25 Fantastically Frightful Halloween Events from Around the Globe

Themed Halloween events are fun. And scary. And a great way to spend an afternoon or evening this Halloween season. From a business perspective, special events provide an effective method for attractions to entice new visitors and offer unique experiences for loyal guests.

We polled our own team to find their favorite choices for Halloween fun around the globe. Here are the top 25.

Tricks and Treats at the Museum – The Museum of the American Revolution (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Take the kids trick-or-treating at the museum and learn about common 18^th century customs that may seem a bit spooky today. You can also join the team on the Declaration of Independence Plaza for pumpkin carving fun.

Halloween Fiësta Mortal at Bellewaerde (Ieper, Belgium)
The team at Bellewaerde takes their Halloween fun very seriously. If you are looking for a hauntingly good time, this is the spot for you.

Fiesta Mortal | Belewaerde

The Glorious Glowing Lantern Parade at BeWILDerwood (Norfolk, U.K.)
If your fright tolerance level is a bit more on the tame side, spend the day exploring the spooky decorations at this park. Then check out the very popular Glorious Glowing Lantern Parade.

Halloween Lantern Parade | BeWILDerwood

KidsJam Monster Mash Halloween Dance Party at the Boston Children’s Museum (Boston, Mass.)
Take the kids and spend the last Friday evening in October dancing to the Monster Mash and other Halloween favorites. The Museum also holds an adults-only event: Fright Night – Boston’s “Grown-Up” Museum when “big kids” can play and party at the museum.

Boo at the Zoo – Bronx Zoo (Bronx, N.Y.)
Head off to New York’s Bronx Zoo for spooky Halloween fun. Boo at the Zoo weekend features a Haunted Forest, hayrides, Bootoberfest and a special Nature Trek for guests of all ages.

HallZOOween at the Cincinnati Zoo (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Trick-or-treat with the zoo animals, every weekend in October. The zoo has special trick-or-treat stations set up and a full schedule of special HallZOOween animal enrichment activities.

Zoo Boo and Smashing Pumpkins at the Detroit Zoo (Detroit, Mich.)
Stop by the zoo for their “merry-not-scary” event for live entertainment, movies, trick-or-treat stations and fantastic pumpkin displays.

Halloween at the Museum at Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Denver, Colo.)
Spend the night in the museum and have fun with themed activities and trick-or-treat trivia. Overnight guests get to sleep in the diorama halls and explore the museum, including the temporary exhibition Ultimate Dinosaurs.

Halloween Time at Disneyland Resorts (Anaheim, Calif.)
Fall under the spell of Disneyland’s Halloween-themed touches, including costumed characters and the Main Street Pumpkin Festival. Even the Haunted Mansion gets an extra spooky makeover for this haunted time of year.

More Treat Than Trick at Drayton Manor (Staffordshire, U.K.)
Mysterious surprises wait at every turn as you make your way through the park for this frightfully fun, family Halloween event. Along with the spooky transformation of the park, Drayton Manor has several special events during the Halloween season.

Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia, Pa.)
This event is not for the faint-of-heart. If you are looking for some hard-core Halloween terror, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is the place to go. Don’t say that we didn’t warn you.

Terror Behind the Walls | Image courtesy of Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pa.

Boo at the Zoo, Elmwood Park Zoo (Norristown, Pa.)
Take the kids to trick-or-treat during Boo at the Zoo. Wear your costumes and bring your treat bags for this fun event. Live music and a Halloween parade are just a part of the fun.

Spirits, Science After Hours at the Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)
October’s Science After Hours event is themed especially for Halloween, featuring the science of your favorite drinks and myths of Halloween. Costumes are optional, but curiosity is required. This fascinating event is for adults only.

Franklin Institute | Science After Hours

Hersheypark in the Dark (Hershey, Pa.)
You can find thrilling rides, delicious chocolate and spooky nocturnal creatures during weekends in October. Bring the family for a day of Halloween fun.

Haunted Aquarium at the Living Planet Aquarium (Draper, Utah)
Pirate story time, skeleton dives and trick-or-treating are just some of the fun events at the Living Planet Aquarium this Halloween season.

Howloween at the Oregon Zoo (Portland, Ore.)
Come to the zoo for a howling good time, the last Saturday in October. Costumed trick-or-treating children can learn about wildlife as they take part in scavenger hunts and other activities.

The Park After Dark at OWA (Foley, Ala.)
OWA invites visitors to “help break the Halloween curse!” Search for clues as you go on a quest to specially themed locations through the park and take part in other special events through the season.

Howl-o-Ween at the Phoenix Zoo (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Bring your entire family to the zoo the last weekend in October to participate in merry activities for younger kids and scary surprises for older children.

Zoo Boo at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma, Wash.)
Watch the animals enjoy special pumpkin enrichment and stop by the special treat stations for family fun and Halloween themed activities.

Zoo Boo | Point Defiance Zoo | Photo credit – Ingrid Barrentine

Nights of Fright 5 at Sunway Lagoon (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia)
The fifth year for this event, the Nights of Fright event at Sunway Lagoon gets scarier every year. Test the limit of your fears at the haunted attractions, scare zones, thrill rides and stage shows in the park.

Creatures of the Night at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo (Tampa, Fla.)
Meet the creatures of the night and join in a host of Halloween-themed activities at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. Guests visiting for this evening event can catch a glimpse of animals that you won’t normally see during daytime hours.

Halloween in Tivoli Gardens (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Tivoli Gardens is dressed for Halloween during this annual event. Guests can take part in the “Funny Halloween” or “Scary Halloween” activities.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando (Orlando, Fla.)
Visit this classic Halloween event for immersive, terrifying fun. Explore haunted houses and scare zones, where creatures lurk and nightmarish surprises wait around every corner.

Trick or Treat Family Overnight Adventure at the USS Midway (San Diego, Calif.)
Spend the night onboard the USS Midway Museum on an overnight adventure that includes trick-or-treating throughout the ship.

Fright Nights at Walibi Holland (Biddinghuizen, Netherlands)
Be prepared for some serious terror when you visit this classic Halloween event. The haunted attractions and scare zones can spook even the most seasoned Halloween horror veteran.

Fright Nights | Walibi Holland