- From haunted tours and horror movie screenings to spooky festivals, Sydney is packed with Halloween thrills this October.
- Families can enjoy free trick-or-treat trails, costume workshops and plenty of kid-friendly Halloween fun.
- Whether you’re after a terrifying night out or a colourful Día de Muertos celebration, there’s something for everyone.
From haunted island tours and horror movie marathons to spooky cocktail crawls and family-friendly trick-or-treat trails, Sydney is going all out for Halloween this year.
The city’s historic corners are getting a particularly eerie makeover, with The Rocks transforming into a four-day ghost festival and Cockatoo Island opening up its dark past after dark.
Meanwhile, Luna Park is turning up the terror with its immersive Halloscream festival, while the State Library of NSW is inviting brave souls deep into its underground archives for a journey through some of Sydney’s most macabre stories.
If scares aren’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to celebrate without losing your head. Think colourful Día de Muertos festivities, free trick-or-treat hunts, creative costume workshops and Halloween-inspired feasts.
Ready to get into the spirit? Here are the best Halloween events in Sydney to add to your late-October calendar.
Ghost Festival
Ghost Festival is back for another year of spooky soirees and haunted hangs, launching the historic neighbourhood into an immersive four-day horror festival. Hosted over Halloween weekend, Ghost Festival reshapes The Rocks with themed feasts, spooky storytelling and terrifying interactive experiences.
There’s a Halloween Market, held on the bewitching laneways of Playfair Street, serving up bubbling cauldrons, pumpkin-spiced treats and eerie décor. Cadman’s Cottage turns into an open-air cinema, bringing classic horrors and cult favourites to the big screen (think The Shining, Get Out and Hocus Pocus).
If you’re looking for the ultimate Halloween night out with friends, embark on the special, spooky cocktail crawl and sip, savour and haunt each bar on your ‘Trick or Drink’ passport. This is not like your standard bar crawl, though – expect plenty of jump scares. As their website states, “It’s not for the faint of heart, but the cocktails help.”
The least scary part? It’s completely free.
Where: The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000.
When: October 29-November 1.
Price: Free.
Halloscream at Luna Park
Sydney’s biggest Halloween festival, Halloscream, returns from October 29 to 31, transforming Luna Park into a waterfront playground of frights. Your admission includes unlimited rides, entry to The Forgotten Children scare maze and access to the Alienation immersive game.
For an extra dose of fright, upgrade to a VIP ticket to unlock the Pulse: Zombie Rave and Patient Zero VIP Lounge. Here, you can soak up spectacular harbour views, sip on a complimentary VIP cocktail and enjoy a free fortune reading.
While there’s no official age restriction, Halloscream is recommended for ages 14 and over due to the intensity of its scares.
Where: Luna Park, 1 Olympic Dr, Milsons Point NSW 2061.
When: October 29-31.
Price: General admission starts at $110.
Dendy Newtown House of Horror
Horror film fans, assemble! Dendy Newtown is bringing back its House of Horror screenings for one night only, turning King Street Cinema into a shrine to the genre’s most terrifying classics. From The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Shining to Children of the Corn and Friday the 13th, prepare for a spine-chilling trip down horror movie memory lane.
Be sure to dress to distress, too! Anyone who arrives in a Halloween costume will score a complimentary small popcorn.
Where: 261-263 King St, Newtown NSW 2042.
When: October 31.
Price: Tickets start at $29 for adults.
Cockatoo Island’s Dark Past Tour
Cockatoo Island has a dark and unsettling past, marked by eerie encounters and unspeakable tragedies. Join a spine-chilling after-dark tour of the former convict prison and dockyard to uncover the island’s raw, unfiltered history.
Exploring both the upper and lower island after nightfall, you’ll delve into its haunting past – just be sure to BYOT (bring your own torch) as you venture into the shadows. This tour covers some mature themes and is recommended for visitors aged 15 years and older.
Where: Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour, NSW 2110.
When: Tours every Saturday until October 31. Two slots available on Halloween at 5:30pm and 7:30pm.
Price: $44 for adults.
Spooky Stacks Tour at the State Library of NSW
The State Library is daring you to venture five levels underground into the depths of its archives, where some of the most macabre tales in its collection lie waiting to be uncovered.
