Halloween is getting more and more popular in the Netherlands. So many party animals are becoming possessed by a certain thrilling party spirit, where the spell is unbreakable. All over the country, partygoers don the creepy zombie, buff superhero or sultry villain costumes and dance the night away until the small hours.
Certain Halloween celebrations take place over several days, but since this year's Halloween (October 31) falls on a Wednesday, what better day to get decked out in your most ingenious attire than Saturday, October 27?
Here are some of the most exciting and monstrous Halloween events happening in the Netherlands.
Alphabet Club Amsterdam (also known as ABC) celebrates its 12th edition with the Superheroes vs Villains Halloween Party at the Suikerfabriek in Amsterdam. Let your imagination run wild with your costume and see who will win a prize for best getup. Join the 800 or so expected villains and superheroes on this memorable night.
Dance to funk, house and electric amid the creepy, grotesque décor. All proceeds of this event go to charity, so do your bit and buy your tickets on the Superheroes vs Villains event page!
WesterUnie, inside the Westergasfabriek, is the venue of choice as Amsterdam Halloween marks its 10-year anniversary. In terms of costumes this year, anything goes!
At the anniversary ball, there'll be all kinds of outfits inspired by the past nine years of Amsterdam Halloween party themes, so whether you are partial to a superhero costume or have a penchant for monsters or zombies, you can dress as you like.
Each weekend for the rest of October, you can freak out in the houses of horror at Walibi World amusement park in Biddingshuizen, which stays open until 11pm on these nights of quivering fear.
Walibi World becomes a world of terrifying haunted houses for Fright Nights, as Eddie the clown leads you into a scary and thrilling park of menace, mystery and terror! You don’t need to experience this nightmare alone – take your nearest and dearest, your close friends and family or your colleagues.
Zuiderpark in Rotterdam transforms into a place where no Halloween costume is too bizarre or too racy. At Crazy Sexy Cool Festival, you could come across any kind of scary monster, zombie, superhero or red-hot supervillain. There are scare zones and safe zones, so whether you’re up for a freaky, creepy night out or prefer to chill in your costume, this place has got it covered.
Children will be in their element this Halloween, with face-painting, performances and blood-curdling stories - the perfect scare before bedtime!
This family Halloween celebration at Center Parcs is the ideal ghostly way to celebrate Halloween if you have children and are looking for somewhere nice to spend some time during the autumn school holidays. There will be a costume parade through the park, and the Market Dome will be full of Halloween decorations, ready for the spooky disco.
Children can have their faces painted or get a glitter tattoo to add to their costumes and there will even be a pumpkin carving workshop, so come prepared with the kids (and adults) in fancy dress and enjoy this family occasion.
You've heard of Museum Night which takes places in many different Dutch cities. Well, this very scary edition of Museum Night is especially for children under the age of 12. At Museum Prinsenhof Delft, Prinsenkwartier and the Paul Tetar van Elven Museum, kids can listen to creepy ghost stories, take part in weird and wonderful workshops and enjoy spooky performances and shows.
For just 2,50 euros per person, parents and children can join in all the eerie Halloween fun on Museum Night Delft for Kids. Tickets are available at the door.
There's monstrous fun to be had for the expat children of Amsterdam, enjoying spooky storytelling, traditional Celtic Halloween games, face painting, live Irish music and a thrilling dance workshop at the Irish Halloween for Families in Amsterdam.
There are some age-specific events for children of various ages up to 14, while some events are even ideal for parents too, such as dancing and listening to spine-chilling tales of demons and banshees. Organised by the people who brought you St Patrick’s Festival Amsterdam, this event is a great way to meet English-speaking expat families in Amsterdam.
No matter your age, you don't have to miss out on the fun! There's something for everyone this Halloween, whether you plan to party all night long or bring your kids to celebrate the spooky traditions of this time of year.