The most thrilling things to do in Melbourne for Halloween

Do you dare to roam the halls of the Old Melbourne Gaol on Halloween? Dress up, explore the haunted venue and encounter some playful scares. There will be a photo booth, as well as a bar open all night long. This event will run from 6pm to 10pm.

Get in the Halloween spirit with some thrilling events at Melbourne Museum. The festivities will kick off with a family-friendly celebration on Friday, October 30. Look forward to trick-or-treating, science shows, face painting and more. Then, on Saturday night, take part in the inaugural Halloween Gala. This adults-only evening will feature roving performers, fortune tellers, DJs, themed treats and more.

Prison Island is an electrifying, immersive experience that fuses the excitement of escape rooms with the challenge of obstacle courses. From October 16, on select weekends after 7pm, the cells will get a little spooky. Take on the challenges after dark while ghostly prisoners roam the halls. This one hour experience is for those aged 16+. Get your tickets here.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been brought to life in this gripping production. In this gothic tale, you’ll feel captivated by forbidden love, grief, obsession, immortality and sacrifice. After sold-out seasons in London’s West End and the United States, Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest is taking of Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne from now until October 25. Learn more here.

Dark delights and thrilling rides await at Luna Park – or more accurately, Luna Dark – this Halloween. Dress up in your scariest costume, and bump into other ghouls and gremlins amongst the live performers. There will be family-friendly sessions in the day time, but once the sun goes down, things will get pretty frightening, with haunted mazes and abandoned factories. Scream on the rides, play carnival games and grab a drink from the bar. Luna Dark is on from Thursday, October 22 until Sunday, November 1.

Listen as Melbourne Symphony Orchestra brings Tim Burton’s film, Edward Scissorhands, to life. Hear Danny Elfman’s emotive score performed live to picture at Hamer Hall on October 30 and 31. See more here.

Escape This Melbourne has a few freaky rooms for you to try, including the 18+ rooms Meat Grinder and Asylum. From October 28 to November 1, they’re also doing giveaways and special offers for Halloween.

If you love a good scary movie, then the Astor Theatre has got you covered. Always game for Halloween specials, they’ve got a whole stack of thrilling screenings to see this month, such as a triple feature of The Evil Dead, and a double feature of The Craft and Carrie. On Halloween, settle in for a marathon of the Scream series.

Metartworld has some frightfully fun Halloween additions to explore from October 18 to November 3, handily with two levels of fright for all you scaredy-cats. Pop by for a haunted house, ghost parade, face painting and more during the day. Then, return after dark for some scary night parties, where the fright level has been dialled up a couple of notches.

On October 24, Crane Bar & Lounge at 1 Hotel Melbourne will host the candlelit soirée, Bloom After Dark. Look forward to a subtle touch of Halloween glamour, with wild florals, dramatic drapes and masquerade marks, along with themed cocktails and tunes from DJ Edd Fisher and Client Liason’s Harvey M. The party kicks off at 5pm, and you’re welcome to dress up if you wish.

Then, on Halloween, bring your dog along for their Howl-O-Ween party, with custom dog sketches, puppuccinos, a best-dressed competition and more. Return to Crane Bar in the evening for more wicked cocktails, themed décor and DJs.

If you do nothing else to celebrate Halloween this year, at least catch a vaguely spooky film. Lido Cinemas have plenty of them in their annual Halloween Horror series, which runs from October 23 until November 2. Feel nostalgic with Practical Magic, go for a classic like Psycho and bring the kids along for Casper and The Addams Family. Plus, expand your range with some J-Horror and K-Horror, like Jigoku and The Housemaid.

Taking you around three secret bars, the Hidden Bars & Creepy Tales tour will let you in on the dark side of Melbourne, with spooky tales of old criminals and graveyards. Tours run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and you can book here.

Wander through the cells of the notorious H-Division at Pentridge Prison. Once known as Hell Division, this section was home to some of Australia’s most feared criminals. Guided night tours are available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This experience is suitable for those over 16.

Hear four of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories leap off the page and onto the stage. Pair the different tales with four themed cocktails or mocktails. Find the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy on 75 Reid St in Fitzroy North. Get your tickets here.

Bring the whole family to Docklands and enjoy Halloween-themed entertainment, activities, live music, food trucks and more at The Street Social. It will take place on October 31 and November 1, from 12pm to 7pm. This event is free to attend.

