Hosting the ultimate Halloween event: tips and ideas from our event hosts

Halloween is the perfect time for event hosts to get creative and offer memorable experiences that cater to a range of audiences — from families looking for wholesome fun to adults seeking thrilling and spooky entertainment.

We've borrowed some inspiration from our fabulous community of event hosts, and boy, do they get creative! Whether you're planning a large-scale party, a community event, or a niche experience, here are some unique and innovative ideas to get you started.

1. Theme selection: Go beyond the usual

While Halloween naturally brings to mind ghosts, witches, and haunted houses, consider hosting a themed event that offers a unique twist on these classics. For example:

• Interactive Murder Mystery Night: Invite guests to solve a whodunit mystery in a haunted mansion setting. This can be adapted for small groups or larger crowds, and guests can participate in costume. Just like this Murder Mystery Supper Club Dinner, paired with snake oil cocktails! 🐍🍸
• Dress-Up Horror Movie Screening: Host an outdoor or indoor screening of classic horror films with themed snacks and drinks. Combine the event with a costume contest where guests dress as characters from the films. How about Hocus Pocus where witchy costumes are highly encouraged and you can even bring your own arts and crafts?
• Participation Events: A Halloween Ghost Ride for the actively inclined will get your heart pumping in more ways than one. Or turn a classic pub crawl into creepy crawlies like this zombie-themed Halloween Bar Crawl. 🧟
• Cultural Halloween Celebrations: Tap into traditions from around the world, such as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) for a culturally enriching event. Combine this with a delicious feast, live music and dancing like this Dia De Los Muertos fiesta to create a vibrant, authentic celebration​.

2. Catering to your audience: From families to partygoers

Depending on your target audience, your event should be tailored accordingly:

• Family-Friendly Craft Events: Hosting activities like pumpkin carving, face painting, and Halloween-themed crafts are great wholesome fun for kids and families. What about a Halloween Craft-a-Noon or a Family Pumpkin Carving Day? And adults-only arts and crafts like this Pumpkin Carving & Spooky Sips event also go down a treat - who says creativity is only for kids?
• All Ages Wholesome Fun: Parties and events for trick-or-treaters of all ages are a hit! Take inspiration from this Pumpkin Night in the Park where everyone can wander through trails lined with more than 1,000 carved and lit pumpkins, and enjoy themselves in an evening filled with costumed characters, entertainment, dancing, food trucks, and more pumpkins. Or a classic Halloween bash like this all-ages Frightfully Fabulous Halloween Party is a vibe too.
• Late-Night Halloween Parties: For an adult audience, a Halloween dance party with a DJ, themed drinks, and costume contests can create the perfect spooky vibe. A Halloween rave like Halloween Party featuring DJ sets run until the early hours, making it ideal for a party-loving crowd.

3. Create immersive experiences

People attend Halloween events expecting to be scared, entertained, or both. As a host, you can take advantage of this by creating immersive environments:

• Interactive Haunted Houses: Create a haunted house experience where guests encounter live characters, special effects, and story-driven challenges. By offering different levels of scariness, you can cater to various comfort zones, like this Halloween House of Horrors that has a milder version of the show for kids in early evening, followed by more creepy late shows featuring a real alive mummy, an evil mermaid, an alien from outer space, and an Elephant Man.
• Combine Haunted Houses with Art: Set up a spooky walk-through experience, like the Haunted House Exhibition where art blends with fright. It features works from three unhinged artists, including creepy dolls, a Glow Room and peculiar 3D artworks that literally jump out at you.😱

4. Leverage local talent

Working with local artists, performers, or musicians can not only enrich your event but also draw in a wider audience. For example, Halloween @ The Hive focuses on bringing together local musicians and artists to create a spooky celebration that highlights community talent. Collaborating with creatives for live music, costume makeup booths, or art installations can set your event apart from the rest.

5. Engage guests with contests and activities

Keep your attendees engaged by organising fun and competitive activities:

• Costume Contests: Offer prizes for the scariest, most creative, or best group costumes. Be sure to promote this ahead of time so guests come prepared to compete.
• Pumpkin Carving Competitions: Let guests show off their artistic side with a pumpkin carving contest. You could even offer an online contest where attendees can submit photos of their creations.
• Photo Booths: Set up a themed photo booth with spooky backdrops, props, and filters. This is a hit at parties and helps spread the word as guests share their photos on social media.

6. Marketing your Halloween event

No matter how amazing your event is, it won't succeed without proper promotion. Consider the following strategies:

• Leverage Social Media: Create buzz by posting teaser videos, images of past events, and interactive polls. Instagram and TikTok are particularly effective for sharing visual content like behind-the-scenes set-ups or costume previews.
• Partnerships with Local Businesses: Partner with local restaurants, bars, or costume shops to offer discounted tickets or exclusive event offers. This not only attracts more attendees but also supports local businesses.
• Charity Tie-ins: Following the model of platforms like Humanitix, where booking fees go to charity, consider partnering with a charitable organisation to donate part of the proceeds from ticket sales. It can help attract attendees who appreciate supporting a good cause while having fun​.
• Style Your Event: Set the tone for your event by stylising your event page and checkout experience with spooky colours, using our custom styling and branding options. You can even choose Dark Mode! 😈

7. Safety considerations

Given that many Halloween events take place in dim lighting or involve large crowds, it’s crucial to prioritise safety. This can include:

• Well-lit Areas: Ensure pathways, parking lots, and exits are properly lit and sign-posted to avoid accidents.
• Crowd Control: If your event draws a large audience, ensure you have enough staff and security to manage the crowd safely.
• Age-appropriate Content: For family-friendly events, be mindful of the level of scare factor involved. Keep the jump scares and spooky scenes to a minimum for younger attendees.

By focusing on creativity, audience engagement, and effective marketing, you can host a Halloween event that attendees will remember long after October 31st. Whether you're organising a family-friendly festival, a community arts event, or an all-night Halloween bash, these ideas can help you stand out and create a unique experience.

With these incredible events to inspire you, we wish you a happy Halloween and trick-or-treating!