Although Germany didn't traditionally celebrate Halloween, it made a debut there in 1991 as a Fasching equivalent. Since then, its popularity is growing. Germans love to dress up and have a good fright. Some of the Halloween traditions also remind of St. Martin's Day and All Saints Day. With many creepy old castles like Burg Frankenstein and dark legends, Germany is a perfect place to spend the spookiest time of the year.
Halloween in Berlin
Cosmopolitan Berlin fully embraces Halloween celebrations, especially costume parties, funny frights, and pub crawls. From The Horror Nights in Filmpark Babelsberg to a family-friendly Halloween festival in Tierpark—there are a lot of late October events in Berlin that will make those autumn blues disappear. The Halloween Run Berlin is a fun short 0.5-km race that takes place at Waldhochseilgarten Jungfernheide. The race is packed with loads of action and fun activities. Many runners wear costumes, so there are all kinds of witches, vampires and monsters competing with each other. Zombie Walk is a flash mob popular in Berlin since 2008. It takes place during the weekend before Halloween at Klosterruine, Mitte. As the darkness descends on the city, at about 5 p.m., hundreds of undead drag their rotten limbs through the streets of Berlin. Find more information about Halloween in the capital here.
Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival, Blühendes Barock (August 25–October 28, 2023)
The world's largest pumpkin festival takes place at Blühendes Barock, Ludwigsburg for two months. Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival has over 450,000 pumpkins on display. Also, don't miss pumpkin art pieces and shows with pumpkins every day during the festival. Giant pumpkin carving, pumpkin regatta, smashing pumpkins, and other events will keep visitors of all ages entertained.
Halloween at Legoland Deutschland Resort (September 29–October 28, 2023)
Halloween at Legoland, Günzburg is a fun family-friendly festival with a unique spooky atmosphere. With monsters and ghosts wandering all over the park, kids will be delighted to visit the Spooky Lane, knock at the Trick-or-treat House and meet ghastly creatures. Special shows and presentations from Spooks Experts will keep the little ones entertained with a trick or two. Of course, Olli the Park Dragon will also get dressed up in a scary costume.
Halloween Burg Frankenstein (October 20–November 4, 2023, on selected days)
Halloween at Burg Frankenstein near Darmstadt is the oldest celebration in Germany. The first mention of Burg Frankenstein dates back to 1252, the times of the great dynasty of Frankensteins. The castle that is decorated for Halloween and full of zombies offers scary dinners and creepy shows on several stages. With gruesome creatures lurking in the corners, flickering lights, and scary soundtrack, the castle ruins are a truly haunted site.
Movie Park Horror Fest (September 30–November 12, 2023, on selected days)
Every fall, Movie Park Germany opens its gates for one of Europe's greatest Halloween events—the Halloween Horror Festival. It attracts about 250,000 attendees every year. Movie Park Germany is an amusement park in Bottrop-Kirchhellen in western Germany, 50 km north of Düsseldorf. With an extraordinary scary setting, ghouls and monsters behind every corner, Movie Park guarantees a serious fright for all adrenaline-seekers. Dozens of spooky attractions and shows, mazes and action-packed rides make this park a real Halloween epicentre in Europe. Check out the Terror Tower, several Scare Zones, and other epic frights. Kids have their own not-so-scary zone in the park. The festival runs Thursday to Sunday (except the last weekend which is Friday to Sunday) from early October to early November.
For the tickets and latest updates, please check with the official websites (see External Resources below.) Also, take a look at the map suggesting the best accommodations nearby.
