02/10/2026
13 Halloween events to get your heart racing
October 2, 2026
Autumn
Tours
Are you a Halloween enthusiast? Or just a thrill seeker wanting to make the most of the frights and fun on offer this time of year? As the home of Halloween itself, Ireland plays host to a spread of events to help you celebrate the spooky season. From festivals and horror mazes to historic tours, discover our list of 13 Halloween events to get your heart racing!
Throw yourself into the festivities! Get your blood pumping with exciting events happening for adults across the country for Halloween.
1.Púca Festival
2.Samhain Fire Processions
3. The Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade
4. Bram Stoker Festival
5. Farmaphobia
6. The Cornmaze Massacre at Secret Valley Wildlife Park
7. The Traitorous Tale: A Ghoulish Feast at Malahide Castle
8. All that Glitters: Thriller Night
9. Scare Factory
10. Creatures of Samhain, Terrors from the Irish Underworld
11. Gravedigger Ghostbus
12. Spike Island After Dark
13. Origins of Samhain Cave Tour
Exciting Halloween Activities: 13 Halloween events to get your heart racing
View places on map1Púca Festival
Throw yourself into the festivities and get your blood pumping with these exciting events happening for adults across the country for Halloween, including 13 Halloween events to get your heart racing.
Spread across four days and nights, the Púca Festival transforms Trim and Athboy into a hive of Halloween activity. Celebrate Samhain and the Celtic new year with attractions including live performances from The Coronas and Hothouse Flowers. Experience a mischievous night with the Samhain Circus, along with comedy gigs by Enya Martin and John Colleary. The Harvest Market and Púca Procession will bring Irish mythology to life and round off what will be a packed festival.
Best for: Adults, with some family events. Mixture of free and ticketed events.
Various venues, Athboy and Trim, Co Meath. October 29 – November 1.
Fire performers at the 2024 Púca Festival in Co Meath
Enjoy a performance by the Samhain Circus.
2Samhain Fire Processions
Ireland’s reputation as the home of Halloween stems from Samhain. This ancient Celtic festival marks the end of the harvest and ushers in winter. Embrace the darkness with a bit of light at Samhain Fire and Shadows Processions taking place across the country during the October Bank Holiday weekend and beyond.
Start in Kerry for the county’s celebration of its local legend, the Goddess of Winter or the Cailleach Chiarraí. Her return signals the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. From October 24 to 31, street performers will light the way through Tralee for the Cailleach Chiarraí Fire Spectacle as part of the Samhain Chiarraí festival, bringing the old myth to life.
Celebrate Halloween night with the final procession at the Dead of Night Festival in Longford on October 31. Follow the colourful march through Longford town culminating in a fiery finale in Market Square.
Meanwhile, the streets of Athlone in Westmeath come alive for When the Veil Thins at the Hollow on October 31. After a day filled with roaming puppets, live music, and family-friendly activities, join fellow Halloween lovers for the event finale. Inspired by ancient Samhain traditions, fire performers will mark when the veil separating our world and the underworld is at its thinnest with their fiery flair.
Keep the celebrations going at An Tairseach: Samhain ar Uisneach. On November 7, make your way to the sacred Hill of Uisneach, the mythological centre of Ireland, for a torchlit procession that ends with the lighting of the sacred Samhain Fire.
Best for: Adults and families. Free.
Kerry, Longford and Westmeath. October 24 – November 7.
Fire displays at Samhain festival in Longford.
Embrace the spirit of Samhain at the Fire and Shadow Processions.
3The Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade
On Halloween night, Cork city comes alive with creatures from the underworld for the Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade. You can join the thousands of people who walk with the dragon (a massive construction made entirely of tape and guided by puppeteers) as she travels between worlds in a celebration of the living and the dead. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the parade, which has always honoured the creative partnership between the artists of Cork as much as it does Samhain. Trail the band of performers as they make their way to Coal Quay, where they’ll treat you to a variety of lively spectacles.
Best for: Adults and families. Free event.
Shandon, Cork. October 31.
The Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade 2018, featuring CCAL's Skeleton Dancers interacting with the crowd on Cornmarket Street, Cork City during the Parade.
Join in with the Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade in Cork.
4Bram Stoker Festival
This October Bank Holiday, Dublin city is celebrating its gothic roots with its annual Bram Stoker Festival. Learn about the life and legacy of Irish writer Bram Stoker, the wonderfully twisted mind behind the novel Dracula. Join Stoker’s great-nephew for an in-depth analysis of the famous novel, comb the shelves of the National Library for clues to a mystery and get spooked by Stoker-inspired plays at Smock Alley Theatre. You can catch the 1958 adaptation of Stoker’s Dracula, along with some lost footage, at the Light House Cinema, or see what some of the country’s homegrown talent is cooking up during the horror audio drama Petrified, over in the Project Arts Centre. Meanwhile, the kids can also sink their teeth into fairground rides and family-friendly games at Stokerland.
Best for: Adults and families. Mixture of free and paid events.
Various venues, Dublin city. October 23-26.
This October Bank Holiday, Dublin city celebrates its gothic roots with the annual Bram Stoker Festival. Learn about Irish writer Bram Stoker, the twisted mind behind Dracula. Join Stoker’s great-nephew for an in-depth analysis of the famous novel and hunt for clues to a mystery. Be spooked by Stoker-inspired plays at Smock Alley Theatre and catch the 1958 adaptation of Dracula at the Light House Cinema.
Farmaphobia is not for the fainthearted. Built around a two-hour, pitch-dark trek on Causey Farm in County Meath, the haunting experience spans 100 acres and features six ‘Terrifying Haunts’ designed for maximum scares. Fight a demonic force in The Conjuring, try to escape The Slaughterhouse, and test your bravery in the Zombie Morgue. Sessions are ticketed and advance booking is required. Bring your wellies, a coat, and your best screaming voice.
