Edinburgh Halloween: 12 spooky events taking place in and around the city this year

Reporter

Published 21st Oct 2024, 11:13 GMT

Halloween is upon us again this year, with lots of spook-tacular events taking place in and around Edinburgh over the next week or two.

We’ve rounded up the 12 best Edinburgh Halloween events taking place this year, with events for all ages, children and adults.

There are murder mystery dinners, Halloween hunts, trick or treat trails, ghost stories, pumpkin trails and a Halloween candlelight concert featuring music from some of the most popular horror movies of all time.

Eventbrite is hosting lots of these events for people around the region seeking their Halloween thrills, including a fire spinning workshop. Eventbrite currently lists around 3,500 Halloween themed events across the UK, and more than 150,000 fans of the scary season have already signed up to them

Recently named the UK’s top tourist attraction in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2024, The Real Mary King’s Close, offers two exclusive spine-chilling tours that allow visitors to uncover Auld Reekie’s darkest secrets. With the return of the Lantern Led Tours, The Close invites guests to explore the underground streets with only the flicker of their lantern to guide them, illuminating the lives and deaths of former residents. The adult-only True Crimes Tour invites visitors to dive into real-life crimes committed in the city and discover tales of crime, punishment and the ordinary lives affected by events such as the infamous witch trials. Tours run until October 31, every 15 minutes from 6pm-9pm and are priced at £30 per adult and £24 per child (strictly no under 18s for the True Crime tour). To book your spot, visit: https://bookings.realmarykingsclose.com/book.

1. The Real Mary King’s Close

Recently named the UK’s top tourist attraction in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2024, The Real Mary King’s Close, offers two exclusive spine-chilling tours that allow visitors to uncover Auld Reekie’s darkest secrets. With the return of the Lantern Led Tours, The Close invites guests to explore the underground streets with only the flicker of their lantern to guide them, illuminating the lives and deaths of former residents. The adult-only True Crimes Tour invites visitors to dive into real-life crimes committed in the city and discover tales of crime, punishment and the ordinary lives affected by events such as the infamous witch trials. Tours run until October 31, every 15 minutes from 6pm-9pm and are priced at £30 per adult and £24 per child (strictly no under 18s for the True Crime tour). To book your spot, visit: https://bookings.realmarykingsclose.com/book. | Taste

This Halloween season, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is inviting all ghoul busters, big and small, to join in the Haunting Halloween Hunt, running daily until November 3. Whether you're a seasoned Halloween fanatic or a first-time trick-or-treater, there's spine-tingling surprises for all ages! Lovable mascot, Dizzy, has transformed into five iconic Halloween characters. Visitors will need to keep their eyes peeled for Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, Werewolf, and more as they search for Dizzy in his spooky costumes throughout the attraction. Hunt them all down and claim your well-earned sweet treat at the end. Camera Obscura will be decked out in creepy décor, from ghostly projections and eerie portraits to bone-chilling photo opportunities. Special Halloween-themed exhibits include the freakishly fun Severed Head illusion, the haunting OptiMusic to create spooky soundscapes, and interactive puppets lurking in the Colour Shadow Wall. See www.camera-obscura.co.uk for more.

2. Camera Obscura

This Halloween season, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is inviting all ghoul busters, big and small, to join in the Haunting Halloween Hunt, running daily until November 3. Whether you're a seasoned Halloween fanatic or a first-time trick-or-treater, there's spine-tingling surprises for all ages! Lovable mascot, Dizzy, has transformed into five iconic Halloween characters. Visitors will need to keep their eyes peeled for Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, Werewolf, and more as they search for Dizzy in his spooky costumes throughout the attraction. Hunt them all down and claim your well-earned sweet treat at the end. Camera Obscura will be decked out in creepy décor, from ghostly projections and eerie portraits to bone-chilling photo opportunities. Special Halloween-themed exhibits include the freakishly fun Severed Head illusion, the haunting OptiMusic to create spooky soundscapes, and interactive puppets lurking in the Colour Shadow Wall. See www.camera-obscura.co.uk for more. | Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

Fever’s Candlelight concert series is set to light up The Merchants Hall in Edinburgh with special Halloween-themed shows. These haunted evenings will feature creepy movie soundtracks, including The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, The Exorcist, Thriller, and many more. The unique musical program welcomes everyone from 8-years-old up and promises to be a fun and spooky night for all. Candlelight Concerts are a series of original music concerts created by Fever aimed at democratizing the access to classical music. This innovative format represents a unique live musical experience through a varied offer of programs to meet all tastes, played by local musicians, in emblematic venues, with the space and performers illuminated by thousands of candles. Candlelight: Halloween, at The Merchants Hall, October 26 at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets, £33, at: https://feverup.com/m/191777.

3. Halloween-themed Candlelight Concert

Fever’s Candlelight concert series is set to light up The Merchants Hall in Edinburgh with special Halloween-themed shows. These haunted evenings will feature creepy movie soundtracks, including The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, The Exorcist, Thriller, and many more. The unique musical program welcomes everyone from 8-years-old up and promises to be a fun and spooky night for all. Candlelight Concerts are a series of original music concerts created by Fever aimed at democratizing the access to classical music. This innovative format represents a unique live musical experience through a varied offer of programs to meet all tastes, played by local musicians, in emblematic venues, with the space and performers illuminated by thousands of candles. Candlelight: Halloween, at The Merchants Hall, October 26 at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets, £33, at: https://feverup.com/m/191777. | Fever

Flight Club Edinburgh – the lively and fabulously eccentric Social Darts bar – is adding an eerie-sistible twist to its bottomless brunch this Halloween with a two-hour Spooky Brunch Special, available on October 26 and 27. Expect some Halloween-themed tunes from the resident DJ, a devilish cocktail on arrival followed by a bottle of prosecco for every guest, bottomless pizza paddles and an hour at the oche throwing sharp pointy things, otherwise known as Social Darts! Come dressed up and be in with a chance to bag some treats! Book tickets here from £30 per person: https://flightclubdarts.com/brunch/spooky?venue=edinburgh.

4. Flight Club’s Spooky Brunch Special

Flight Club Edinburgh – the lively and fabulously eccentric Social Darts bar – is adding an eerie-sistible twist to its bottomless brunch this Halloween with a two-hour Spooky Brunch Special, available on October 26 and 27. Expect some Halloween-themed tunes from the resident DJ, a devilish cocktail on arrival followed by a bottle of prosecco for every guest, bottomless pizza paddles and an hour at the oche throwing sharp pointy things, otherwise known as Social Darts! Come dressed up and be in with a chance to bag some treats! Book tickets here from £30 per person: https://flightclubdarts.com/brunch/spooky?venue=edinburgh. | Red Engine

Halloween Edinburgh

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