Led by curator Rachelle Ayoub, this spine-chilling, behind-the-scenes stack tour delves into some of Sydney’s darkest histories. Discover the story of the sole survivor of the Dunbar shipwreck, who was found clinging to a cliff face along Sydney’s coastline; the woman who lost her entire family in the Luna Park Ghost Train fire; and the Australian woman who inspired Charles Dickens’ infamous Miss Havisham, among other haunting tales.
Be warned: the tour involves a significant amount of walking, with minimal seating available, and is suitable for ages 16 and over only.
Where: Meet in the Mitchell Building Vestibule (Ground Floor), State Library of NSW.
When: October 26, 5:30pm-6:30pm.
Price: $20 for general admission.
Day of the Dead Spectacular: Victor Valdes
Celebrate one of Mexico’s most beloved cultural traditions, Día de Muertos (also known as Day of the Dead), with an evening of music, dance and culture at Victor Valdes: Viva Mexico – Day of the Dead Spectacular at Chippendale’s the Seymour Centre.
Joined by his Big Mariachi Band, Valdes will take audiences on a vibrant journey through Mexico’s rich musical traditions, featuring Mariachi, Boleros, Banda and more. Beyond the stage, audiences can explore a pop-up Day of the Dead Market, filled with delicious Mexican cuisine and cultural activities including a Traditional Altar in the Seymour courtyard and foyers.
Where: Seymour–York Theatre, Corner City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale.
When: October 31, the show kicks off at 8pm with the Day of the Dead installation and Mexican Market opening at 5pm.
Price: Tickets range from $40-65.
Family-friendly events
Free trick-or-treat hunt in Darling Square
Darling Square invites you to get into the Halloween spirit this spooky season, with a program of free family fun. On October 31, follow the trick-or-treat trail around Darling Square, with the aim of collecting as many sweet treats as possible.
Start the adventure by picking up a map at the Trick-or-Treat Station in The Square in front of The Exchange. There will also be free face painting coinciding with the hunt, giving youngsters the perfect opportunity to add the finishing touch to their Halloween costume.
Where: Darling Square, 35 Tumbalong Bvd, Haymarket NSW 2000.
When: October 31, 12pm-3pm.
Price: Free.
Halloween at Hay St
Hay St Market is getting a spooky makeover this October, with eerie décor, limited-edition food and drinks, live entertainment and a few Halloween surprises.
The festivities ramp up over Halloween weekend, starting with the one-night-only Haunted Laneway Harvest Dinner on Friday, October 30. Expect a Halloween-inspired feast, drinks and live entertainment, with plenty of spooky surprises along the way.
Created in partnership with Johnnie Walker, Ketel One and Tanqueray, the evening centres on The Haunted Laneway Harvest Dinner, a six-part seasonal menu with drinks included throughout dinner, alongside special Halloween-inspired serves. A ticket will set you back $110 per person.
On Saturday, October 31, the celebrations continue with a free Day of the Dead Costume Party, featuring live entertainment, roaming characters and plenty of spooky fun.
Where: Hay St, Haymarket NSW 2000.
When: October 30 and 31.
Price: $110 per person for The Haunted Laneway Harvest Dinner. Free entry for the Day of the Dead Costume Party.
Halloween at South Eveleigh
South Eveleigh is kicking off Halloween celebrations from October 20, running through to the end of October.
The precinct will be throwing a lunchtime program from October 20 to 29, with free tea potion making (October 20), a $10 teacup candle workshop (October 27) and free Halloween trivia at BrewDog, where the winning team takes home a $250 voucher (October 22 and 29).
Little ones can get creative at the Kids’ Halloween Workshops on October 24 and 31, where they’ll design a Mad Hatter-inspired hat, mask or costume accessory before decorating their own trick-or-treat bag. Tickets cost $5 per child and include a $10 voucher to spend at The Grounds Coffee Factory.
The Alice in Wonderland theme extends to October 21 and 28, when, from 11:30am to 1:30pm, Alice, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum roam the precinct with riddles that unlock a trick or a treat.
Where: South Eveleigh Precinct, Locomotive St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When: October 20-31.
Price: Some events are free; others start at $5.
