Events
Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween
Slide Nr 1Trick-or-treating? Been there, done that. Try something different this year with these fun festivals around the world – from the creepy to the kooky, mysterious and spooky.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 2Derry Halloween. Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Fear Factor: 2/5 – If you want to trace Halloween back to its roots, you’ll need to travel to the Emerald Isle, where the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain once marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter – and was believed to be a time when the dead roamed the earth. The largest Halloween festivities in Ireland can be found in Derry City, which transforms into a devilish destination for 9 days at the end of October. Revellers young and old can take in a wide range of activities, from intimate music events to art installations, haunted trails, thrill rides, theatre shows, a harvest market and an elaborate carnival parade on Halloween night.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 3Tulleys Shocktober Fest. West Sussex, England. Fear Factor: 5/5 – What began more than 20 years ago as a pumpkin-carving competition on a farm in southeastern England has ballooned into one of the most immersive “scare experiences” in the UK. Hop on the Haunted Hayride, pay a visit to the Creepy Cottage, meet the slaves of The Hellements, stare in awe at the freaks of the Circus of Horrors, and see if you can stand more than a minute in the Chop Shop. Need a breather? There’s also live music, street theatre shows, fireworks, carnival games and thrill rides.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 4Hogwarts After Dark. Warner Bros Studio, Leavesden, England. Fear Factor: 2/5 – Dinner in the Hogwarts Great Hall, complete with magical creatures, floating pumpkins and Death Eaters lurking about – it’s like Christmas for Potterheads! After feasting in the real Great Hall set – just like the characters did on Halloween in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – you’ll explore other sets from the films, including the Gryffindor common room and the Weasleys’ kitchen, then enjoy dessert in the Forbidden Forest and learn a few combat wand moves before entering Diagon Alley at night, where Death Eaters are on patrol… [Photo: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter]
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 5Haunted Halloween Tour. Edinburgh, Scotland. Fear Factor: 4/5 – A city as old as Edinburgh must have more than a few skeletons in its closet, and some of them might just jump out at you on this hair-raising tour offered only around Halloween. Delving into Edinburgh’s sinister past, a costumed guide leads you by candlelight through the Old Town and into the Blair Street Underground Vaults. You’ll hear tales of murder, torture, treason and plots as you walk the darkened streets, hoping those candles don’t blow out… [Photo courtesy Mercat Tours]
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 6Fantasy Fest. Key West, Florida, US. Fear Factor: 1/5 – Don’t let the blue skies and white sand beaches of the Sunshine State fool you: Florida knows how to do Halloween. The folks down south in Key West aren’t put off by October temperatures around 30°C, instead they take advantage of the friendly weather and put on a Halloween party for the history books, year after year. A carnival-like atmosphere reigns supreme during this 10-day, adults-oriented blowout featuring over 60 events, from street fairs to costumed marches, dazzling balls and the unmissable Fantasy Fest Parade. Start working on your costume: this year’s theme is “Oh…The Games We Play”.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 7Louisville Jack-O’-Lantern Spectacular. Louisville, Kentucky, US. Fear Factor: 0/5 – Paying homage to that most iconic of Halloween decorations, this festival sees thousands of intricately carved jack-o’-lanterns illuminate a 400-metre walking trail in the Louisville’s Iroquois Park. It’s a unique and magical event, the proceeds of which benefit the Louisville Parks Foundation.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 8Festival of the Dead. Salem, Massachusetts, US. Fear Factor: 4/5 – Infamous for the 17th-century witch trials that led to the execution of 19 people, Salem is a mecca for fans of the macabre and the occult – and at this festival, there’s plenty of both to go around. Have your fortune told at the Psychic Fair, pick up a spell book or voodoo doll at the Witches’ Market, conjure a few animal spirits with witchdoctor Utu, or sup in silence with the dearly departed at the annual Dinner with the Dead. The jewel in the crown of this other-worldly event, however, is the Witches’ Halloween Ball, where magical beings of all kinds can dance the night away.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 9The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. New York City, New York, US. Fear Factor: 3/5 – Attracting 2 million visitors each year, the Village Halloween Parade is the largest Halloween event in the world. Show up early to get a good spot to watch all the crazy costumes go by, or dress up and experience the fun first-hand! It’s free to join the parade – the only requirement is that you come in costume – but a $25 ticket lets you join the VIP section with a DJ, early admission and a special theme (Robots for 2018).
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 11Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Toronto, Canada. Fear Factor: 3/5 – If you prefer to watch scary movies rather than live them, then this festival may be more your speed. A solid favourite of film fans, Toronto After Dark Film Festival screens new horror, sci-fi, action and cult movies from around the world. Outside the cinema, festival-goers can attend Q&A sessions with filmmakers, Pub After Dark social events and the ever-popular zombie-themed night.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 12Festival de Calaveras. Aguascalientes, Mexico. Fear Factor: 1/5 – To observe the most mysterious time of year in a more spiritual way, visit Mexico during Día de Muertos – a traditional 3-day festival honouring the dead. Celebrations are held all over the country, but in Aguascalientes locals also pay tribute to the late artist José Guadalupe Posada, who hailed from the city. Take in art exhibitions, dance competitions and theatre performances; tour the city centre and cemeteries; view the colourful altars set up in honour of the departed. Whatever you do, don’t miss the ilumínale los pies al muerto, a candlelight procession from Picacho Hill to Muerto Hill.
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Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 13Halloween Parties. Bogotá, Colombia. Fear Factor: 1/5 – Not so much a festival as a party tip: While much of Latin America celebrates the traditional Día de Muertos, Colombians have embraced the costume-wearing, Halloween-party-throwing festivities of their neighbours much further north. Nowhere in the country does Halloween weekend better than party-hardy Bogotá, where locals give it their all with elaborate face painting and costumes before going out on the town to dance until way past the witching hour. Many clubs put on special Halloween parties, so just get into costume and get ready for an epic night.
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Events
Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 14Ocean Park Halloween Fest. Hong Kong. Fear Factor: 4/5 – You won’t find much in the way of Halloween events throughout most of Asia, but theme parks are a major exception. Hong Kong’s Ocean Park puts on a frightening affair, with such attractions as the Circus of the Damned, Hospital of Horrors, Virtual Reality Morgue and Halloween Mine Train VR ride. On the other hand, an array of spine-tingling live shows, eerie eats and kid-friendly games add some appeal for families and the easily spooked.
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Events
Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 15Luna Dark. Melbourne, Australia. Fear Factor: 3/5 – Australia’s oldest amusement park also hosts a scare-fest in the run-up to the creepiest night of the year: along with the thrill of riding your favourite rides all night long, you can take in the host of Halloween-themed extras only to be seen for a limited time, including live music, spooky shows and a House of Horrors – not to mention unexpected scares around every corner. Looking for something for the little ones? The fear factor is toned down for Saturday and Sunday daytime activities. Don’t forget to come in costume, you may even win a prize!
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Events
Thrills & Chills: 15 Spooky Festivals For Halloween.
Slide Nr 16Zombie Walk. Sydney, Australia. Fear Factor: 2/5 – Join thousands of the undead as they stalk the streets of Sydney for one day in October. Raising awareness for the Brain Foundation, the event offers food stalls, zombie exhibitions, competitions and prizes, not to mention make-up artists on hand to get you looking hot to rot.
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