It’s that spooky time of year again, when ghouls, ghosts and witches come out of the woodwork for their annual haunting. Along with themed parties and special menus across town, children can get in the spirit with Irish storytelling and Samhain celebrations harking back to the original pagan festival.
1/12
Frida Halloween Party
Vampires and werewolves await
diners with delicious food, zombies and monsters chat over drinks, and the living and the dead raise a toast on Sunday night at Frida, where a Halloween menu, cocktails and a lively party should entertain all-comers on Sunday, 31 October. The menu features festival treats such as Witch’s brew and Dracula’s platter. More
details here
2/12
Halloween Night at Marciéknál
For Friday, 29 October, the gastro team at Marciéknál are preparing their special menu with pumpkins a-plenty and extra big hot dogs with cheddar. Arrive with or without a costume, and complimentary drinks will accompany your delicious snacks from 6pm to 11pm. More
details here
3/12
Halloween Vivina Edition
The Vivina Café on Szerb utca should surprise children and adults alike on Halloween, with pumpkin-spiced
lattes
(decaffeinated versions, too), pastries and cakes in true Halloween style, as well as bat-shaped vegan biscuits, on Saturday 30 October. Come in a costume, as the best Halloween dress will be rewarded with creamy Portuguese desserts. More
details here
4/12
Irish Halloween storytelling night
Celebrate
this spooky season in a traditional way with seriously scary Irish Halloween tales. The Irish
Leprechaun Museum will bring its best storytellers among
which renowned Róisín Murphy will take you back to the time of wicked
Irish fairies. The frightful púca (‘ghost’) will
entertain the whole family with age-old Irish folktales along with other mythical Irish heroes such as Celtic warrior Finn McCool. You can register the event here for free. It
takes place online on Friday, 29 October so you can enjoy the travelling in time back to the campfires of Irish storytelling heritage from the comfort
of your home.
5/12
KIOSK Halloweek
At KIOSK Pest, the whole week has been given over to the spirit of Halloween, celebrated with a unique chef’s menu and a special cocktail inspired by Mina Harker, the protagonist of Bram Stocker’s original novel, Dracula. Mina knew a good, blood-red cocktail when she saw one – just the thing to toast the occasion. More details here
6/12
Los Orangutanes/Día De Los Muertos
Chiming with the lively Mexican celebrations for Day of the Dead, the Día de los Muertos show at the recently opened Turbina Cultural Centre features the authentic sounds of the ten-member cumbia band Los Orangutanes comprising Magyar and Latin members of Irie Maffia, Zuboly and Besh o DroM, among others. More details here
7/12
Ludmilla All Night Long/A38 Halloween
Breakbeat DJ Ludmilla rocks the party boat this Saturday night in a Halloween special that should run until silly o’clock. With more than a thousand appearances across Europe under her belt and tracks on sought-after labels such as Vinyl Addiction Breaks and I-Lectrik, this dance master knows how mix with the best. More details here
8/12
Samhain at Aquincum
Before the Roman conquest of
Hungary, Celtic tribes lived in the area of Óbuda where Aquincum now stands. With
Celtic treasures among its permanent collection of Roman mosaics and artefacts,
the Aquincum Museum has recently celebrated the original Celtic pagan festival
of Samhain in style by staging a whole day of family-friendly events. Sunday’s
storytelling and workshops require a knowledge of Hungarian but pumpkin-carving,
face-painting, Celtic fire duels, torch-bearing parades and live music by Bordó Sárkány
can be enjoyed by all. Admission 1,900 forints/950 forints reduced, or free to
residents of District III. More details here
9/12
Stranger Synths/Halloween by Quixotic
Stranger Synths is Hungary’s
best-known synth and retrowave party series, inspired by the popular Netflix TV
show, Stranger Things. On Halloween night itself, 31 October, the Analog Music
Hall in south Buda will be transformed into Hawkins City for one night with
Christmas lights, cosplay, arcade machines and, of course, Hungarian music
master Quixotic, ’ a
journey through the synth waves from ’80s’ Miami sunsets over palm trees and
cocktails’. Megahit provide support. More
details here
10/12
Tereza Carnival/Día de Muertos
Celebrate Halloween Latin-American
style at Tereza on lively Nagymező utca this
Saturday. As well as that Latin vibe, mysterious magic tricks and flickering
candles await, while all those coming in costume will also receive a welcome complimentary
shot. The most creative costumes win a special prize. Register, and Tereza’s
make-up master will help you get a full Mexican. More details here
11/12
Trick or Treat Halloween Night/St. Andrea
Although the panoramic roof terrace of the St. Andrea Wine & Skybar is now closed, you can still take in the view and downtown lights from within. All of this can be best enjoyed on Saturday, 30 October with a Halloween theme, surrounded by blood-red cocktails, spiders, costumes and skeletons falling out of closets. More details here
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Vegan Halloween Days
People with a sweet tooth
won’t be neglected as the Zabrakadabra healthy
confectionery outlets on Ferenc körút in Pest and Dolgos utca in Buda await with all kinds of vegan pumpkin biscuits, paleo brownies and
halloween cupcakes on 31 October and 1 November. And those who arrive in
costume might be rewarded with a surprise cake... More details here
