Your Guide to Celebrate Halloween in Australia

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As a newcomer to Australia, you might be wondering if Halloween is celebrated in Australia or not? 

Especially if you are coming from one of those countries where it is a huge tradition. 

Well, in this article, we are giving you a quick guide to Halloween in Australia.

Are you excited? We are indeed. 

Let’s go!

What are the Origins of Halloween?

Now a day, trick or treat, costumes, pumpkins come to mind when thinking about Halloween. But it wasn’t always like this. 

Halloween traditions date back more than 2000 years. 

It is said to be celebrated as the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of harvest season and start of winters.

Celts (who lived in the UK, Ireland and northern France) marked 31st October as the day for the return of spirits to the living world. 

So they wore costumes, masks, lit bonfires to keep these spirits away. 

Later on, with the spread of Chirstinaty, it was incorporated into All Saint’s Day (celebrated on 1st November). 

All Saints’ Day is also known as All Hallow’s Day. 

So a night before All Hallow’s Day became All Hallow’s Eve, which was shortened to what we know today “Halloween”.

The tradition of this festival was brought into the United States during the 19th century by the Irish and Scottish communities.  

Nowadays, Halloween is a fun-filled holiday for kids and teenagers in North America with varying celebrations.

Do Australians Celebrate Halloween?

A very good question to begin the things with!

The answer is “it depends”. 

While you will find some neighbourhoods putting quite an effort to get their houses ready for Halloween, it is not as widely celebrated as it is in the United States.  

There will be many suburbs or neighbourhoods around the country where you will see little to no Halloween Celebrations.

Although, it is hard to deny that Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last few years. 

When is Halloween Celebrated in Australia?

Halloween is celebrated on 31st October each year worldwide.

In 2024, it is celebrated on Thursday 31st October 2024.

Please note that there is no public holiday for Halloween in Australia.  All the offices, businesses and schools run as per usual timings.

What are Some of the Popular Halloween Traditions in Australia?

Here are some of the popular Halloween traditions you will come across in Australia as well:

  • Trick or Treating – It is a tradition of visiting neighbourhood, usually by kids and teenagers, to ask for candies or lollies. People in Australia offer varies types of treats including sweet candies, cakes, chocolates, etc. 
  • Costumes – Usually kids, teenagers and even adults get dressed up with different spooky costumes like vampires, ghosts, clowns, witches, draculas, superheroes, zombies, etc. 
  • Pumpkins – You will find carved pumpkins as a part of Halloween Traditions. In the past, it was used to keep the spirits away, but nowadays it is for decoration purposes.  You can pick up these pumpkins from any major supermarket in Australia. 
  • Parties – Many people will have a bonfire and Bbq during the evening in their backyards and may invite some people over to their house for a Halloween party as well. Many event organisers, nightclubs, pubs, hotels, also do Halloween themed parties during the evening and late nights. 

Where to Buy Halloween Essentials in Australia?

If you are looking to get into the Halloween spirit (no puns intended) and want to celebrate it with your friends in Australia, then you can check the following retailers for that:

Halloween Costumes and Decorations

You can get various types of Halloween costumes from popular online and shopfront retailers like:

  • Amazon
  • Kmart
  • Big W
  • Target
  • Spotlight
  • Ikea
  • Costume Shops
  • Discount stores
  • Party Stores
  • Supermarkets
  • Marketplaces like Facebook and Gumtree

Halloween Candies and Sweets

Popular retailers to buy Halloween candies and sweets in Australia include:

  • Coles
  • Woolworths
  • Aldi
  • Big W
  • Kmart
  • Costco
  • Sweet As
  • Local bakeries and confectionery stores

Fun Activities to do on Halloween as an Adult in Australia

While you might be ready to be going out for trick or treating, here are some fantastic ideas on spend your Halloween day with friends:

  • Halloween Movie Marathon – Yes, it is a thing. You can binge-watch Halloween classics like Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, Scream, The Ghostbusters, The Addams Family. You can also do a horror movie marathon like The Conjuring, Poltergeist, Candyman, etc. 
  • Halloween Themed Costume Party – If you are one of those party animals, then you might consider throwing a Halloween themed costume party at your place. Invite your uni friends with a special note of wearing scary or creative costumes and have fun together. 
  • Go for a Ghost Tour – Want to do something really spooky? Why not book a ghost tour then? There are many providers of these tours around Australia and you can visit places like cemetery, haunted houses and cities with these tours. 
  • Escape Room Challenge – Get together with a few friends and go for an escape room challenge with them. Many Escape Room Challenge providers usually have horror themed escape rooms to have fun with your friends. 
  • Halloween Karaoke Night – Another fun activity to do with a group of your friends on a Halloween night. Dress up in scary costumes to double up the fun while singing your heart out. 

You can check for local Halloween events happening around your city on platforms like Meetup, Eventbrite and All Events.  

We hope you this guide to Halloween in Australia helped you and wishing you all a Spooky Halloween.