Lagoon are central and recognizable to our brand and will appear at every location, each space will differ, showcasing the creativity of the venue’s team.
NL: The event attracts both cocktail enthusiasts and Halloween lovers. Who do you see as the ideal Black Lagoon guest?
EH: Our ideal guest is anyone who wants to have a great time and is not afraid to “let their freak flag fly,” so to speak! We tailor our menus to have something for everyone: the more adventurous drinker and the person who just wants something simple and delicious. We love when people dress in costume but also welcome folks to just come as they are to enjoy the spooky vibes and great drinks.
NL: Why do you think immersive, themed experiences have become such a major part of modern nightlife and entertainment?
EH: Everyone is working harder than ever, and everything is more expensive than ever. Going out at all has become a luxury, really. Offering people an experience beyond just grabbing drinks or a bite is more important now than ever.
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