Farmaphobia is not for the fainthearted. Built around a two-hour, pitch-dark trek on Causey Farm in County Meath, the haunting experience spans 100 acres and features six ‘Terrifying Haunts’ for you to sink your teeth into, each designed for maximum scares. Fight a demonic force in The Conjuring, try to escape The Slaughterhouse and test your bravery in the Zombie Morgue. Sessions are ticketed and advance booking is required. Bring your wellies, a coat and your best screaming voice.
Best for: Adults and teens with supervision. Tickets from €29.
Causey Farm, Fordstown, Co. Meath. Select dates between October 2 – November 1.
A sign at Causey Farm that says Farmaphobia with purple and black stripes and a skull with a top hat.
Face your fears at Farmaphobia.
Get ready for a spine-chilling experience at The Cornmaze Massacre at Secret Valley Wildlife Park. This October, the park will transform into a scare-fest filled with over ten terrifying zones of the cornmaze, complete with live actors and intense scares.
Secret Valley Wildlife Park might be full of fuzzy meerkats and family-friendly fun during the day, but during October nights, the park transforms into a no-holds-barred scare-fest for The Cornmaze Massacre. Wander through over ten terrifying zones of the corn maze with live actors and intense scares. This isn’t for the faint of heart, so book in if you dare.
Best for: Adults and teens over 12. Tickets from €30.
Secret Valley Wildlife Park, Clonroche, Co. Wexford. October 16–30.7The Traitorous Tale: A Ghoulish Feast at Malahide Castle
If you want to experience the historic grounds of Malahide Castle and Gardens after dark, check out The Traitorous Tale: A Ghoulish Feast. This immersive tour explores the castle’s dark side, featuring live performers who share haunting secrets. Afterwards, enjoy a sit-down, four-course banquet feast with your fellow attendees.
Best for: Adults. Tickets from €120.
Malahide Castle and Gardens, Co. Dublin. Every Friday in October.
Malahide Castle and Gardens in Co Dublin
Experience another side to Malahide Castle and Gardens.
8All that Glitters: Thriller Night
Fancy a fright with a bit of flair? Don your most terrifying threads for a night of creepy cabaret at All that Glitters: Thriller Night at McHughs Bar and Venue in Drogheda. Take in some of the country’s most thrilling drag performers, sideshow acts and risqué burlesque artists, each with their own devilish twist.
Best for: Adults. Tickets from €20.
McHughs Bar and Venue, Co. Louth. October 24.9Scare Factory
At Scare Factory, you’ll encounter evil clowns, mutant creatures, and zombies in a spooky setting. This popular Halloween attraction is situated in a Victorian red-brick building, adding an eerie historical element to the experience.
Best for: Adults and teens with supervision. Tickets from €23.66.
Check out these 13 Halloween events to get your heart racing this spooky season!
Cleeves Factory, Limerick. October 15 – November 1.
10Creatures of Samhain, Terrors from the Irish Underworld
From October 28 to November 1, De Burgos will host Creatures of Samhain, Terrors from the Irish Underworld. This immersive experience cleverly uses theatrical sets, storytelling, and special effects to transport you into the dark underbelly of Irish mythology.
Best for: Adults
De Burgos, Galway City. October 28 – November 1. 11Gravedigger Ghostbus
This two-hour tour of Dublin’s haunted sites on the Gravedigger Ghostbus covers 600 years of spooky history, enhanced by colourful storytelling from the Gravedigger actors. The ghost bus will bring you to your final destination at the iconic Gravediggers Pub.
Best for: Adults and teens with supervision. Tickets from €35.
Dame Street, Dublin.
Exterior view of Gravediggers Pub in Co. Dublin
Cap off your spooky tour with a pint in the Gravediggers Pub.
For a thrilling experience, join the Spike Island After Dark. This year, the Spike Island After Dark presents ‘Conviction’. Explore the island’s dark history with mentalist and escape artist Dean Jacob. Follow him through creepy corridors and underground tunnels.
While you can tour Cork Harbour’s Spike Island during the day, seeing the former prison at night adds an extra thrill to the experience. This year, Spike Island After Dark presents ‘Conviction’ – an eerie exploration of the island and its dark history, made all the more chilling with the help of mentalist and escape artist Dean Jacob. Follow him through creepy corridors and underground tunnels, but stay on guard as he might play a trick on you when you least expect it.
Best for: Over 18s. Tickets from €42.50.
Spike Island, Cobh Harbour, Co Cork. Select dates between October 2 – 31.
A couple touring the inside of Spike Island prison in County Cork
Walk the eerie halls of Spike Island after dark.
Known as Ireland’s ‘Gate to Hell,’ the cave of Uaimh na gCat (Oweynagat) in County Roscommon has strong ties to the ancient festival of Samhain. Take a guided visit to the cave with the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre.
Known as Ireland’s ‘Gate to Hell,’ the cave of Uaimh na gCat (Oweynagat) in County Roscommon has strong ties to the ancient festival of Samhain. Take a guided visit to the cave and down to the bowels of the Earth with the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre on its Origins of Samhain Cave Tour.
Best for: Adults and families. Tickets from €15.
Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, Co Roscommon. October 27 – November 6.
Uaimh na gCat (Oweynagat) in County Roscommon
Take a trip to Ireland’s ‘Gate to Hell.’
Your guide to Púca Festival 2026
Experience the folklore, legend and fun of Irish Halloween at the Púca Festival.
This October, experience the folklore, legend, and fun of Irish Halloween at the Púca Festival.
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