Bad news, kiddos.

You may think Halloween is all about you, but just like "Where the Wild Things Are" and Hello Kitty backpacks, Halloween has been appropriated by us grown-ups. So stay far, far away from the Central West End's annual Costume Contest and Party.

"We don't pretend that this is a family event," organizer Dennis Gorg says. "Please leave the kids at home."

The annual celebration of booze and bad taste boasts the city's best costume contest. Last year's winners included a Sarah Palin look-alike with "Obama" stamped on her bottom, and a woman in stirrups giving birth to a full-grown man.

"I still can't figure out how they made that work," Gorg says. "The recession really forced people to get creative last year."

Kids aren't totally excluded from the good times. The annual Children's Costume Parade steps off at 11 a.m. Saturday at McPherson and Euclid avenues and travels south to Maryland Avenue for the costume contest. Little goblins are then welcome to trick-or-treat at local businesses. The Dog Costume Parade and Contest follows at 1 p.m.