11 fun events to attend with your friends this Halloween season
Halloween is just around the corner, and there’s plenty to see and do!
This time of year, we love to take a look at what spookily fantastic events are being offered around the country. Whether you’re looking for something to do with family, friends or your partner, there is always a never-ending list of incredible Halloween events to keep you entertained!
So, we have compiled a list of our top picks of events that we think are a must this season. Regardless of where you live, there is bound to be something on this list that will tickle your fancy.
Get your fright on and check out these 11 scarily fantastic events below:
Tricky Trail at Tayto Park
Tayto Park is great all year round, but you can always count on it to pull out all the stops during Halloween! If you have little ones in the family, they will love the return of the theme park’s ‘Tricky Trail’ – the ultimate Halloween treasure hunt which includes scary stories, magical performances and lots of fun! Once the spooky adventures have been concluded, you are then free to roam the theme park and zoo attractions as normal. Tricky Trail is currently running every weekend and will conclude on November 2. Tickets can be purchased on the Tayto Park website.
Púca Festival
The Púca Festival is all about celebrating the origins of Halloween, right here in Ireland! Its schedule is jam-packed with music, fun, food and merriment. The lineup for the festival has already been announced and has some cracking names involved, including the likes of Imelda May, The Academic, Neil Delamere, Gavin James, and many more! The three-day event will be taking place in Trim and Athboy in County Meath, from October 28-31. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on the festival's website.
GAA Museum’s Hurloween Tours
Croke Park is turning spooky this year! The GAA Museum at the famous stadium is turning its tour into a ‘Hurloween' one (we love a good pun). Visitors can learn all about the GAA’s history through the lens of Samhain and Setanta, a mystical hurling legend. You will also get to go pitchside, see the players’ dressing rooms, and little visitors will be able to take home a free book about Setanta and other Irish legends as a special treat. This Hurloween tour will be running from October 29 to November 4, and tickets can be booked on the Croke Park website.
Derry’s Halloween Festival
If you’re in the north of the country or are looking to go on an exciting minibreak on Hallween weekend, then Derry is the place to be! The city prides itself on its Halloween celebrations each year, and holds the title of hosting Europe’s largest Halloween festival. With a carnival parade, food market, live music and artistic displays, there is something for everyone. The festival will run from October 28-31, concluding on Halloween night with a breathtaking fireworks display over the city’s Peace Bridge.
The Nightmare Realm
This is team building with a difference! The Nightmare Realm is Ireland’s only indoor scream park, and it’s the perfect activity to do in big groups. Whether it’s with your family, best mates or work colleagues, you will love the adrenaline rush as you twist your way through mazes, terrifying live actors, jumpscares and immersive effects. Once you’ve finished your scares, you can have a bite to eat and a boogie in its Halloween Town zone. Taking place in The City Market at Mary’s Lane in Dublin, The Nightmare Realm is open until November 2 and is currently offering great group discounts on its website.
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
This museum in Dublin is offering plenty of events for families! With the Spooksplorers Family Experiences, you and your family can explore how Halloween began in Ireland through a spooky museum trail. From October 29-31, you can learn a whole bunch of interesting facts, create poetry like Yeats, and meet all sorts of ghouls. Then, in the Notorious Irish Murder Mystery Camp, the little ones can become detectives for two days! Running on November 2 and 3, they will be investigating some of Ireland’s most notorious names. They’ll love the mystique and sense of achievement when they solve the crime. Booking is essential on the museum’s website.
Hook Lighthouse
Hook Lighthouse in Co. Wexford is going all out for Halloween! The venue is hosting a Samhain festival from October 29-31, with lots to see and do – and no costs involved. From traditional Halloween games and pumpkin painting, to tours of the lighthouse and lots of surprises, you and your family will never be bored. In the evenings from 5:30 to 7pm, Hook Lighthouse is also offering a ghoulish, lantern-led ‘devil hunting’ tour of the 800-year-old tower. Only suitable for those aged 12 and above, it is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Booking for the devil tour is advised, with tickets at €10 per person from the Hook Lighthouse website.
Ballyhoura Country
In Ballyhoura in Co. Limerick, there is an endless list of events to pique the interests of all ages! From a spooky Halloween walk through Croom Town Park to pumpkin picking at Liskennett Halloween Farm, there is lots to see and do for all members of the family. Some events require booking beforehand, and so we would suggest having a good look through everything that is available over the Halloween season. For more information, you can visit the Visit Ballyhoura website.
Dundrum Town Centre
There’s lots of spooky goings on in Dundrum Town Centre this Halloween! If you’re looking for the perfect costume, you’ll be sure to find your ideal fit at the centre’s Halloween HQ pop-up shop. If you’re in the mood for a scary film, Movies@Dundrum has some brilliant showings at the minute, including the new Michael Myers film Halloween Ends, and the newest horror blockbuster Smile. Afterwards, you can treat yourself to a meal at Eddie Rocket’s in Dundrum with their limited edition Volcano Hamburger. Try if you dare!
Bram Stoker Festival
Dublin’s Bram Stoker Festival is back for the first time since 2019! This four-day festival runs from October 28-31 and celebrates one of Ireland’s most beloved authors. The festival’s schedule is jam-packed full of fun and frightening events. Amaze at the spectacle of Borealis, a light installation from artist Dan Acher, which will transport you into a breathtaking wonder. Stokerland will also be back, filled with incredible theme park rides for everyone to enjoy. Or, if you’re a fan of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, you can come along to the centenary screening of the film adaptation Nosferatu, which will be accompanied by a live band. For details on all of this and more, you can visit the festival’s website.
Pumpkin Patch and Halloween Experience at Liffey Valley
Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has loads of surprises this Halloween season! From October 28-30, you can visit its Pumpkin Patch to pick out your perfect pumpkin. For the little ones, if they come to Liffey Valley dressed in their very best costume over the Halloween weekend, they will be entered into a draw to win lots of amazing prizes. However, parents will also get a chance to win some goodies too, with a luxury L’Occitane hamper up for grabs, as well as vouchers for Penneys, Marks & Spencer and The Hudsoon Rooms restaurant. Tickets for the Pumpkin Patch are free, but booking is advised on the Liffey Valley website.
