Here's your guide to what's happening in Laois, Offaly and Westmeath this Halloween.
Scary season is nearly upon us, with a wide range of events for all ages taking place across the Midlands in the lead up to October 31st, many of them are free of charge.
OFFALY
Freaky Friday Shows is bringing a Tim Burton-themed burlesque, pole, and drag show to Charleville Castle in Tullamore on Saturday November 1st from 5 pm until 9 pm. The castle’s candlelit halls will come alive with performances inspired by the eerie elegance of Wednesday Addams and the dark whimsy of Tim Burton. This event is for adults only.
The Hullabaloo Children’s Arts Festival is back again this year, filling the county with four days of creativity, imagination, and family fun from Wednesday 29th October to Saturday 1st November, with multiple events taking place across all Offaly Libraries.
To finish the spooctacular day, Club 38 in Edenderry is calling all over 30s to a Halloween Party like no other. The party will kick off at 6pm for a daytime festival and will go on till late Halloween night. There will be classics played, moves busted, confetti, 360 photo booths, giant glow sticks, and more.
Offaly is known to be the county with many haunted and spooky castles, if other activities don't interest you then perhaps a family walk along the grounds of Kinnity Castle, Leap Castle, Charleville Castle or Birr Castle Demesne is an idea for you and the family with numerous tracks and trails to take.
LAOIS
Laois is hosting a wide variety of events this year, many of which are free of charge. A Night of Ghost Stories with Emma from the Real Life Ghost Stories podcast will be an evening filled with real-life paranormal accounts, haunting legends, and chilling experiences. This event is on Wednesday 29 October from 6.30pm to 7.30pm
Solas Eco Garden Shop is hosting Spooky Stories with Granny Gruesome. The event is for children aged four to eight and starts at 1pm until 4pm on the 31st allowing plenty of time for Trick or Treating.
The Halloween cottage market is holding a Halloween-themed market on November 1st from 11:30am - 1pm in the Macra Hall. Everything from costumes, spooky characters, and plenty of treats will be up for grabs on the day.
On Saturday, November 1st, the Corbally Halloween Bash will take place in Timahoe, which will begin at 3 pm in the Timahoe Community Hall. The family friendly afternoon will offer lots of costumes, music, dancing, and entertainment for all ages with proceeds going towards Temple Street Children's Hospital.
WESTMEATH
In Westmeath there will be a free Halloween Family Fun Day at the Athlone Regional Sports Centre on Friday, October 31st, from 4pm to 8pm. Highlights will include the Enchanted Croí Theatre Puppet Show, facepainting, photo opportunities with alpacas, with the evening closing with a spooktacular fire-breathing performance.
Families will be delighted to know that Dún na Sí Heritage Park will reopen from Monday 27 to Friday 31st of October for a Midterm Break Special with kids going free. Halloween themed décor has descended on the parklands which is the perfect excuse to get the kids outdoors.
Samhain in the Heartlands is a two-day festival of storytelling, ritual, music and fire, all set in the shadow of the hill of Uisneach on the 8th and 9th of November. Activities will include a haunted tour, night skies astronomy and a captivating procession led by fire-dancers, horses, wolfhounds and mythological figures.
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