What are the best, most spooky Halloween festivals in the whole world? You absolutely need to see Derry Halloween in Northern Ireland (which is, by the way, the country of origin of Halloween!), Día de Muertos in Mexico (which technically isn’t Halloween, but it’s still worth attending), and Salem Haunted Happenings. Why these festivals? Find it out in this article!

Our 3 Best Halloween Festivals in the World

A Halloween festival needs to be spooky and filled with fun activities. While this can be said about most such events, some are clearly much better than others. Sometimes, it’s the customs related to Halloween celebrations in different cultures. At other times, some events are simply prepared on an extremely large scale. Nevertheless, let’s look at some of them—these festivals that we can confidently call the best!

halloween festival

Derry Halloween, Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Although Halloween is often perceived as an American holiday, one couldn’t be more wrong—it has its roots in Ireland! That’s why it shouldn’t surprise you that the largest Halloween Festival in Europe takes place there.

Derry Halloween is a major event that takes place over four days, from October 28 to October 31. During this time, the whole town turns into a truly spooky venue, filled with skeletons, zombies, and other themed decorations. Yet, it’s the program that makes this festival so worth visiting.

The plan of this Halloween festival is divided into two parts, the first of which takes place on October 28 to 30 and the second on October 31.

  • The Awakening the Walled City Trail—a Halloween story brought to life with illumination, aerial performance, pyrotechnics, and music. Watch out for the spirits strolling through the crowd—we’ve heard they’re up for some mischief!
  • The Carnival Parade and Fireworks—the final day of the festival brings a massive Halloween parade to the town, which ends in a magnificent display of fireworks!

Día de Muertos, Mexico City, Mexico

Día de Muertos technically isn’t a Halloween event, as it’s a separate holiday celebrated in Latin America. Nevertheless, it involves numerous fun (and spooky) activities and is celebrated at the beginning of November, so not long after Halloween. Why do you need to participate in it?

You need to see the parade organized to celebrate this holiday at least once in your life. During that time, thousands of people go out on the city streets dressed in costumes of dancing Catrinas or ceremonial skeletons, with the characteristic masks (which you’ve probably seen in memes or movies) on them. It’s an unforgettable experience—we strongly recommend it!

Salem Haunted Happenings

Salem is a spooky place known for its famous witch hunts, but during Halloween, it becomes even scarier. This is absolutely one of the best and definitely the largest Halloween event in the world, which takes place during the whole of October. It’s filled with various mini celebrations, but many visitors use it as an opportunity to simply tour the city.

If you plan to attend this particular celebration, be sure to book your accommodation in advance and, yes, consider staying longer than one day. Also, refrain from going there by car—finding free parking becomes almost impossible in Salem during the festivities.

The Takeaway

The above are, in our opinion, the best Halloween festivals in the world, though this shouldn’t stop you from visiting others. If you want to discover more wonderful celebrations, we recommend downloading YouMap.

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However, if you find thrill at the chill of ghost stories, then maybe spine-tingling haunts are more your style! Ready to explore the spookier side of these festive locales? Click below to visit our Haunted Locations Map and discover the most haunted spots where legends and eerie tales come to life. Dare to roam where spirits whisper and shadows move of their own accord.