VIVA is giving a Halloween twist to their boundary-pushing cabaret. See dark circus acts, aerialists and stunning choreography, and listen to powerhouse vocals, while sipping on themed cocktails like the Witches Brew and the Franken-tini. After the show, stuck around for the dance floor. Shows will take place on October 30 and 31. More info here.

Alcotraz, the prison-themed cocktail bar, has been infected for Halloween. Enter the prison under lockdown, uncover classified files and trace the outbreak, while serving out your sentence and sipping on drinks. This Halloween special is available on select dates from now until November 1.

Descend into Dolly at Le Méridien Melbourne and take part in a tarot reading. Then, stick around for The Grand Jazz Dinner Show: A Halloween Special. Enjoy a four-course dinner with matched wines, while listening to a five-piece band perform tunes like I Put a Spell on You. Limited-edition, tarot-inspired cocktails will also be available. Tickets are $145, and the show will take place on October 31.

For the month of October, Miilk Cake Studio has two themed treats to try. Opt for Berry Me Alive, a strawberry sponge with lychee, or go for Darkest Sinner, a chocolate sponge with Oreo pieces, mousse-infused cream and ganache.

On Halloween, Stamford Plaza will transform into Dr. Acula’s Castle, where humans and ghouls have gathered under a fragile truce. When Dr. Acula is found dead, you will have to interrogate suspects, follow clues and solve the murder before the night is over, while enjoying a three-course dinner. This experience is 18+, and including theatrical blood eating, brain eating and a fake exorcism. The Murder Among Monsters dinner will run from 6pm to 9pm.

The Howl-O-Ween Paw Parade is returning to Port Melbourne. Find oodles of dogs, dressed up in costume, and enjoy canine giveaways and free professional dog photos. There will also be a family zone, with interactive games and surprises. Check it out from 10am to 2pm on October 31.

In this immersive theatre experience, you’ll hear the stories of four notorious serial killers, told through their own twisted perspective, or from the view of someone close to the case. Each story will be paired with a themed cocktail or mocktail.

Enter the world of Saboteurs, and choose to become either a crew member or an imposter on the Moon. In this immersive game, crewmates try to complete tasks while imposters work to eliminate them. Try to eject the imposters before it’s too late! Challenge yourself a little further by taking on the harder difficulty Dark Map.

Caribbean Rollerama is bringing all of the spooky fun to their adults-only Halloween event on Thursday, October 29. Then, they’ll have Halloween celebrations for all ages on October 30 and 31. Dress up, skate around the rink and enjoy themed entertainment and treats.

If you’re in need of a costume, or craving a shopping experience like no other, you should check out the Little Shop of Horrors Costumery & Pop Culture Emporium in Mornington. This spectacular space has 21 themed rooms, inspired by favourites like Star Wars, Beetlejuice and more. Find plenty of licensed costumes and merch. Dare to go down Nightmare Alley, a year-round walkthrough filled with animatronics, a coffin chamber and plenty of jump scares. For something less intense, pop into the Princess Boutique, try a Wizard Workshop, get a Movie Makeover and more. Start planning your visit here.

19 winemakers, brewers, distillers and producers are getting locked up in Old Geelong Gaol. Dress up, explore the cells, and taste some of the finest food and drink in the region. There will also be roving performers, temporary tattoos, mugshots and even adoptable cats and dogs. Dark Cellars will take place from 1:30pm on October 31. More info here.

The Chocolateries in the Yarra Valley, Great Ocean Road and Mornington Peninsula are celebrating Halloween with hunts for the little ones, costume parades, pumpkin decorating and of course, plenty of sweet treats. Think Hocus Pocus Pumpkin Spice ice cream, Frankenstein Raspberry Roll dessert, and more!

Established in 1868, The Blackwood Hotel is serving up pub favourites with a side of history. During the gold rush era, this particular pub also served as the local morgue. Swing by this Halloween for a tour of the morgue space, go trick or treating and play spooky games. There’s prizes for best dressed. Learn more here.

Drive out to Kryal Castle near Ballarat and take part in the family-friendly Trick or Treat program on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1. The kids will have fun with potion making, face painting and more. 

Older guests are invited to the All Hallows Court Fantasy Ball. Dress in your best dark fantasy attire, then wander the Labyrinth, discover secrets in the Torture Dungeon and learn your fortune with tarot reading. There will be roving canapes, themed cocktails and dancing until late. This event is on from 6:30pm on Saturday, October 31. Learn more here.